Condoms are probably the greatest types of contraception as a result of they’re low-cost, you should buy them anyplace, they assist stop being pregnant, and so they additionally assist cease the unfold of STIs. However nonetheless, they are not good.
Condoms can break and are additionally vulnerable to consumer error (equivalent to placing them on incorrectly or selecting the mistaken measurement). For that cause, exterior condoms (the type that goes onto a penis) are solely about 85 % efficient at stopping being pregnant in actual life, based on Planned Parenthood — that is in comparison with 98 % efficient with good use.
To assist stop undesirable being pregnant and shield your self and your accomplice in opposition to STIs, you need to be sure to know how to use a condom properly, in addition to the required steps you possibly can take to stop them from breaking.
Why Condoms Break
- The condom is previous its prime. Condoms are sometimes good for three to five years after their manufacture date, however they do expire. Be sure you examine your condom wrappers for the expiration date and take be aware so as to use them earlier than that date, explains Carrie Smith, vice chairman of product growth at Cake, a sexual well being and wellness firm that makes condoms. If a condom is expired, the fabric (whether or not latex, polyurethane, or lambskin) could have degraded and misplaced its power and will probably be extra more likely to tear. There needs to be slightly air bubble within the bundle that you would be able to really feel in case you frivolously squeeze the wrapper, based on Deliberate Parenthood. This signifies that the bundle has not damaged open, and so the condom itself will probably be in good situation. If a condom is torn, dry, stiff, or sticky, toss it.
- Storage points. Relying on the place you retain your condoms, they could possibly be extra vulnerable to breaking. “Uneven heating and cooling can weaken the latex, making approach for the potential for breaking by the condom throughout penetration,” Smith says. For that cause, condoms should not be saved in sizzling locations equivalent to a glove compartment or a pockets. Within the case of the latter, friction may injury them, based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As an alternative, hold condoms in a cool, dry place the place they are not being rubbed, bent, or smashed, equivalent to your drugs cupboard or nightstand. Or in case you’re on the go, you possibly can retailer them in a small compartment of your bag or purse.
- Opening it with out care. If you happen to open a condom in a rush or incorrectly, you threat ripping the condom itself. By no means tear open a condom together with your tooth or scissors, based on Deliberate Parenthood. As an alternative, fastidiously push the condom out of the way in which when you tear the bundle open fastidiously based on the directions.
- An excessive amount of friction or lack of lubrication throughout intercourse. Friction is a part of what makes intercourse pleasurable — however on this case, it’s doable to have an excessive amount of of factor. “An excessive amount of friction cannot solely trigger the condom to tear however may trigger irritation to at least one or each companions,” Smith says. To assist stop condom breakage, lubrication is a should. That is particularly essential throughout anal intercourse, because the anus does not produce its personal lubrication just like the vagina does. Be sure you use lubricated condoms or use additional lube if it’s essential to. “A very good lube could make an enormous distinction in lowering friction,” Smith explains.
- You are utilizing the mistaken lubricant. If you happen to’re utilizing latex condoms, oil-based lubricants can weaken the fabric and trigger a tear. Meaning no utilizing coconut oil, therapeutic massage oils, or arousal oils. “Oil-based lubes ought to by no means be used with [latex] condoms as oil degrades the fabric and might result in tearing,” Smith says. “Silicone, water-based, or hybrid lubes are additionally an excellent selection for condom use. Experiment utilizing completely different lube sorts and see which feels the most effective for you and together with your condom.”
- The condom does not match. “Dimension actually does matter,” Smith says. “Slippage happens when utilizing a condom that is too lengthy or unfastened, and tearing can occur in case you are utilizing a condom that’s too tight or too brief.” Experiment with different-sized condoms to get a comfortable match — not too tight and never too unfastened.
If a condom does break throughout intercourse, keep calm and assess your choices. You’ll be able to take emergency contraception, if you’d like, and chat together with your physician about getting examined for STIs.
Picture Supply: Shutterstock / WAYHOME studio
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