How to Use a Condom

Using a External/Male Condom

Store condoms safely. Condoms can become brittle and more likely to break if you don’t store them correctly. Condoms that are exposed to heat or light are more likely to tear. Don’t keep condoms in your back pocket, wallet, or glovebox. If you think you may get lucky, put a couple in your wallet or car right before you hit the town. Don’t leave them there for days or weeks. Store condoms in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight. Keep condoms in their wrappers until you’re ready to use them.

Check the condom package. Before you purchase condoms, check the expiration date printed on the box. You should also double check the date stamped on the wrapper before you use it. 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, toss the condom out and use a new one. If the condom is sticky, brittle, or looks discolored, toss it out and use a new one.

Put the condom on before your penis touches your partner’s genitals at all. People with penises produce fluid known as pre-ejaculate (“pre-cum”) that can transmit STDs and, in some cases, contains sperm that can lead to pregnancy if you're having sex with someone with a vagina (though this is unlikely). Before you play, wrap it up. You should also put on a condom before oral sex, anal sex, or oral-anal contact. You can contract an STD from oral sex, so it's important to still use a condom for these activities. A condom can be cut open to cover someone's vulva during oral sex or to cover the anus during oral-anal contact. 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 partner's genitals or mouth. If you are using a sex toy, use a condom on the toy as well. The materials used to make some of the toys are not always safe to use in your body (like plastics containing phthalates). It can be hard to keep toys clean, meaning bacteria can build up, especially on toys made of porous materials.

Open the condom wrapper using the easy-tear edges. Push the condom away from the edge you plan to tear, and use the easy-tear edges. These are the zig-zag edges on either side of the wrapper that are designed to tear apart quickly and easily. Don't get carried away in your passion. Don't shred open the foil, and stay away from scissors, teeth, machetes, 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. If it's your last condom and you destroy it, the party's over!

Determine which way the condom is rolled. This can be difficult to do, particularly if you’re in the dark. However, checking by sight is the safest way to determine which way the condom is rolled, so you don't risk unrolling it too far or tearing it with your fingers. If the condom is right-side-out, there will be a lip or rim on the edge. If it's inside-out, the edge will be smooth. You can use your fingers to help you: Place the condom on your thumb, but don't unroll it. Let it balance there like a little hat. Run your pointer finger down the side of the condom, from the tip to the edge. If your finger catches on the rim, it is right-side-out. If your finger slides smoothly off the rim, then it is inside-out. If the condom is inside out, hold the rim of the condom with the inside-out tip pointing towards your mouth. Blow on the tip to invert it and turn it right-side-out. Cautionary tale: don't unroll the condom, as unraveling it will reduce the condom's efficacy—and make it frustratingly difficult to put on.

Make sure the reservoir at the tip of the condom is pointing in the right direction. This reservoir should already be on the outer tip 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.

Lube it up. Consider placing a small drop of water-based lubricant inside the reservoir. This can make the condom easier to apply, especially if you are uncircumcised. Make sure this is a very small drop, as you don’t want to compete with the sperm for space inside the reservoir tip. Do not apply lotion, baby oil, petroleum jelly, or oil-based lube, as it will degrade and weaken the latex.

Make sure the penis is fully erect. 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. The condom should go from the package to your genitals relatively quickly. Don't unwrap the condom until you are fully erect and ready to use it. Never try to reuse a condom.

Pinch the entire reservoir at the tip of the condom shut. This eliminates the possibility of creating an air pocket inside the condom when it is worn, reducing the chance of breakage and providing the semen with a place to go during ejaculation.

Roll the condom on. The condom should easily unroll down the length of the shaft. If it turns out that you are trying to put the condom on backwards, throw it away and start over. An erect penis produces fluid prior to ejaculation (called “pre-cum”) 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. To apply the condom, follow these steps: 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. Follow these same steps for putting a condom on a sex toy.

Smooth lubricant over the condom if necessary. Sexual lubrication decreases the risk of damage to not only the condom, but also reduces friction and increases pleasure for those having sex. Some lubricants even contain spermicides that can help reduce the risk of pregnancy. However, spermicides can increase the risk of transmitting an STD. If your condom isn’t already lubricated, apply it to both the condom and the other partner, particularly if you are engaging in anal sex. Do not over-apply lube, as too much may cause the condom to fall off and friction is necessary for stimulation. Again, never apply an oil- or petroleum-based lubricant to a latex condom, as these can cause it to deteriorate. Water- and silicon-based lubricants are both safe to use with latex, but water-based lube washes off more easily and won’t stain your sheets.

