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Free PDF of Size Isn't Everything - all penis FAQs answered
In the UK, one man in five dies before he reaches 65. Together we can change that. Donate, sign up for news or order some of our man manuals from the online shop.
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How to put on a condom
It's easy.
There's not much more to using a condom than simply tearing open the packet and sticking it on. However, condoms come in different sizes, shapes, thicknesses, and flavours. Experiment to see which are best for you. If you're having anal sex, always go for a thicker condom.
- If you find one type of condom uncomfortable, shop around until you find another that suits you better. Widely available condoms vary in length by 2-3 centimetres while circumferences vary by a centimetre or more.
- Check the use-by date as condoms can deteriorate with age.
- Make sure the condom meets recognized safety requirements (the British Standard Kitemark symbol on condoms manufactured in the UK is generally acknowledged to be the highest standard in the world). Beware of condoms that are like toys: shaped like animals, are luminous in the dark, or play tunes when you take them out of the packet.
OK. But I don't like them
If you don't like using condoms, practise putting them on and coming into them at home. This really is a problem that's all in the mind.
Condoms don't affect sexual performance — in fact, they may prolong it.
Some women don't like condoms as they can irritate the vagina. This can be overcome with a little lubricant (not oil-based as this can split latex condoms). In the rare case of latex allergy or overwhelming urge to use your favourite oil-based lubricant, use polyurethane condoms.
Hmm, I wouldn't mind more control but they spoil the moment
They needn't. Use your imagination. Put it on together. Or your partner can do it. Using their mouth, maybe. (But beware teeth can damage condoms.) Talk about it while you're doing it - lots of potential for dirty talk - and maintain eye contact to maintain excitement.
Not difficult and, by encouraging you and your partner to work together, using a condom might actually improve your mutual pleasure.
Yes, but they are difficult to put on
They're honestly not and there are umpteen videos out there to show you how if you're not sure. They are a lot less hassle than having to deal with an unwanted pregnancy or a sexually transmitted infection which, if left untreated, may in some cases kill you.
- Wait until your penis is fully erect before you put on the condom. Because seminal fluid can come out of your penis before you ejaculate (come), you should put the condom on before you attempt penetration.
- Open the packet carefully, even if you're a tad excited. Although condoms are very strong, they can be torn by fingernails, rings, or even rough skin.
- Make sure you put it on the right way round. The best method is to hold the closed end between the thumb and forefinger of one hand and squeeze the air out.
- Then, using the other hand, place the condom on the tip of your penis and unroll it fully down the shaft.
- Slap on plenty of water-based lubricant for extra pleasure. Don't use petroleum jelly or massage oil - they can rot latex remarkably quickly. (Although you can safely use oil-based lubes with polyurethane condoms.)
- Check it. In some sexual positions, the condom can roll up so make sure it's still in position during sex.
- Remove it carefully. Because your penis goes limp soon after you've ejaculated, you should hold the base of the condom firmly in place and withdraw before any semen can leak out of the condom.
- Wrap the condom in a tissue and throw it away in a bin. (Don't chuck it down the toilet - used condoms are a nightmare for sewage companies and can end up on beaches.)
If you're new to condoms, practise when you're home alone.
Where can I get condoms?
Go to your local contraception/family planning clinic or sexual health clinic and you may well get them free.
Condoms are also available in some GP surgeries plus many pharmacies, supermarkets, garages or vending machines in some public toilets. Or, of course, buy them online.
Know Your Knob: all our penis health links
Free PDF of Size Isn't Everything - all penis FAQs answered
We don't currently post comments online but are always keen to hear your feedback
MAIN IMAGE: Trojan Mint Tingle Banana by theimpulsivebuy licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Date published
10/10/15
Date of last review
10/10/15
Date of next review
10/10/18
References
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The Men’s Health Forum need your support It’s tough for men to ask for help but if you don’t ask when you need it, things generally only get worse. So we’re asking. In the UK, one man in five dies before the age of 65. If we had health policies and services that better reflected the needs of the whole population, it might not be like that. But it is. Policies and services and indeed men have been like this for a long time and they don’t change overnight just because we want them to. It’s true that the UK’s men don’t have it bad compared to some other groups. We’re not asking you to ‘feel sorry’ for men or put them first. We’re talking here about something more complicated, something that falls outside the traditional charity fund-raising model of ‘doing something for those less fortunate than ourselves’. That model raises money but it seldom changes much. We’re talking about changing the way we look at the world. There is nothing inevitable about premature male death. Services accessible to all, a population better informed. These would benefit everyone - rich and poor, young and old, male and female - and that’s what we’re campaigning for. We’re not asking you to look at images of pity, we’re just asking you to look around at the society you live in, at the men you know and at the families with sons, fathers and grandads missing. Here’s our fund-raising page - please chip in if you can.
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