Internal condom (FC2)

Yes, try using an internal condom. It’s a barrier method that’s inserted into the vagina (instead of covering the penis, like an external condom) that will help protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) as well.

When it comes to condoms, two is definitely not better than one. Two condoms can create more friction, which increases the chances the condom(s) will break. If you want to be super safe, double up with a condom and an effective method of birth control. (Now that’s what we call dual action…)

Both water-based and silicone-based lubricants are totally safe to use with latex condoms. Steer clear of oil-based lubricants (including massage oil, hand lotion, and Vaseline) that can cause condoms to break.

Condoms are definitely not reusable. You need to put on a new one each and every time you have sex.

No. It’d be great if you could tell who had an STI (sexually transmitted infection, a.k.a. STD) and who didn’t, but the most common symptom of all STIs is no symptom at all. STIs are often asymptomatic or display such mild symptoms they go unnoticed and/or are mistaken for something else. For that reason, most people with an STI are unaware they have one.When STIs are asymptomatic or exhibiting mild symptoms, they’re still transmittable to others—and there’s no guarantee the STI will remain asymptomatic in the newly infected individual. Recognizable symptom or not, STIs can wreak havoc internally long before we’re aware of their effects; untreated asymptomatic STIs can pose long-term health risks like liver damage (eg. Hepatitis) and infertility (eg. Chlamydia and gonorrhea).

To protect yourself against STIs, use condoms or internal condoms.

Anal sex might seem like a viable option if you’re concerned about pregnancy or losing your virginity in the traditional vaginal penetration sense; however, unprotected anal sex poses one of the highest sexually transmitted infection (STI) risks. The anal cavity is comprised of permeable mucous membranes which can provide an entry point for infection. Due to the nature of sexual activity involving the anus, small tears and cuts are common—especially if you’re not using enough lube—so, additional points of entry present infection opportunities.

To protect yourself while having anal sex, use condoms or internal condoms with the inner ring removed.

1 in 2 people will contract a sexually transmitted infection (STI) by the time they reach the age of 25—some curable, some not. An astounding 20 million people in the U.S. contract an STI every year, and those are only the STIs which get reported. That number is likely much higher due to under-reporting and many STIs not getting reported at all—some are diagnosed visually, and others are not documented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Of the 30-plus STIs out there, the CDC only reports on about 8 of them. Things like pubic lice, scabies, and HPV infections among guys are not part of those numbers.

In so far as HPV is concerned, outside of the visual symptoms of genital warts caused by low-risk HPV strains, there’s no way to know if a man has it since he can’t be tested for it. This is one of the reasons why by the age of 50, at least 80% of women will have acquired the infection.

To protect yourself from STIs, use condoms or internal condoms, get tested regularly, and talk openly about sexual health with your partner(s).

In the U.S. the only forms of birth control available over the counter (OTC) are condoms, internal condoms, spermicide, the sponge, and emergency contraception pills. There’s been some debate about whether birth control pills should be sold OTC too as they are in many other countries, but for now you need a prescription.

If you’re looking for a method that requires a prescription, visit your local health clinic or find the nearest one here.

Fun fact: You can insert the internal condom up to 2 hours before having sex. Not-so-fun fact: if you stand up with it in, the internal condom will hang slightly out of the vagina. The part that sticks out does serve a purpose (it helps the internal condom stay in place and helps protect you from skin-to-skin transmission of STIs). If you want to insert it early, you might want to try wearing a snug pair of underwear when out and about to hold the external part of the condom closer to your body if it bothers you.

Check out our section on how to remove a internal condom.

Check out our section on how to insert a internal condom.