Putting on a condom seems like pretty standard knowledge information, but it is imperative to know the right and wrong ways.
This could be a matter of life and death. We have a solution for you.
If you're new to sex or getting back into the dating scene after a long-term relationship has ended, condoms are a must-have accessory.
When used correctly, they are your best defense against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV. They are also fairly effective at their original role as a contraceptive device. Follow these steps to ensure a properly applied condom.
Check the condom package.
First, check the expiration date printed on the condom wrapper. If it’s expired, toss it out.
Never use an expired condom. It could tear or fail. Check out the wrapper for any signs of obvious rips or tears.
If the package is torn or ripped, throw out the condom and use a new one. If the condom is sticky, brittle, or looks discolored, toss it out and use a new one.
Men produce a fluid known as pre-ejaculate that often contains sperm and can cause pregnancy and STDs. You should also put on a condom before oral sex.
You may also want to put on a condom before mutual masturbation. This will keep fluids from getting on your hands that could easily be transmitted to your genitals or mouth.
While opening the condom, don't get carried away in your passion.
Don't shred open the foil, and stay away from scissors or any other sharp instrument to open a condom wrapper, or you could tear the condom itself! A torn condom won’t protect against pregnancy or STDs.
Determine which way the condom is rolled. This can be difficult to do, particularly if you’re in the dark.
Instead of trying to see which way the condom is rolled, feel it with your fingers: Place one hand on either side and pinch the rolled ring of the condom between your thumb and fingers.
Then, gently roll the condom in one direction with your fingers. If it resists rolling, this is not the direction you will want to unroll the condom over the penis.
Roll the condom in the other order. If it begins to unroll, this is the direction in which you should unroll the condom over the penis.
Make sure the reservoir at the tip of the condom is pointing in the right direction. This reservoir should already be on the outer end of the condom, but it can sometimes become inverted during packaging.
Make sure the reservoir is oriented so that the rest of the condom rolls away from it. A condom should always fit snugly over a penis, leaving no tight or baggy spots.
If rolled over a penis that is not yet fully erect, it will fit awkwardly and be more likely to fall off or tear during sex.
If more time is needed for a full erection, set the condom aside with the reservoir pointing up so that you know which way it should unroll. Pick it up again when you’re both ready.
Pinch the entire reservoir at the tip of the condom shut. This eliminates the possibility of creating an air pocket inside the condom when worn, reducing the chance of breakage and providing the semen with a place to go during ejaculation.
The condom should easily unroll down the length of the shaft. If it turns out that you are trying to put the condom on backward, throw it away and start over.
An erect penis produces fluid before ejaculation that can contain sperm. If a condom has been exposed to this fluid, flipping it over and re-applying it may cause pregnancy and/or the transmission of an STD.
How you apply the condom will depend on whether or not the penis is circumcised.
Circumcised penis: Pinching the reservoir shut with one hand, place the condom against the tip of the erect penis.
With your other hand, push your pubic hair out of the way if necessary. Then, gently roll the condom down the entire shaft of the penis, smoothing out any air bubbles that may appear.
Uncircumcised penis: Pinching the reservoir shut with one hand, place the condom against the tip of the erect penis.
With your other hand, push your pubic hair out of the way if necessary. Then, roll the condom slightly over the tip of the penis to get it started, then gently pull back the foreskin.
Slide your first hand from the reservoir tip down to the rolled ring of the condom and roll it down the entire length of the shaft.
Use one hand to hold the bottom of the condom in place at the bottom of the shaft and then push the foreskin forward inside the condom with the other hand.
Smooth out any air bubbles if necessary. Try some of our products for yourself—Trojan Ultra-ribbed and Beyond Seven Studded Condoms.
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