C is for Condom
C is for Condom
Welcome to the A to Z of Sex. I’m Dr Lori Beth and I am your host. We are working our way through the erotic alphabet one letter at a time. Just a reminder this podcast deals with adult content, so if you don’t have total privacy, you might want to put on your headphones. Today the letter is C and C is for Condom.
This week – the history of the condom. There are two cave paintings in France from 11,000 BC that scientists believe illustrate the first evidence of condoms. Having looked at the illustrations it is unclear to me as to why they believe that. Around 1,000 BC, the Egyptians used a linen sheath around the penis to prevent insect bites and tropical diseases. The Chinese used oiled silk paper and the Japanese used leather and tortoiseshell sheaths. The Romans developed condoms made of goat’s bladders. None of this is terribly appealing…
In the 1400’s in China and Japan, condoms first began to be used for birth control and to protect against infection. Safe sex was understood even back then. It is amazing that we still have trouble engaging people in safe sex given how long we have known how to engage in it! The Chinese favoured silk and lamb’s intestines. The Japanese favoured horn and tortoiseshell which seems tremendously uncomfortable to me!
In the 1500’s Gabrielle Fallopius invented a chemical soaked linen sheath to prevent the spread of syphilis. It was tied with a ribbon around the shaft of the penis. He conducted the first research that proved that condoms prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections. The study had 1100 participants and used the linen condoms he invented. None of the people who used these contracted syphilis.
By the time we reached the 1700’s, the use of condoms for the prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections is more widely known but now there is controversy as to whether or not they work. Some people believe that the availability of condoms encourages people to have more sex with more partners and so encourages immorality. During this time period, condoms became available in pubs and markets and were either made of intestines or bladder and soaked in lye or sulphur or made of linen and soaked in chemicals.
In the 1800’s members of parliament in the UK tried to get condoms banned because they didn’t do enough to prevent syphilis and encouraged lots of sex. The first rubber condom arrived in 1855. Rubber condoms were reusable so saved money in the long run but they were individually fitted. Despite this, they often fell off because they only covered the glans of the penis. Skin condoms were still cheaper.
In the 1900’s, lots of development occurred primarily because the military began to issue soldiers with condoms to prevent STI’s. In the late 1920’s latex was invented, and the first latex condoms appeared. But early latex condoms were not very effective at all – many leaked. As a result, the FDA in the US decided that a condom was a drug so that every condom had to be tested. In 1957, Durex created the first condom with lubrication. When condoms were found to prevent the spread of HIV, sales increased dramatically. Condoms remain the mainstay of safe sex.
Modern condoms are made of a variety of materials including natural latex, polyurethane, A-10 resin, and lambs intestines. Latex are the most flexible however some people have allergies and they cannot be used with oil based lubricants. Polyurethane has the disadvantage of being less elastic than latex and are more likely to slip or break than latex, but they can be used with oil based lubricants. Polyisoprene is a synthetic version of natural rubber latex. It has the advantage of being softer and more elastic like latex but without the protein that causes latex allergies. It transmits body heat well. But it cannot be used with oil based lubricants.
Lambskin are said to feel more natural, but they may be less effective at preventing disease because of the larger pores in the lambskin. Sperm cannot penetrate but it has been suggested that viruses can. However, there has been no research to support this suggestion.
There is a lot of choice these days. There are condoms with ridges and ribs designed to increase pleasure for the woman. Coloured condoms. Flavoured condoms launched to make safe oral sex more palatable. Condoms come in different sizes. You cannot assume one size fits all. Condom size is really important. Too small and it is constricting which can cause pain during sex. Too large and it either falls off or leaks – which means none of the protection you were using the condom for in the first place. My favourite sizing guide can be found on Lucky Bloke condoms website. They use a standard toilet paper roll to help find the best size condom!
People complain most often that condoms decrease pleasure because of the lack of skin on skin contact. Polyurethane condoms conduct body heat well and when thin ones are used, they come closest to the full sensation of skin on skin contact. Before settling on a particular condom style or brand, try a number of them. There can be quite a large difference between different condoms so experiment until you find the ones you like best. Remember to match your lubricant to the type of condom you are using. Don’t forget to check the best before date on the condom and make sure you are using condoms that are in date.
People also complain that stopping to put on a condom breaks the mood. Truthfully, it only takes a minute or so to put on a condom. However, you can put the condom on together as part of foreplay to avoid any break in the mood. If you are not practiced at putting on a condom or if you are with a new partner and somewhat nervous, don’t be surprised if you find it difficult. Rather than getting frustrated, breathe and smile, and ask for help. Remember there are many ways to revive a lost erection.
Condoms remain the cheapest most easily available form of birth control and one of the best ways to prevent disease transmission – second only to abstinence. If you enjoy spontaneous sex, carry a condom with you. I suggest women considering a heterosexual encounter carry condoms rather than relying on men to be prepared.
Condoms can also be used with sex toys and dildos in order to protect from disease transmission as well. If you are sharing toys, using a condom is the best way to make sure you are not picking up or spreading viruses.
Thanks for joining me for the A to Z of Sex this week. Write to me with suggestions for the show, questions you want answered at drloribeth@atozofsex.com , follow me on twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Check out my YouTube channel: Dr Lori Beth Bisbey.
For a free 30-minute discovery session with me, go to https://the-intimacy-coach.com/ and head to my contact page to click on my calendar and schedule directly.
If you enjoy the show, please leave me a review on iTunes and Stitcher. Join me next week for the letter D
