Condom Fitting, Sizes, and Allergies

Although there are parents who shriek at the idea of their children learning how to put on condoms in school, I found one of the most beneficial courses I took outside of my major in college was a health class on how to put on a condom. Several male and female students took turns with a banana and learned what they were doing wrong when applying a condom. The instructor showed the class how to put on a condom and all volunteers who wanted to try it themselves were blindfolded to make sure that in a real-life circumstance, that person would be able to perform this task in the dark as well as the daytime.

How to put on a male condom:

1. Take the condom out of the package carefully, and make sure to avoid long, sharp fingernails, jewelry that can cut the material (beware of body jewelry), or using your teeth. It could puncture the condom.
2. Make sure that the condom is facing the correct way (the rolled up area should be on the outside).
3. Squeeze the tip of the condom to get rid of any air and place over the tip of the male genitalia. (Note: According to CondomEssentialWear, placing a drop of lubricant inside of the tip can make the sexual experience more pleasurable.)
4. Roll the condom all the way to the base of the penis.
5. After sex, take the condom off at the base of the condom, not the tip, to avoid semen spilling. Wrap the condom in a tissue, a paper towel, or paper, and throw into a garbage can, not a toilet that could potentially clog it.

How to put on a female condom:

1. A female condom has two rings: one closed and one open. Take the closed end and squeeze it with your thumb and middle finger.
2. Use your index finger to push the condom inside of the woman's genitalia as far as it can go, but make sure the open end still shows on the outside of her vagina. (Note: The open end should always be visible from the outside, and if it slips inside, stop immediately and adjust it.)
3. The female should lie down when removing the condom to avoid getting semen in her.
4. Twist the condom closed at the outer ring when it is out, and discard into tissue, a paper towel, or paper, and throw into a garbage can, not a toilet which could potentially clog it.

Double the Protection:

Male and female condoms should not be used together. Male condoms are 98% effective and female condoms are 95% effective, but using two condoms at one time can create friction, make the sex uncomfortable, and make both condoms more likely to break.

Condom Fitting:

A male condom should fit comfortably onto the circumference of the penis. If it's too lose, the condom is much more likely to slip off. If it's too tight, it is more likely to tear. Sites like Condomerie offer trial packages, so the male can become more familiar with what suits his private parts best. There are also places like BEHIV that give condoms away for free to try out, and Planned Parenthood, which educates people on protection. Try different sizes and different types of condoms to see what works and what doesn't. Sizes range from snug, extra head room, large, and magnum. Visit CondomDepot to get an idea of what they look like and what may be more ideal for you and your partner.

Allergic to Condoms:

According to GoAskAlice, several studies confirmed that only 1% of people are allergic to latex condoms. However, to avoid someone being a part of that 1%, make sure to get checked by a health care provider any time that either party experiences some type of rash or infection in your private area.

No Condoms Feel Better:

Sex without protection (i.e., condoms) brings a much greater chance of getting a sexually transmitted infection ( STI) like chlamydia, syphilis, gonorrhoea, and HIV. Birth control pills do not prevent sexually-transmitted diseases. Condoms should also be used as long as either party does not want children, you're unsure of whether your partner is monogamous, or you feel more comfortable having that extra protection. If your partner feels like sex is better without condoms, tell him/her that life feels even better than sex. Your body is going to be your body regardless, and you should not be given an ultimatum. Be safe.