Are Condoms Effective Towards Preventing STDs
What are the benefits and disadvantages?
Using condoms, either female or male condoms, will help reduce the risk of getting sexually transmitted diseases, also known as STDs. While condoms do not prevent all STDs, they do help with the majority if used correctly and properly. However, it’s still recommended to frequently do your standard STD lab test to ensure you and your partner are staying safe.
However, we still need to know how effective these condoms are and what we can do to make them more effective. We will also go over the benefits and disadvantages of condoms when it comes to pregnancy and STDs.
How Effective Are They?
Condoms are a great and effective tool in preventing both pregnancy and STDs if the instructions are followed correctly, and if you use them every time you have vaginal, oral, and anal sex.
In terms of percentages, if you use a condom correctly every time you have sexual intercourse, then there is a 98% chance of preventing pregnancy.
If you want to make condoms more effective in preventing STDs and pregnancy, what you should do is make sure you wear them from start to finish.
You want to ensure that the condom is rolled down correctly on the shaft of your penis before there’s any skin-to-skin genital contact. If you want to make condoms more effective in preventing pregnancy, make sure both parties are using condoms and another form of birth control.
However, make sure that you don’t use a condom on a penis if your partner is wearing an internal condom. Condoms are not design to rub against on each other; they are meant to be used on their own.
The Benefits of Condoms
Some of the benefits of using condoms include:
- They are easy to use.
- Help prevent pregnancy and STDs
- Can make sexual intercourse better
Using condoms and internal condoms are the best methods of birth control that will help prevent the spread of STDs such as HIV, chlamydia, and gonorrhea.
Even if your partner is taking some birth control, it’s also recommended to use condoms every time you have sex to protect yourself from STDs.
Condoms are also very cost-effective and are cheaper in the long run instead of paying for certain STD lab test or medication out of pocket.
Condoms can be pleasurable.
Some don’t use condoms because “they don’t feel good” or “I like the original feeling” while everyone is entitled to their personal thoughts. However, if you don’t use condoms when having sex, you risk contracting some STDs.
So, it’s best to go away from this stigma and embrace the use of condoms because they can cause pleasure, sometimes even more than not using a condom.
Using a condom can also delay the ejaculation process and have your sex last longer, which your partner might enjoy. In addition, with the use of lube, you won’t have to worry about the condom going dry.
What’s more, is with using a condom, you can focus on just the pleasure aspect and not think about factors such as getting someone pregnant or contracting an STD.
There are no side effects.
Using condoms for the majority do not experience any type of side effect. In very rare cases, the latex of the condom does cause irritation for people who have allergies to latex. However, there are condoms out there that are made with latex-free materials.
If trying latex-free condoms are still causing irritation, then try switching to different brands of condoms or try talking with your medical doctor.
The Disadvantages of Condoms
In order for condoms to help you prevent contracting an STD, you have to use them correctly the whole time you’re having sex.
So, if you forget to use a condom or didn’t wear the condom the right way even once, then the chance of you contracting something is higher.
To use condoms correctly, you will need to use a new one every time you have intercourse and make sure you put it on before any genital contact. If you put a condom on halfway through sex or when you finish, then they won’t work as well.
You will also need to continuously buy condoms and make sure they are not expired because if they are, they will not work correctly either. While condoms are cheap, if you have sexual intercourse regularly, they can add up in the long run if you like certain brands.
They will take time to get used to
If you’re new to wearing condoms, you will find out that they do not feel the same during sex compared to not wearing one. While it won’t feel the same as not wearing a condom, your health and the health of your partner come first.
This doesn’t mean that you won’t have a good time wearing condoms. They will still get the job done and be super pleasurable for you and your partner.
To get used to the feeling of wearing condoms, you will have to train yourself. Practice makes perfect in this situation.
The more confident and comfortable you are, the easier and the more pleasure you will be able to bring to the bedroom. There’s a ton of different condoms and brands that you can try experimenting with to see which one you like the best.
There are ones with different textures, colors, flavors, ultra-thin materials, and some special lubricants that will spice things up.
Lastly, the benefits will out way the cons in almost every situation. So, to better protect yourself and your partner from harmful STDs, always use condoms when having intercourse. If your partner is hesitant, try having a talk or try on different brands until you find the one that’s for you and your partner. You can always do an STD lab test or blood work if you’re someone who wants to stay extra safe with their partners.