Check the condom periodically during use for breaks. If a condom breaks or comes off during sex, replace it immediately and consider using emergency contraception such as the emergency contraception pill if your partner can get pregnant. An emergency contraception pill (sometimes called the morning-after pill) prevents pregnancy before it happens by delaying ovulation or blocking fertilization; it is not an "abortion pill."

Replace the condom if alternating between different types of sex. If switching from anal to vaginal sex, for example, switch condoms to reduce the risk of infection. For example, e. coli from the rectum can cause bladder infections or a severe vaginal infection. If the penis goes from anus to mouth, that can cause a serious infection in the stomach. You should also replace the condom if you are using it on a sex toy that you’re sharing between partners. Basically, if the condom has your fluids in or on it, change it out before sharing.

Withdraw the penis and remove the condom immediately after ejaculation. Grasp the bottom of the condom with your hand and withdraw, preventing the condom from slipping off or spilling. Do not allow the penis to go flaccid within the condom before withdrawal, as this can cause the condom to fall off and remain inside the partner.

Dispose of the condom discreetly. Tie the open end in a knot to prevent spillage, wrap it in toilet paper or tissue, and throw it in a trash can. Don’t flush condoms down the toilet. Most septic systems can’t handle them, and they may clog up the toilet.

Using an Internal/Female Condom

Check the condom package. Before purchasing, check the expiration date on the package. Then, before use, make sure you also 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, toss the condom out and use a new one.

Insert the condom before vaginal or anal sex. Internal condoms are polyurethane or nitrile pouches with flexible rings at each end that you insert into the vagina or anus. They collect pre-cum and semen, preventing pregnancy and reducing the transmission of STDs. Female condoms don’t protect people with vaginas during oral sex. For that, you will need to use a dental dam, or a condom that is cut open. Don’t use an internal condom and external condom at the same time. It doesn’t provide twice the protection — in fact, it can cause breakage in either or both condoms.

Open the condom wrapper using the easy-tear edges. These are the zig-zag edges on either side of the wrapper that are designed to tear apart quickly and easily. Don't get carried away in your passion. Don't shred open the package, and stay away from scissors, teeth, machetes, 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. Female condoms are more expensive than male condoms, at about $4 apiece.

Get into a comfortable position. Many people find it easy to stand with a foot on a chair, lie down, squat, or raise one leg up. You’ll find out what works best for you with a little practice.

Squeeze the inner ring at the closed end of the condom. Internal condoms have a flexible ring at each end. One end will be closed, a lot like a external condom. Pinch the ring at the closed end of the condom with your thumb and middle finger so it narrows. The open end should be hanging down.

Insert the inner ring into the vagina. If you’ve used tampons before, this is the same process. Squeezing the ring to keep it narrow, insert the closed end of the condom as far as it will go. Insert your index finger into the condom and push it gently into your vagina. Be very careful if you have long nails — tearing the condom will render it ineffective. You should feel it meet resistance at some point. That’s a sign you’ve reached your cervix. Make sure the condom is not twisted inside your vagina.

Pull out your fingers. If you’ve inserted the condom correctly, the outer ring should be hanging about an inch outside your vagina. It is possible to use the same method to insert an internal condom into your anus for anal sex; however, the easiest way is to remove the inner ring and place the internal condom on the penis (or sex toy). The penis is then inserted into the anus.

Apply water-based lubricant to the penis or sex toy. Regardless of what’s going into your vagina (or anus), adding some lubricant will help reduce friction. This makes it less likely for the condom to tear. Because female condoms are made from polyurethane or nitrile (a synthetic latex) and not latex, it is safe to use oil-based, water-based, or silicon-based lube with a female condom.

Guide the penis or sex toy inside you. It’s important to use your hand to guide the penis or sex toy inside you so that it doesn’t end up sliding outside the condom pouch.

Stop immediately if something goes wrong. You should stop having sex immediately, remove the condom, and insert a new internal condom if any of these things happen: The condom slips The penis or sex toy enters your vagina (or anus) outside the condom pouch during sex The outer ring of the condom enters the vagina You may wish to consider using emergency contraception (the morning-after pill) if your partner has ejaculated inside your vagina, on the vaginal opening, or if semen drips from the anus onto the vaginal opening.

Remove the condom slowly. Squeeze the outer ring closed with two fingers. Gently slide the condom out of your vagina or anus. Don’t yank or tug on it, as this could break the condom.

Dispose of the condom discreetly. Tie the open end in a knot to prevent spillage. Wrap it in toilet paper or tissue, and throw it in a trash can. Don’t flush condoms down the toilet. Most septic systems can’t handle them, and they may clog up the toilet. Don’t reuse female condoms. Sure, they’re expensive — but accidental pregnancy or an STD costs way more.