With taboos surrounding sex dropping like flies, and industries launching product after product to meet the needs of even the most complicated consumer needs, it is safe to say, the world of sexual protection has drastically changed over the past few decades. That’s why we can wholeheartedly say that, if sex is a good thing, safe sex is a great one and every responsible couple should consider using protection before committing intercourse. Condoms are, of course, one of the oldest, most reliable and most common means of protection, so we will analyze two major groups in which they can be split and count some advantages and disadvantages for both of them.
Latex Condoms
Use of these condoms has a history as long as the very process of rubber vulcanization itself, which surprisingly can be traced to the middle of the 19th century. They were not that sophisticated, nor pleasant to use back then, of course. They are, as the name suggests, made out of natural rubber latex and used to cover erect penis during sex and prevent semen from entering the body of sexual partner. Today, they come in different shapes, sizes, textures and thicknesses designed to enhance and prolong the pleasure. What makes latex condoms stand out amongst many other barrier contraceptive methods is only 2% first-year failure rate and high protection against sexually transmitted viruses like HIV. The fact that they are very elastic (they can stretch up to 800% before breaking), easy to use and don’t involve any kind of preparation or hormonal alterations, makes them the most popular mean of protection during sex out there.
Non-Latex Condoms
This kind of condoms had its birth in the 90s as the contraceptive solution for couples where one or both partners are allergic to latex. Over time, they have shown various benefits and increase in efficiency so they’ve become popular even amongst people who were satisfied with the latex alternative. Like previously mentioned group, they come in different variations for different people, and today most of them are made out of polyurethane and polyisoprene. What makes non-latex condoms different from latex ones? Well, for the start, polyurethane condoms are surprisingly thin and they have very little to no-smell at all. They also can’t be damaged by exposure to oil-based products, but on the other side they are very vulnerable to stretching, so naturally breakage and slippage occur more often and their effectiveness in fighting STDs is still being questioned. Polyisoprene non-latex condoms came later along the way and when we consider all the drawbacks of polyurethane condoms we can say that they improved upon their major flaws while retaining the positives. Still, they can come off as expensive, they don’t provide as much protection as latex ones, nor they are that well spread. Finally we have to mention “Natural Skin” or “Lamb Skin” condoms as another latex-free option. They are very pleasant to use because of the feel of natural membrane, but they don’t provide any protection against the STDs and they are extremely expensive.
Conclusion
So in the end the choice is yours. Take all the things we mentioned above into equation, see what matters the most to you and speak with your partner before making final decision. Always put your safety first, and enjoy!
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