The 9 Types Of Condoms You Will Want To Know All About

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Let’s face it. When you want to do it, you want to do it, right? But you want to be safe. You don’t want any unforeseen descendants down the road, and you certainly want to protect yourself from disease. So you take a trip down to your local drugstore for a condom and .. Wow. The choices are absolutely overwhelming. Color, size, shape, taste?? How do you choose the right condom for you?

Well, the good news is that you really can’t go wrong. As someone once said, the best condom available is the one that you will actually use.

When used correctly, condoms protect against pregnancy 98 percent of the time, and that is pretty darn good. Don’t stress out so much about which rubber you use, just use it!

But in case you are wondering exactly what is the difference between all those clever boxes, we have the complete lowdown on everything you ever wanted to know about condoms.

1. Latex

This is the most common kind of condom. Latex condoms are a very reliable choice when it comes to preventing STDs and pregnancy. However, if you should put one on and you (or your partner) should experience swelling, redness, or itching, you most likely have a latex allergy. These symptoms sometimes happen due to dryness or the type of lubricant you are using, but if you have any doubts, you can ask your doctor to test you for a latex allergy or simply choose another type of condom.

2. Lambskin

This is the most natural but the most controversial type of condom on this list. Some people find that lambskin offers a more natural sensation than latex, making them the preferred choice for pleasure, however, you should know that lambskin isn’t as effective as preventing pregnancy nor will it protect you from STDs. This is because lambskin has natural pores, much like our own skin, that allow viruses such as herpes and HIV to pass through. Now if you don’t mind the thought of wearing a piece of animal skin on your own skin and you are aware of the potential risks, lambskin condoms are another possibility.

3. Non-Latex

If you should have a latex allergy, don’t worry. There are plenty of alternatives. Non-latex condoms might not be quite as effective as latex as they have a higher rate of breakage, which brings their effectiveness down to about 95 percent, but that is still pretty darn good. What kind of alternatives are we talking about? You will find most non-latex condoms are made from polyurethane, polyisoprene, or nitrile. All are perfectly acceptable alternatives to latex.

4. Spermicidal

As the name implies, spermicidal condoms contain chemicals that destroys sperm. It is often used as a foam, cream, jelly, or even suppository form. Combined with a condom, spermicides are very effective forms of birth control. Spermicides are about 70 to 80 percent effective. When used in combination with a condom, that stat can go as high as 98 percent. You should keep in mind that spermicides can damage latex condoms, making this whole shebang less effective overall. So if you find a non-latex spermicidal condom, you are talking about some serious protection.

5. Lubricated

As you know, anything lubricated is going to be more comfortable, but on top of that, it also reduces the chance that the condom will come off or break. This is because dryness causes friction, friends, and in this case, less friction means more protection. If you decide to use your own lube, beware. Not all lubes are compatible with condoms. Some compounds, such as coconut oil or baby oil, break down the material and increase the risk that the condom will break. Use lubricated condoms or stick with water based or silicone based lubricants for the best protection.

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