Did you know February 14 was Valentine's Day and National Condom Day? This got me thinking about how I learned to use a condom. It was this past summer when I became a teen editor for SEX, ETC. and received a three-day sexual health training.

At the training, the teen editors and I were treated to an informational session about condom use, and we learned about many different types of condoms, including latex and polyurethane, female and male.

Why is it important to know how to use a condom? According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) when used consistently and correctly, latex condoms are "highly effective in preventing transmission of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. In addition, correct and consistent use of latex condoms can reduce the risk of other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)." Remember, however, that not having sex is the only 100-percent effective way to stay HIV and STD-free.

Condoms are the only contraceptive that offers protection against both pregnancy and STDs, and you don't need a prescription to use them. They are also inexpensive and easy to find at most drugstores and at family planning clinics. Latex condoms work best, but if you're allergic to latex, you can use polyurethane (but do not use animal skin condoms).

ABCs of Condom Use

Condoms may be easy to access, but you have to use them correctly in order for them to be effective. How do you do that? Here are some directions for the male condom:

1. Check the expiration date. This should be clearly printed on the box and on the condom wrapper.
2. Before you are ready to use the condom, keep it in a cool, dry place, so as not to damage it. In practical terms, this means that you shouldn't keep condoms in your pocket or wallet for a long time. Backpacks and purses are better places.
3. When you are ready to have sex, open the package carefully (watch your fingernails!), and remove the condom.
4. You will find that it is rolled up, and at this point you need to differentiate the inside from the outside. How to tell? The way it was described to me is that you make the condom look like a sombrero-with the thick, rolled-up part on the outside-so that you can roll it easily over the erect penis.
5. After you know which side of the condom is the inside, you need to make sure there is space at the top, and if there is a nipple at the top, that it isn't full of air. This will allow semen to collect in the reservoir at the top, and will prevent the condom from breaking.
6. Pinch the tip of the condom to squeeze the air out of the condom. This is important, because if the air is not squeezed out, the condom could break.
7. Place the condom on the tip of the erect penis and roll it all the way down.
8. You need to use a condom for all three types of sex: vaginal, oral, and anal.
9. After ejaculation, hold the condom at the base of the penis and withdraw the penis. Carefully remove the condom from the penis, making sure that none of the semen seeps out.
10. Wrap the condom in a tissue and throw it away; do not flush it down the toilet.
11. Never reuse a condom!
12. And one final thing: When using latex condoms, always use only water-based lubricants, such as K-Y Jelly, Astroglide, or Slippery Stuff. Using an oil-based lubricant, like lotion or massage oil, weakens the latex and causes condoms to break.