Using condoms
condoms; diseases; safer; safe; sex; male; female; sexually; transmitted; infections; STIs; STDs;
Contents
Condoms can give you protection against many sexually transmitted infections (STIs), as well as protecting a woman from an unwanted pregnancy, but they need to be used carefully.
The only way to be 100% sure of not getting an STI is not having sex at all, but condoms reduce the risks of passing on many serious infections, some of which can have serious health effects.
Using a condom is only part of ‘safer sex’. Have a look at the topics Safer sex, Are you ready for sex? and Sexually transmitted infections. There are also topics on the Young Adult section of this site about types of contraception.
Condoms
- Condoms are made in many different textures and colours. What you chose is up to you. All condoms that meet the Australian standards will give a very high level of protection when they are used correctly.
- Condoms are available in South Australia in supermarkets, chemists, from vending machines in some public toilets, SHine clinics and many community health centres.
- In all of these places they are used to people buying condoms, so you don't need to feel embarrassed about coming in for a condom and lubricant.
- If you feel embarrassed, try buying them at a supermarket among other items like your shampoo and deodorant, where it's less noticeable.
Here are some important points to remember:
- Make sure the condom is not past the use-by date - check the packet.
- Don't keep condoms in a warm place such as the glove box of a car or your pocket, as they may be damaged.
- Only ever use a condom once.
Using a condom
- Be careful not to tear the condom when you open the packet, or by contact with finger nails or rings.
- Always use a water-based lubricant with a condom. Lubricants stop the condom tearing due to friction.
- You can often get the water based lubricant in a packet, pump or tube at the same place as you get the condoms.
- Don't be embarrassed when asking for lube - health workers and pharmacy staff are trained to handle to questions like this and they also know how important lubricants are.
- Other lubricants - such as oils and vaginal creams - can make the condom tear.
Wet sex is good sex!
- Don't allow the penis to touch the woman's genital area until the condom is in place, because when the penis becomes erect, semen (pre-cum) can leak out. The condom must be rolled on in time to catch it.
- Open the packet carefully so that you don't tear the condom.
- Don't unroll the condom before putting it on the penis.
- Put the condom on when the penis is erect (hard).
- Don't start having sex before putting it on.
- Squeeze the tip of the condom and hold it against the tip of the penis. Squeezing removes any air left in the condom. Air in the condom can cause it to break.
- Unroll the condom as far down as it will go.
- Use lubricant on the outside of the condom.
- The penis should be withdrawn as soon as the man ejaculates (cums) and while it is still hard. Hold on to the condom at the base of the penis so it doesn't come off and spill semen.
- After removing the condom, wipe any semen from the penis.
- Get rid of the condom by wrapping it in paper and putting it in a bin. Never flush a condom down the toilet.
Practise
You could practise putting a condom on before you actually have sex, so that you feel more confident about putting a condom when you really need to.
- You can practise on yourself if you're a man.
- If you're a woman, you could practice on fruit or vegies like a banana, or a carrot.
- At some youth health centres, health workers will show you how to put a condom on using a plastic model.
- It's also worth trying different types of condoms if one is not right for you, as all brands are a little different.
Josh says:
“If you’re thinking about having sex, then practise putting on a condom. That way, when you need to put one on you will not get embarrassed - you’ll know how to do it and you will be making sure that you are practising safe sex”.
Resources in
South Australia
- The Second Story Youth Health Service (TSS):
Central: 57 Hyde Street, Adelaide
South: 50a Beach Road, Christies Beach
North: 6 Gillingham Road, Elizabeth
West: 51 Bower St, Woodville
- Youth Healthline: 1300 13 17 19
- Shine SA - Sexual Health information, networking and education
http://www.shinesa.org.au
Sexual Healthline (Monday to Friday 9am to 1pm)
– telephone (08) 1300 883 793 country callers 1800 188 171
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases Services (Clinic 275)
– telephone (08) 8226 6025, country callers 1800 806 490
http://www.stdservices.on.net/
- AIDS Council of SA (ACSA) – telephone (08) 8362 1611
http://www.acsa.org.au/
- Shop Front Youth Health and Information Service, Salisbury
- telephone (08) 8281 1775
- Your local community health centre - check in your phone book
- Your family doctor - doctors are required to keep anything you tell them confidential, but if you feel embarrassed, you could see another doctor at the same clinic or try another doctor.
General
STD Services - ‘Safe sex and condoms: essential facts’:
http://www.stdservices.on.net
SHine SA 'Condoms'
**Any products referred to in our health topics are usually well-known brands readily available in Australia. The brand names are given as examples only, and do not necessarily represent the best products, nor the full range of effective products on the market.
The information on this site should not be used as an alternative to professional care. If you have a particular problem, see a doctor, or ring the Youth Healthline on 1300 13 17 19 (local call cost from anywhere in South Australia).