Ask us anything. No judgments.

Why did my boyfriend’s penis hurt after we had sex?

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Someone asked us:

Why does my boyfriend penis hurt and burn him after we had protected sex and I was on my period?

The pain and burning that you describe could have a few different causes, but rest assured that your period has nothing to do with it. 

In general pain around the genitals can be caused by a lot of different things like an irritation from hair removal, a reaction to soap or detergent, or an allergy to latex, spermicide, or lubricant. Pain and burning can also be caused by a STD, so it’s really important that your boyfriend visit a health care provider for STD testing and a checkup.

If you used a condom, it’s possible that an allergy to latex, spermicide, or lubricant could be the problem. While only a health care provider can tell you what’s really going on, you may want to try switching some things up in the condom department. Try using non-latex polyurethane or polyisoprene condoms, or condoms without spermicide. 

- Emily at Planned Parenthood

Tagged: questionsmen's healthcondomsirritationlatex allergypainburning

Is it easy to tell when a condom breaks?

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Someone asked us:

please i want to know does condom breaks in a drastic way or there can be microscopic holes or tears in the condom that cannot be felt or seen with bare eyes??

It’s scary to think that you may not know if a condom breaks. The good news is that it’s usually pretty easy to tell when a condom has broken by looking at it. Usually a broken condom (whether it’s a regular latex condom or one made of polyurethane or polyisoprene) will have an obvious tear that guys can feel and sometimes both partners can even hear when it happens. But sometimes a guy won’t notice it’s broken until after he pulls out. So it’s important to take a second to make sure you don’t see any holes or leaking semen before the condom comes off.

Condoms are very effective at preventing pregnancy and STDs when used correctly. If a condom breaks and you’re concerned about pregnancy, you may want to consider emergency contraception and getting tested for STDs. Contact your nearest Planned Parenthood health center for more information on emergency contraception (also known as the morning-after pill) and STD testing. 

- Emily at Planned Parenthood

Tagged: condomspregnancySTD testingemergency contraceptionmorning-after pillquestions

Female Condoms Are Not Just Ew!

Female condoms: whether you love ‘em, hate ‘em, or have never tried ‘em, we can all agree the world is a better place because of ‘em.  Female condoms (also known as internal condoms) work pretty much the same way as regular ol’ condoms, but rather than going over the penis, they go inside of the vagina (or anus) to help prevent pregnancy and the spread of STDs.

So we were bummed to see Jezebel bash the humble female condom. Sure, plenty of folks have plenty of reasons for not using or liking female condoms. But some people really like female condoms — after all, they can stay in place regardless of whether the penis is erect, and the external ring can stimulate the clitoris. And like “regular” condoms, they can reduce the risk of STDs.

Female condoms aren’t for everyone — but that doesn’t mean they’re for no one. And they’re still plenty important and useful for lots and lots of people, including sex workers and individuals whose partners refuse to wear regular condoms. When it comes to birth control, we say the more options the better. Learn more about female condoms on our website.

- Alex at Planned Parenthood

Tagged: female condomsafer sexjezebelcondoms

Oil-based lube and condoms

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Someone asked us:

Is it safe to use Lubriderm lotion with a condom?

No - oil-based lotions cannot be used with condoms, because the oil can break down the condom material and cause it to break. Using lube with a condom can make sex more enjoyable, but stick to water-based lubricants – kinds that are specially designed for sex are usually a safe bet. You can usually find water-based lube and condoms in the same section of the drugstore. You can also buy lube online. We recommend Babeland for their variety and helpful info.

- Alex at Planned Parenthood 

Tagged: condomslubesexquestions

We had sex without a condom and my period’s late. Am I pregnant?

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Someone asked us:

My boyfriend and I had sex with and without a condom multiple times this month, I’m on birth control, but it’s low dose. He never came inside me, but my period is almost a week late and i havent taken a pregnancy test yet. We’re broke, and I can’t have a kid at 14 years old. Please help?
If you’re using your birth control correctly and use a back-up method when you need to (like if you miss a pill), that means you’re taking the right steps to prevent pregnancy. For example, research shows that fewer than 1 in every 100 women who use birth control pills becomes pregnant within a year of using them if she always takes them correctly. 

So what does fewer than 1 in every 100 women mean exactly? For one thing, it doesn’t mean that somewhere out there half of one woman is walking around in maternity sweatpants bitterly stocking up on diapers and baby food. What it does mean is that in a group of more than 100 ladies who take their pill correctly all the time, there may be one woman whose birth control pills fail and who ends up pregnant. Basically it’s very rare, but it can happen.

While those are really good odds in your favor already as far as pregnancy goes, using condoms when you have sex is the only way to avoid sexually transmitted infections. If you take your pills as directed every day and use a condom every time you have sex, it’s way more likely that you’ll end up valedictorian AND prom queen AND class president by the time you’re a senior than ending up pregnant.

-Emily at Planned Parenthood
Tagged: questionsam i pregnantbirth controlcondomsthe pill

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