CONDOMS
As
far back as 1350 BC, there are records of Egyptian
men wearing sheaths as decorative covers for their penises.
In the eighteenth century, condom use became popular for
protection against infections and unwanted pregnancies.
The condom is usually made of latex rubber (another name
for it is "a rubber") and is meant to fit an erect
penis. Many condoms come lubricated and/or premedicated
with spermicide (a chemical that kills sperm cells on contact).
Other condoms made of lamb intestines are more expensive
and may not protect as well against sexually transmitted
diseases. Condoms are designed to keep semen from
getting into the woman's vagina. To maximize the protective
benefits of condoms, they must be used correctly.
Condoms
usually come rolled up in a package. It will unroll
to about 7 1/2 inches, though one should not unroll
it until putting it on the erection. A 1 3/8 inch
ring is found on the open end to help prevent the condom
from slipping off during use. The closed end often
has a nipple reservoir that catches semen and helps prevent
the condom from breaking. A high-quality latex condom
has a failure rate of 1% - 2%, meaning that one can
expect their condom to break, burst, contain a minute hole,
or slip off, once or twice every 100 times of use.
Because of this, only abstinence is completely effective
at preventing STDs.
To
use a condom correctly, pinch the end (the nipple) to get
the air out prior to placing it on the head of the penis.
This pinched-off space will be where the ejaculate collects
and minimizes the risk of bursting the condom. Roll
the condom down the shaft of the erection, covering as much
skin as possible (many STDs can spread from skin to skin
contact even if there are no open sores or rashes present).
The condom must be unrolled onto the erection before
any intercourse occurs as it is common to leak a small amount
of semen from the stimulated penis prior to ejaculation.
If you are not using a lubricated condom, you should put
K-Y Jelly or a spermicide onto the condom once it has been
placed on the erection to lubricate and hence minimize the
risk of tearing the condom during sexual relations.
NEVER use Vaseline (petroleum jelly) on the condom as it
can dissolve the latex. When withdrawing the condom-covered
penis from the vagina or mouth, be sure to hold the rim
to prevent it from slipping off and spilling sperm onto
mucous membranes. In case of an accidental spill around
or in the vagina, insert spermicide cream, jelly, or foam
gently in and around the vagina. Do not douche.
Condoms
can be bought at any drugstore, and usually come packaged
in sets of 3 to 12. To order condoms-by-mail, discretely
and inexpensively, check out our hardcopy male genitalia kit, or click on the condom picture.
