How to use a condom Pt1
There are ‘male’ condoms and ‘female’ condoms. First, we will have a look at the ‘male’ condoms.The best ones to use are made from latex rubber. These are less likely to break or leak than lambskin condoms or the thinner "more sensitive" condoms.
What about polyurethane condoms? Polyurethane condoms are thinner than latex condoms, and so they increase sensitivity and are more agreeable in feel and appearance to some users. They are also helpful to the very small number of people who are allergic to latex. However, a disadvantage is that they are slightly more likely to break than latex condoms and they are often more expensive.
Condoms come in a variety of shapes. Most have a reservoir tip although some do have a plain tip. Condoms may be regular shaped (with straight sides), form fit (indented just below the glands or "head" of the penis), or they may be flared (wider over the glands).
Ribbed condoms are textured with ribs or bumps, which can increase sensation for both partners. Condoms also come in a variety of colors. Condoms, which have been properly tested and approved, carry the British Standard Kite Mark or the EEC Standard Mark (CE). In the USA, condoms should be FDA approved, and elsewhere in the world, they should be ISO approved.
If you have a choice, pick condoms with lubrication (slippery liquid or gel) already on them. This makes them less likely to tear during handling or use. Never use an oil-based lubricant like Vaseline with a condom. Water based lubricants are always preferable.
The lubrication on condoms varies. Some condoms are not lubricated at all, some are lubricated with a silicone substance, and some condoms have a water-based lubricant... Some lubricated condoms are also now available with a spermicide (Nonoxynol 9) added.
A spermicidal lubricant also aims to provide an additional level of protection if some semen happens to leak out of the condom. This can help to reduce the likelihood of pregnancy, but regular use of nonoxynol9 can cause an allergic reaction in some people resulting in little sores, which can actually make the transmission of HIV more likely.
Nonoxynol 9 is a suitable spermicide only for women who are HIV-negative and are at low risk of exposure to HIV or other STI's, and only for vaginal sex.
Some condoms are flavored to make oral sex more enjoyable. Condoms are made in different lengths and widths, and different manufacturers produce varying sizes.
There is no standard length for condoms, though those made from natural rubber will in addition always stretch if necessary to fit the length of the man's erect penis.
The width of a condom can also vary. Some condoms have a slightly smaller width to give a "closer" fit, whereas others will be slightly larger. Condom makers have realized that different lengths and widths are needed and are increasingly broadening their range of sizes.
New condoms are stronger than old ones. If you keep a condom for too long, the latex loses its strength. Store them in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. Heat quickly damages latex, so do not store condoms in hot spots such as the glove compartment of a car.
Many condom packages will have either a manufacturing date or an expiration date on them. This is helpful since it provides an indication of age. Older condoms are likely to be weaker, and should be thrown out. A condom should also be thrown out if it feels hard, dried out or very sticky, or if it looks discolored or was in a torn or damaged package - so take a look at them before you use them. When kept in a cool, dry place, condoms can last about four years after the manufacturing date.
Condoms should never be re-used. Use a new condom each time you have sex. So, keep a supply of condoms on hand. Carry some condoms with you whenever you go out. Even if you do not use them, you can share them with friends who may have forgotten theirs.
Next, using condoms should be discussed with the person you are planning to have sex with. Waiting to pull out a condom until the moment before you have sex is the worst possible time to bring up the subject. Your partner may get angry that you have waited so long and may feel tricked, or not trusted.
The best time to introduce the subject of using condoms is the first time you think about having sex with someone. Planning to protect yourself and your partner from getting a sexually transmitted disease, especially AIDS, shows that you care about your health and about your partner's health. It also shows that you are aware of the risks of unprotected sex at a time when AIDS is a serious epidemic all over the world.
The person you are thinking about having sex with may not agree at first when you say that you want to use a condom when you have sex. You may need to offer some arguments about why you feel that way, using facts about safer sex. If the person still resists, then the smart thing to do is not to have sex. If that person cares so little about his/her health - or yours - then you should find someone else who does care.
Once you and your partner are comfortable with the idea of using a condom and are ready to have sex, here is how to use a condom the right way:
Only open the package containing the condom when you are ready to use it. Otherwise, the condom will dry out. Be careful not to tear or damage the condom when you open the package. If it is torn, throw it away and open a new package.
Condoms come rolled up into a flat circle. They can only be unrolled onto an erect ("hard") penis. Before the penis touches the other person, place the rolled-up condom, right side up, on the end of the penis.
Hold the tip of the condom between your thumb and first finger to squeeze the air out of the tip. This leaves room for the semen to collect after ejaculation. In addition, air in the condom can make it break more easily.
eep holding the top of the condom with one hand. With the other hand (or your partner's hand), unroll the condom all the way down the length of the erect penis to the pubic hair. If the man is uncircumcised, he should first pull back the foreskin before unrolling the condom.
Always put the condom on before entering the partner.
If the condom is not lubricated enough for you, you may choose to add a "water-based" lubricant, such as silicone, glycerin, or K-Y jelly. Even saliva works well for this. Lubricants made from oil (cooking oil or shortening, mineral or baby oil, petroleum jellies such as Vaseline, most lotions) should never be used because they can damage the condom.
If you feel the condom slipping off during sex, hold it at the base to keep it in place during the rest of this sexual act. It would be safest for the man to pull his penis out and put on a new condom, following all the steps again.
After sex, you need to take the condom off the right way.
Right after the man ejaculates ("cums"), while still inside his partner, he must hold onto the condom at the base, near the pubic hair, to be sure the condom does not slip off.
Now, the man must pull out while the penis is still erect. If you wait too long, the penis will get smaller in size, and the ejaculate ("cum") will spill out of the condom.
When the penis is completely out, take off the condom and throw it away. If you are going to have sex again, use a new condom.
What do you do if the condom won't unroll?
The condom should unroll smoothly and easily from the rim on the outside. If you have to struggle or if it takes more than a few seconds, it probably means that you are trying to put the condom on upside down. To take off the condom, don't try to roll it back up. Hold it near the rim and slide it off. Then start again with a new condom.
What condoms should you use for anal intercourse? With anal intercourse, more strain can be placed on the condom, so it is sensible to use stronger condoms and plenty of lubricant. However, if you can't get hold of a strong condom, a normal condom is better than no condom.
Is using a condom effective? If used properly, a condom is very effective at reducing the risk of being infected with HIV during sexual intercourse. Using a condom also provides protection against other sexually transmitted diseases, and protection against pregnancy. In the laboratory, latex condoms are very effective at blocking transmission of HIV because the pores in latex condoms are too small to allow the virus to pass through.
How can I persuade my partner that we should use a condom?
It can be difficult to talk about using condoms. However, you shouldn't let embarrassment become a health risk. The person you are thinking about having sex with may not agree at first when you say that you want to use a condom when you have sex. These are some comments that might be made and some answers that you could try.
| Excuses | Answers |
| Don't you trust me? | Trust isn't the point, people can have infections without realizing it |
| I can't feel a thing when I wear a condom | Maybe that way you'll last even longer and that will make up for it |
| I don't stay hard when I put on a condom | I'll help you put it on, that will help you keep it |
| I don't have a condom with me | I do |
| I'm on the pill, you don't need a condom | I'd like to use it anyway. It will help to protect us from infections we may not realize we have. |
| But I love you | Then you'll help us to protect ourselves |
| Just this once | Once is all it takes |
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