The "Ins and Outs" of Condoms
BY LELANDRA RANDLE
Although there are many more barrier methods besides external condoms, internal condoms, and dental dams that serve to prevent pregnancy (including cervical caps, diaphragms, and birth control sponges), I have decided to focus on condoms and dental dams because these methods are both available here on campus and are the most advertised and widespread barrier methods made available.
Condoms, dental dams, latex, silicon. There are a lot of terms that are used to reference barrier methods that can be used during sexual intercourse or sexual activity. There is a lot of stigma regarding the use of certain barrier methods during various types of sex, especially oral sex. Much of this stigma is rooted in the fact that there are so many varieties of barrier methods available and a very limited scope of information that is available for the use of these methods. Let’s start off with condoms. Many people know or have heard about external condoms, or condoms that are meant to be used on a penis. There are many different varieties of external condoms, including flavored, ribbed, lubricated, and even latex-free, for those who are sensitive or allergic to latex. External condoms come in a variety of sizes, in order for each individual with a penis to find one that will fit them as comfortably and as protectively as possible. Many brands like Trojan and Durex are commonly stocked on store shelves, but many others do not know about the vast number of other brands that are available on places online, at sex stores, and even at locations on campus that provide free safer sex supplies, like the Zenker Wellness Suite or the Habif Health and Wellness Center. Some of these brands include: Crown Condoms, LifeStyles Condoms, and ONE Brand Condoms. When sizing a condom onto a penis, one has to make sure that there is room at the tip of the condom/penis for semen after ejaculation occurs. Although ejaculation is not guaranteed during intercourse or sexual activity, it is always important to take these preventative steps in order for these methods to be as effective as possible. Applying the condom onto a penis correctly is also crucial in order to maximize protection. Many people assume that a condom can simply be rolled onto a penis straight out of the package. However, there is a proper technique that should be followed when putting a condom on a penis. After safely opening the condom package, being careful not to rip the condom, grab the condom so that the tip of it is pointing up, similar to a nipple on a bottle. If the tip is inverted or pointed downward, it must be flipped to the other side before it is rolled on to the penis. Once the condom has been placed onto the penis, continue to roll it down until it is covering the entire penis’s shaft. External condoms should be thrown away after use, and should never be reused. A new condom should be used in between each different sexual activity including, but not limited to, anal penetrative sex, vaginal penetrative sex, and oral sex. Something that is important to note is that flavored condoms should NOT be used for any form of penetrative sex involving the genitals. Flavored condoms are only meant for oral sex. Due to sugars and other ingredients that are often involved in making flavored condoms, using them for penetrative sex can lead to a higher risk of infection or irritation. On the other hand, flavored condoms can also be doubled as dental dams, which can be placed over a vagina for oral sex. A form of contraception that might not be as widely advertised as external condoms are internal condoms, which can be used for a vagina or an anus. Internal condoms are a unique type of barrier method in which they are made to be inserted into the vagina or anus, and can be held in place for up to 8 hours before actual use. This barrier method may be convenient for the partner in use, because it can be applied long before the very instant that sexual activity ensues. Internal condoms have both an inner ring toward the more narrow end of the condom, as well as an outer ring, which is made to remain on the outside of the vagina or anus. For insertion into a vagina, one should squeeze the internal, smaller ring so that it can be inserted easily into the vagina. In some ways, the use of an internal condom can be comparable to that of the Nuvaring or other forms of contraception that are similar to it. After the ring has been inserted, push the condom back through the end of the vaginal canal, up to where the cervix lies. A good fact to remember is that when an internal condom is in use, external condoms should NOT be used along with them. This is for the same reason why using two external condoms at once or “doubling up” should never be practiced. The additional layers of condom material will create a larger amount of friction between each of the condoms, leading to a higher risk for condom tears. This same practice will also increase the risk of internal condom tears, and is why internal and external condoms should not be used together. Although internal condoms are a method of contraception that give its users agency over their own sexual and reproductive health, giving individuals control over when it is inserted, used, etc., it is important to note that internal condoms differ from external condoms in both price and effectiveness. With “perfect use”, or use that follows instructions to the letter, internal condoms have a 95% effectiveness rate. For typical use, this rate drops down to 79%, as explained on the Planned Parenthood website. There are also price differences between external condoms, as the average cost for external condoms is around $1 per condom, where internal condoms is usually around $3.50 per condom (bedsider.org). These factors are all very important in contributing to the decision that one makes in picking the contraceptive method that makes them feel the most comfortable and safe during sex. Using lube is important in reducing friction between genitals, hands & fingers, sex toys, and other objects that may be involved in sexual activity. Especially during penetrative intercourse, (either vaginal or anal), using silicon or water-based lubricants are not only safer, but may also make these sexual experiences more pleasurable. Eliminating friction can help to reduce fissures, or tears, within the genitals. Lubrication also reduces the risk of transmitting an STI, as these fissures are more prone to becoming infected. Lubes that are made with oils are NOT recommended, as oil-based products can go rancid within the body and make the genitals more prone to infection and irritation. A barrier method that I briefly mentioned earlier was dental dams. Many times both dental dams and flavored external condoms are overlooked due to misconceptions about the ability (or lack thereof) to contract STIs or other infections from oral sex. In reality, many STIs can be spread to the genitals due to a virus or bacteria that may be present in a partner’s saliva. On the other hand, STIs can also be spread from genitals to a partner’s mouth, and can manifest itself in said partner’s mouth and/or throat. It is for this reason that using barrier methods during all forms of sex is instrumental in practicing it safely. Dental dams are meant to be placed over a vagina or anus during oral sex, and may come in different flavors, similar to external condoms that are also made to be used during oral sex. Dental dams are thin sheets of latex or latex-free material that serves to create a protective barrier between the genitals of the receiving partner from the mouth of the partner who is performing oral. This barrier method can also be easily self-made in which it can be reproduced with non-microwavable plastic wrap or by cutting the ends of an external condom resulting in a large square sheet of protective material. It is important that if any of these methods are used in self-making a dental dam that the material contains no holes or pores, and explains why the plastic wrap must be non-microwavable. For many, there is still a lot to learn about the vast variety of safe-sex supplies that are made available to individuals that work to not only protect against unwanted pregnancy and STIs, but also help to make sex more pleasurable and enjoyable. Many of these supplies are made accessible by various sources around campus, but there are also many websites and stores that make information about barrier methods mentioned above (any many more safe-sex supplies) available. Some of these resources are listed below: https://www.plannedparenthood.org/ https://www.bedsider.org/ http://www.ashasexualhealth.org/ |