10 Ways to Prevent Condom Failure

Condoms are among the most effective ways to prevent pregnancy and lower the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). If you use them correctly, condoms offer protection during vaginal, oral, and anal sex.

However, condom failure can happen for a variety of reasons including:

• Package not stored properly
• Incorrectly put on or used
• Expired
• Torn or damaged
  
• Does not fit correctly (too small or too large)
• Used with the wrong type of lubricant
  

This article reviews the reasons why a condom may not be effective and how to use a condom the right way to prevent condom failure.

Proper Condom Use

Proper condom use isn't limited to the time you're having sex. It starts from the moment you buy the condom and ends when you dispose of it.

To prevent condom failure, there are 10 things you need to do.

1: Buy the Right-Sized Condom

To get the right size condom, measure your penis while it's erect. This will help you make sure you have the right length, width, and girth. You can match the measurements to the sizing chart on the condom box.

While there are many brands of condoms to choose from, you may find that big-name brands like Durex, Lifestyles, and Trojan offer the widest variety of types and sizes, which will make it easier to find the condom that’s the best fit for you.

2: Buy the Right Lubricant

Always use water-based or silicone-based lube with latex condoms.

Never use oil-based lube, including baby oil or coconut oil. This can damage the latex and increase the risk of rupture.

Never use lambskin condoms to prevent STIs, as they are not effective at doing so. Only use condoms approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

3: Store the Condom at the Right Temperature

You should not store condoms at temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (F) or less than 32 degrees F. Keep condoms out of direct sunlight, and never store them in the glove compartment of your car.

4: Check the Expiration Date

If the condom is expired, throw it out—no exceptions. There's no guarantee of how effective it will be if it's past the expiration date.

5: Remove the Condom From Its Packet Carefully

Tears often happen when rushing and ripping the condom package with your teeth. To avoid this, use nail scissors instead.

You can even take a condom out before intercourse and put it by your bed or another safe spot nearby.

6: Learn How to Put Condoms on Correctly

Know what side of the condom is up and how to roll it on correctly with an open reservoir tip (the part at the end that collects ejaculate). 

Don't wait until the last minute to learn how to use a condom. Practice alone or with your partner to get it right before sex.

7: Use Plenty of Personal Lubrication

A condom can tear if there's a lot of friction during sex.

You can avoid this by using plenty of lubrication. If you need to, pull out to put on more lubricant. This is especially true if you or your partner have any vagina or penis piercings.

8: Remove the Condom Soon After Ejaculation

If you don't take a condom off right away, your penis can shrink, and the condom can slip off as you pull out. This can spill sperm into the vagina or rectum.

After ejaculating, carefully pull out and remove the condom. Tie up the end to prevent it from spilling and throw it away.

9: Don't Reuse Condoms

Even if you want to have sex again with the same partner, resist the temptation to reuse a condom. There could also be ejaculation on the outside of the condom.

Plus, a used condom is more likely to burst.

10: Use Condoms Consistently

You can't tell if someone has an STI by looking at them.

Don't let anyone talk you out of using condoms or suggest quitting early is safe. If you don't have condoms, you can wait until another time or engage in safer sex practices like mutual masturbation.

How Effective Are Condoms?

Studies have shown that the typical use of external condoms can still have a 14% failure rate.

However, when you use external condoms properly, they are 97% effective at preventing pregnancy and STIs, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the rate of condom failure is 13% with typical (real-world) use. This means that 13 out of every 100 couples who use only condoms for birth control will become pregnant after one year.

With perfect use—meaning using condoms correctly with every episode of sexual intercourse—the failure rate is closer to 2%.

While the failure rate of external condoms is 13% with typical use, the failure rate of other forms of birth control are:

• Spermicides: 21%
• Sponge: 14% to 27% (varies by pregnancy history)
• Fertility awareness: 2% to 23% (varies by method)
• Diaphragm: 17%
• Internal condom: 21%
  
• Oral contraceptives: 7%
• NuvaRing: 7%
• Depo-Provera: 4%
• Intrauterine devices (IUDs): 0.1% to 0.8%
• Tubal ligation: 0.5%
• Vasectomy: 0.15%

Other Considerations

It's also good to know what condoms can't effectively protect you from.

For example, research suggests using condoms 100% of the time only reduces your risk of genital herpes (herpes simplex virus type 2) by 30%. Therefore, you should know the signs and symptoms of herpes and avoid sex during an acute outbreak. A person with genital herpes can also be prescribed a daily anti-viral medication to suppress the virus and prevent transmission to their partner if they don't have it.

Moreover, the typical use of condoms is 80% effective in preventing HIV transmission during vaginal sex and 70% during anal sex. For more protection, someone with HIV should be on antiretroviral therapy to lower the chance of spreading their infection to their sexual partners.

At the same time, their partners who don't have HIV should consider taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). This will help lower their chance of infection.

Summary

Using condoms correctly can help prevent pregnancy and lower the risk of getting a sexually transmitted infection (STI).

However, keep in mind that certain factors can lead to condom failure, like using expired condoms, storing them at the wrong temperature, or using an oil-based lubricant.