The Many Lives of Condoms
By Kendall @ Planned Parenthood | Feb. 17, 2022, 3:56 a.m.
Category: Condoms, Health and Well-being, Sexually Transmitted Infections
Condoms were originally designed to cover a penis, but they actually have way more uses than that (even if neither you or your partner has a penis). Here are the many creative ways condoms can be part of your safer sex routine.
Condoms turn into dental dams lickety split.
Yes, you CAN get an STD from having unprotected oral sex. A dental dam is a barrier that covers your vulva and/or anus to protect you and your partner from STDs when you’re going downtown. You can turn a regular old condom into one of these magic squares with little-to-no crafting skills — all you need is a pair of scissors. Just unroll the condom all the way, (carefully!) cut off the tip, then slice all the way down the side. Open it up and BAM! You got yourself a dam. You can also make a dam out of latex or nitrile gloves:
Condoms keep your favorite sex toys neat and clean.
Sharing sex toys with your partners can spread STDs. Luckily, condoms make great covers for dildos, vibrators, and buttplugs, so you don’t have to interrupt sex to get up and wash your toy every time you want to swap. Put a new condom on every time a different person uses a sex toy, or any time a toy goes from a butt to a vagina or mouth (germs from your anus can lead to vaginal irritation or infections). Even if you’re the only person who uses your sex toy, condoms can help them stay clean and fluid-free in between washings.
You can wear a condom like a glove for safer, more comfortable handjobs.
Covering up your hands during manual sex — like fingering/fisting/whatever you’re into — can keep bacteria out of your partner’s vagina or anus and prevent cuts from your fingernails (ouch!). Condoms, finger cots, or latex/nitrile gloves all work, but condoms get extra credit for already being lubed up. Bonus tip: if you have long nails, you can put little pieces of cotton balls inside the tip of the condom or fingers of the gloves to keep things extra soft and smooth and help prevent accidental pokes.
Remember: Safer sex and STD testing are super important no matter who you have sex with. So visit your nearest Planned Parenthood health center for info, testing, and a big ol’ pile of condoms.
Tags: sex education, condoms, safer sex, pleasure, dental dams, internal condom, #CondomWeek, Sexual Health