15 Condom Mistakes You Are Making

Putting on a condom may seem second nature to
you by now, but are you actually doing it the
right way? Sadly fellas, the latest research
suggests you might not be.
Researchers from Indiana University analyzed
50 studies on condom usage, and after punching
the numbers on 16 years of data, they found a
laundry list of errors. Could you be making one
of them? Check out the top 15 things that
couples are doing wrong when gearing up for
getting down.
•Late application: Across the numerous studies,
between 17 percent and 51.1 percent of people
reported putting a condom on after intercourse
has already begun.
•Early removal: Between 13.6 percent and 44.7
percent of the respondents reported removing
the condom before intercourse was complete.
•Completely unrolling the condom prior to
application: Between 2.1 percent and 25.3
percent of people admitted to completely
unrolling the condom before sliding it on.
•No space at the tip: Failing to leave space for
semen at the tip of the condom was reported by
24.3 to 45.7 percent of the respondents.
•Failure to remove air: When looking back to
their last sexual encounter, 48.1 percent of
women and 41.6 percent of men reported that
they didn't squeeze the air from the tip before
use.
•Inside-out condoms: Between 4 percent and
30.4 percent of participants reported they began
rolling the condom on inside out, but then
flipped it over and continued its use. And that's
bad, since it can expose her to your pre-
ejaculatory fluids, which can get her pregnant.
•Failure to completely unroll the condom before
use: When looking back to their last sexual
encounter, 11.2 percent of women and 8.8
percent of men had began intercourse before the
condom was unrolled all the way.
•Exposure to sharp object: Between 2.1 percent
and 11.2 percent of people had opened condom
packets with sharp objects. The problem: If it's
sharp enough to rip the wrapper, it's sharp
enough to rip the condom.
•Failure to check for damage: When removing
the condom from the package, 82.7 percent of
women and 74.5 percent of men reported that
they fail to check for damage before use. What to
look for: Make sure the wrapper isn't worn down
or ripped open, keep your eyes peeled for
expired dates, and check for visible
imperfections while unrolling.
•No lubrication: Between 16 percent and 25.8
percent of people reported using condoms
without lubrication. The trouble? If you're
having sex for an extended period of time, the
condom is more likely to tear without
lubrication.
•Lubrication complications: Roughly 3.2 percent
of women and 4.7 percent of men reported using
an oil-based lube with a latex condom. That
weakens the latex, which can make it prone to
breakage.
•Incorrect withdrawal: Nearly 31 percent of men
and 27 percent of women reported that (post-
sex) they failed to promptly and properly
withdraw after ejaculation.
•Reusing a condom: Between 1.4 percent and
3.3 percent of people reported reusing a condom
at least twice during a sexual encounter. Gross.
•Incorrect storage: Between 3.3 percent and 19.1
percent of people in the studies had stored their
condoms in conditions that did not comply with
the recommendations on the package. Avoid
storing them in direct sunlight or your wallet-
both can degrade the latex.
•Not wearing one at all:: This wasn't actually
part of the study, but we should add that #15 is
this: Not using one at all. According to the (most
recent) National Survey of Sexual Health and
Behavior, only 45 percent of men ages 18 to 24
used a condom with their last sexual partner.
And as the age groups increased, the stats only
got worse: Only 29.3 percent of men ages 25 to
34 used condoms and 21.3 percent of men
between ages 35 and 44.