Q: I have a question about safe condom use. I often have condoms break and I’m not sure why. I understand how to put them on correctly, how to leave space at the tip, how to pinch the tip as you are first rolling it on, and how to keep it lubricated if needed. And yet I have still have one break about once in every 20 times. Could it be because my erections are not solid throughout the entire duration of sex, and that is somehow creating an air pocket or air bubble at some point during sex?
A: Studies done on the subject put the average condom breakage rate at about 2% and user error accounts for most broken condoms rather that faulty condom construction.
It sounds like you are putting your condoms on correctly. We’re assuming that you don’t have sharp nails or somehow rip the condom (like opening the package with your teeth), but that could be a reason for breakage. Condom breakage could be due to several things, including the reason you mentioned. So, a few big questions to consider include:
Are you using a water based lubricant?
How much time are you doing active penetration/vigorous thrusting with a condom?
Where are you storing your condoms?
How old are your condoms?
How are you opening your condoms?
Family Health International has an interesting article on breakage and slippage of male condoms.
It could be that you’re not using enough lube or that you are using the wrong kind of lubrication. For instance, if you are using a latex condom with an oil-based lubricant, that will definitely break down the latex of the condom. There is a great website you could visit for all things condom; it’s www.condomania.com (and they also have a size guide there). Notice also that when you click on Lubes at the Condomania site, they don’t even have a listing for oil-based lubricants. That’s because oil breaks down latex.
There could be other reasons for the breakage including that you don’t have the right size condom for you, or the expiration date for the condom has passed, or the condom has been exposed to heat.
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