|
|
Condoms, condoms...Everywhere? People today are using condoms more than ever before, which is great. In fact teens are more likely to use condoms than people in their twenties, and twenty-somethings are more likely to use them than thirty-somethings. But we're not exactly the condom generation yet. Young people, whether 15 or 25 try to have it both ways-use a condom the first few times we have sex with someone, and then slack off. The reality is that less than half of guys who use condoms say they use them EVERY time they have sex. Sorry dude, but that's not gonna protect you or your partner from getting those itchy, bumpy, burning infections called STDs (sexually transmitted diseases), or from getting pregnant. More about condoms True love + testing = no condom? Freak out: What if you have a condom break or slip? So what's the big deal if you don't use a condom every time? You know the kids who say they've risked sex without a condom and never got pregnant or a disease. And what about all those folks who use the Pill or the shot? Isn't a responsible thing to do to switch to a "long-term method" like that when you've been going out awhile? It's not that simple, unfortunately. What you and your friends may not know - or talk about - is that EVERY YEAR almost 4 million teens 15-19 and 6 million 20-24 year-olds get an STD like herpes or chlamydia. According to our calculators, that means one in three people who have had sex are expected to get an STD by age 24. Then there's HIV: half of all new HIV infections happen to people under 25. If STDs are so common, should everyone use condoms, no matter who we are, how long we've dated our partner, or what kind of past we have? Well, YES. Most people don't realize that you or your partner can have an STD and not know it - in fact, most STD infections don't produce ANY symptoms. But even if there are no symptoms, these nasty STDs can cause painful sores, long-term illnesses, or cancer, among some other things. And people can still give each other STDs when there are no symptoms. So even if you and your partner are soulmates, if either of you has had sex with anyone before, then you could be sharing a disease without knowing it. Bottom line: you two should still use a condom every time you have sex. Hey, don't get me wrong-if you want even more pregnancy peace of mind, use the Pill or get the Depo-Provera shot or Norplant implants-just keep your condoms on too. True love + testing = no condom? So what if you and your partner are monogamous (having sex only with each other) and plan to be together for the next millennium, could you get tested for STDs and get cleared for condom-free take-off? First, if you've gotten tested, pat yourself on the back. You deserve it. It's not always an easy thing to talk about with your partner, and then actually go do. But here's some important info about getting tested: Most clinics and doctor's offices don't automatically run STD tests when you get a check up, and they need your permission to test you for HIV. So to be sure you're getting tested for STDs, talk to your doctor about STDs and ask what tests you should get. Tests are not widely available for two of the most common STDs: herpes and HPV (which is linked to cervical cancer and can cause genital warts, but usually shows no symptoms). That makes two good reasons to keep the latex love going strong. And what about true love? Enter this difficult subject called cheating. You never think it's going to happen to YOU-or that YOU will ever cheat-but then sometimes, it happens. New research shows that cheating-or having multiple partners-happens to young people more than we like to think. One study found that two-thirds of unmarried women and teens were unknowingly at risk for STDs because their partner had multiple partners. So even if you two plan to be love bugs for the millennium, use condoms anyway, for your own protection. Is it worth the hassle if they might break or slip anyway? As Rodney Dangerfield would say: Condoms don't get no respect. U.S. studies show condoms fail (break, slip off, etc.) on average 2-14% of the time. On the low end is for folks who use them perfectly, and on the high end is for folks who don't. So here's our step-by-step guide for straight-A condom use: · Use a new condom for each act of sex (don't re-use and recycle!). · Put the condom on as soon as the penis is hard, before you two have any genital contact · You might want to try using a lubricant -- a slippery gel that can prevent the condom from breaking. Drug stores sell water-based lubricants that are safe for condoms (don't use anything for lubricant with oil in it, like hand lotion, baby oil, massage lotion, or petroleum jelly, because the oil weakens the condom's latex and might make it break). · Make sure to take out the penis right after ejaculation, to avoid risking the condom slipping off. There's always an exception to every rule, and there's one with condoms too - some STDs like Herpes and HPV can be passed between people just by touching skin. So condoms aren't 100% effective with these STDs, but if you are having sex they are your best option to protect yourself. You can get condoms in almost any size, color, shape, texture or material you want today. Most condoms are made out of latex, which is a certain kind of rubber. Latex rocks because it provides airtight protection against tiny sperm and STDs like HIV. But just like with pet dogs and fresh cut grass, some people are allergic to latex. Those folks have the option to use new "synthetic" condoms, made out of a soft plastic called polyurethane (Polly-You're-a-Thaine). One type of synthetic condom is the female condom (the Reality condom). These are condoms the woman inserts into her vagina! A bonus to the female condom is that you can use any lubricant you want-including oil-based-without weakening it. What about condoms for oral sex? Why would you need those, you say. The word on the street may be that oral sex is safe, but the truth hurts: although the risk may be lower than for intercourse, you can get an STD like herpes, chlamydia or even HIV from giving or receiving oral sex. You can protect yourself during oral sex by using condoms for men or dental dams (or saran wrap) for women. Freak out: What if you have a condom break or slip? News flash: if you ever have unprotected sexual intercourse-if you don't use a condom or the condom breaks or slips-there's something you can do AFTER having sex to prevent pregnancy. It's called emergency contraceptive pills. (Some people know them as morning after pills.) Click here for more information about emergency contraception. Wait-wait-you're not done yet. If you have a condom break or slip off, go get tested for STDs, including HIV, and talk to your health provider about what you can do next time you use a condom to make sure that doesn't happen again.
|