Condoms are one of the most effective, easily accessible contraceptives available.  They are a barrier-style contraceptive and work by creating a barrier between a penis, sex toy, dildo, and a vagina, anus, or mouth to prevent pregnancy and/or sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Condoms are 98%* effective at preventing pregnancy, and MOST STIs when appropriately used.  I mention “most” STIs because it is essential to know that a condom does not protect you against Herpes, HPV, or Syphilis, as the transmission of these STIs can occur from skin to skin contact. 

The Do’s of Condom Use

• Do check the expiration date on the condom package.  If it is expired, there is a greater risk the condom will break.  Instead, buy a new pack of condoms and throw the expired ones out.  Think of it like use-by dates!  No one wants a dose of salmonella from eating something after the use-by date, and no one wants an unexpected pregnancy or STI from an expired condom breaking!!!
• Use only condoms that are made of latex or polyurethane (plastic).  Studies show these types of condoms are the most effective in helping prevent pregnancy or STIs.  However, if your partner has a latex allergy, plenty of polyurethane condoms are on the market.  No one wants a bout of anaphylaxis with their orgasm.
• Make sure you use water-based lubricants with your condoms.  Any other type of lubricant only increases the risk of the condom tearing.  If your condom is not pre-lubricated, pop a dollop of lube on the inside and outside of the condom to help prevent it from breaking or tearing.  Plus, what girl will complain of a little extra lube down there to smooth the way forward.
• Do use a condom EVERY time you have sex.  It is a pretty simple concept.  If you don’t want to get pregnant or get an STI, wear protection, no matter what anyone tells you.  Regardless of the current predicament of the overturning of Wade v Roe, you still have a right and choice with your body on whether you consent to sex with or without a condom.  No condom, no sex.  It is that simple!
• Do put the condom on before the penis enters the vagina.  There is this myth that precum does not contain sperm.  However, in some instances, precum can contain sperm, and it will also have STIs.  So whether you think you are protected from pregnancy, you are NOT protected from STIs. 
• Do make sure there are no tears or defects in the condom.  A condom with a tear or defect will not be 98% effective.  It is more likely to tear or break when put on or used.  Throw it away and grab a new one.
• Do store condoms in a cool, dry place.  However, I realize an everyday habit is for men or women to have a condom in their wallet for the “just in case” scenarios.  Condoms stored in wallets or bags get overheated, making the latex or plastic more vulnerable to breakages or tears.  On top of that, most people forget how long they have had that condom in their wallet and often risk using an expired condom.

The Don’ts of Condom Use

• Don’t use oil-based lubricants with your condoms.  This includes baby oil, petroleum jelly, cooking oil, and WD40.  Ok, I’m kidding on the WD40, although one can never be too sure about the human race.  But anything oil-based will cause the condom to break, so it’s best to avoid them.
• Don’t use more than one condom at the same time!  Yes, double-bagging has this idea of being even more effective and safer.  WRONG!  The friction from the two condoms rubbing against each other is more likely to make them break than if wearing just one.
• Don’t reuse a condom.  Yes, you read that right!  For many, the thought of reusing a condom seems foreign, but don’t underestimate the human race again.  Condoms are designed as a one-use-only device.  This means you use it for sex once, then dispose of it appropriately in the rubbish.  Reusing them will cause them to break and increase your chances of falling pregnant or getting an STI
• Don’t open the condom package with your teeth or with scissors.  You run the risk of tearing the condom when you do, which, as we have discussed, renders the condom ineffective in protecting you against getting pregnant or an STI

Now that we have covered the Dos and Don’ts, we must cover how to correctly put on a condom and take off a condom.

When putting on a condom, you want to carefully open the condom from the package.  The condoms come rolled up and will unroll only one way.  You can quickly tell if you have put the condom on the wrong way as you will be unable to roll the condom down the penis.

All condoms contain a reservoir tip.  The reservoir tip’s idea is to collect the semen on ejaculation.  However, the amount of semen ejaculated can vary for each ejaculation and per person.  The condom is designed to collect all semen, so do not worry whether the reservoir tip will hold it all.

If you are circumcised, you want to place the condom on the head of your erect penis.  If uncircumcised, you will want to pull your foreskin back first, then put the condom on the head of the erect penis.  The foreskin will relax and move within the condom and not feel pinched if doing it this way. 

When rolling a condom on a penis, ERECT is BEST.  A flaccid penis is not designed to be stuffed into a condom, and I’m pretty sure the owner of the penis is not going to appreciate it being stuffed inside like a pillow in a pillowcase.

Pinch the air out of the reservoir tip of the condom and roll the condom down the shaft of the penis.  All the way to the bottom.  A condom is designed to cover the entire length of the penis, as this reduces the risk of the penis coming off during sex.

After sex, you want to hold the condom at the base of the penis before you pull out.  After ejaculation, the penis will become flaccid, making the condom feel looser.  By not gripping the base when you pull out, you risk having the condom come off inside the person.  Yep, you guessed it!  This then increases the chance of falling pregnant and getting an STI as the semen inside the condom can come out.

After you have pulled out, carefully remove the condom and tie a little knot at the end of the condom as this will stop semen from running out, and dispose of the condom in the trash appropriately.

Sizes, Colours, Flavours

Some other things to consider are that condoms come in various sizes, flavours, and textures.  You must try an appropriate size for yourself.  When a condom says it is ‘larger,’ this is not to indicate it’s larger for length; instead, it is a larger width size to account for girth, not length. 

At the base of the penis, the condom should feel like a snug fit, but not like it constricts blood flow.  The condom is designed to stretch, and all condoms can accommodate various lengths of penises.  As for textures, flavours, and colours, that will just come (no pun intended) down to personal preference.  Find the brand of condom that works for you, and most importantly – WEAR ONE