Condoms are easy to get, easy to use (once you learn how to use them the right way), and affordable. They cost, on average, between 35 cents and $2 each. And they can effectively reduce your risk of an unplanned pregnancy or getting a sexually transmitted disease (STD).

But despite the benefits, many young people don't know enough about condoms or that they should use them each and every time they have sex. In fact, a recent study from Indiana University-Bloomington found that many college-age men don't use condoms correctly. Nearly one third (30 %) reported placing the condom upside down on the penis and had to flip it over, and 40% reported that they didn't leave space for semen at the tip of the condom - essential to using condoms the right way. What's more, nearly one-third reported incidents of condom breakage during intercourse, and 13 percent reported that the condom "slipped off" during sex. Most times when a condom slips or breaks, it's due to human error, not condom defects.

But communication isn't going to harm us—it can only help us and our partners make healthy decisions about sex. And talking honestly with our health care providers can help us stay protected from STDs and/or unintended pregnancy, or get the proper treatment if we need it.

So, why don't many young people know how to use condoms the right way? The large number of condom myths that exist may be one reason young people are fumbling in the dark about this method, or turning to less-effective methods or no protection at all.

Where do these myths come from?

"Many of them develop because of a lack of education. Teens are getting their information from friends on the street, when they should be getting their information from reputable sources, such as clinics, doctors, and health teachers," explains Amrita Singh, a health educator at the Adolescent Health Center at Mount Sinai Hospital of New York City.

Condom myths are dangerous, because they can lead to decreased or incorrect use of this otherwise effective method of birth control and STD protection. To set the condom record straight, I picked six of the most common condom misconceptions and asked Singh to reveal the truth behind the myths.

Myth 1: Double-bagging a condom is more effective than using just one.

This is one of the most common myths, according to Singh, since most people believe that "two is better than one."

But it is NOT TRUE.

"Two condoms create a lot of friction, which can make the condoms break more easily. People should use one lubricated latex condom for vaginal and anal intercourse," says Singh.

Myth 2: Condoms have a high ineffectiveness rate.

This is a big myth. When used "perfectly" condoms are 97-percent effective at preventing pregnancy. With "typical" use, they're 86-percent effective at preventing pregnancy. Perfect use means using them correctly each and every time you have sex; while typical use accounts for user error - it includes people who don't use them every time as well as those who use them incorrectly.

"Condoms are also very effective in preventing HIV and many other STDs. They can also help reduce the transmission of herpes and HPV (human papilloma virus), but these are STDs that are transmitted by skin-to-skin contact, and condoms don't cover all the skin."

The bottom line: using condoms correctly each and every time you have sex (oral, anal, or vaginal) provides the best protection against pregnancy and STDs.

Myth 3: Condoms have holes in them and HIV can get through.

Condoms are tested for defects before they're packaged and sold. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tests condom samples from every batch using water-leak and airburst tests. FDA inspectors do a similar test on sample condoms that they take from warehouses. The condoms are filled with water and checked for leaks. In order to be sold in the U.S., no less than 996 out of 1,000 condoms must pass this test, according to the FDA. It is important to keep in mind that condoms break less than 2% of the time they are used and most breakage is due to user error, not poor quality condoms.

Myth 4: Condoms don't give the guy any pleasure.

"Condoms are thin and don't prevent pleasure. If a couple isn't using a condom, then they'll be worrying about STDs and pregnancy, which can lead to less pleasure than using a condom can," explains Singh.

Myth 5: You have to be a certain age to buy condoms.

"This is not true. Anyone, of any age, can buy condoms in a drug store or get them at a health clinic. In 1997, the Supreme Court ruled that no state could bar minors from purchasing condoms," says Singh.

Myth 6: Condoms don't need to be used with any other birth control method.

Heterosexual young people should consider using two forms of birth control -- one to prevent pregnancy and another to prevent transmission of STD. The best combination is to use a condom, along with a hormonal method, like the birth control pill. (Young people who have sex with people of the same sex should always use protection during intercourse to prevent STDs, including condoms and dental dams.) Remember, condoms are the only forms of birth control -- other than abstinence -- that can protect against STDs.

"If you're having sex, birth control should always be used to prevent pregnancy and STDs, and the only way to use birth control effectively is to be educated correctly about it," says Singh.

Myths about condoms are everywhere, but it's important not to fall prey to them. One condom used the correct way, each and every time, during oral, vaginal, or anal intercourse is your best bet if you are sexually active.

Using a Condom? Use It the RIGHT Way!
Here are the steps to using a condom the right way:

1. Talk to your partner about using protection.

2. If you want to use condoms, go to a grocery store, drug store, public or private health clinic and get them. Latex or polyurethane condoms are the best.

3. Check the expiration date before purchasing the condoms to make sure they have not expired.

4. It's best to store condoms in a cool, dry place (like a dresser drawer or your backpack). But that's not always possible when you're going out. For short periods of time, you can keep condoms in your pocket or wallet - just be sure to replace them every month, since heat from your body can lead to condom deterioration.

5. Check to see which way the condom unrolls.

6. Place the condom on the tip of the erect penis and roll it down (It should roll down easily; if it doesn't, it's probably upside-down. If you start to put on a condom upside-down, throw it away and start over with a new condom).

7. Squeeze the air out of the tip of the condom. This is important because if the air is not squeezed out, the condom could break.

8. Roll the condom all the way down to the base of the penis.

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. Remember that you can only use a condom once—so throw it away when you are done.

-Emily Chaloner, 17, of Ridgewood, NJ, is an editor for SEX, ETC., the national newsletter and Web site written by teens, for teens, on sexual health issues, published by the Network for Family Life Education at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.

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