Common problems with condoms

Condom manufacturers never mention problems associated with using male condoms in their information leaflets. They simply tell you to unroll it onto the erect penis and to pinch the teat at the end of the condom as you put it on.

A group of sexually active youth from Johannesburg shared their experiences about using male condoms.

 ‘€œI’€™ve had one or two moments whereby you would find that, depending on the type of condoms that you buy, you get a condom burst. It’€™s one of those unfortunate situations’€ says 31-year old Moses Mabala.

Olwethu Mkoko has also had an unfortunate incident. ‘€œIn a few occasions where the condom breaks’€¦ the best thing is to use the morning-after pill’€ she says.

 ‘€œYou find the condom breaking if it’€™s of lower quality and running in the morning to get the morning-after pill. Sometimes, it would rub on your skin and you get an allergic reaction, and in that case you need to have some lubricant jelly around’€, adds Ruth Mokoena.

But even though these young people have experienced difficulties using the male condom, they believe it’€™s the only protection they have from any potential risk.

‘€œWell, I’€™ve got one partner and the both of us understand the importance of safe sex. And it’€™s something that needs to be discussed and to be open about to one another as it results to in a lot of trust and respect for one another’€ says Moses Mabala.

Olwethu Mkoko reasons further. Hundred percent of the time I do use protection to prevent Aids and for pregnancy. And, currently, I don’€™t have a stable boyfriend, so I don’€™t have much choice but to use protection to be safe. It’€™s my health, it’€™s my life’€¦ so, safe sex or no sex’€ she says.

Mkoko also added that she would prefer condoms that are quick to put on as she has noticed that some guys take a lot of time to put on a condom.

‘€œSome guys take forever to open a condom and to put it on.   Then you lose interest by the time they’€™ve put it on and you no longer in the mood’€ she says.

Asked whether they would stop using the male condom if they had a choice, interestingly, these young people insist that the male condom remains a better option than the female condom.

‘€œI prefer the male condoms under the understanding that female condoms, from what I’€™ve read, are quite complicated. I’€™ll be more comfortable using a male condom than a female condom. It’€™s a Ppersonal choice!’€ says Moses Mabala.

‘€œI found the female condoms very uncomfortable and very difficult to place properly. It used to get all messy, so I prefer male condoms because it’€™s simple and easy to use’€ adds Ruth Mokoena.

Dr. Matsie Lebina from Zuzimpilo Clinic in Johannesburg weighed in on the subject.

‘€œAs a medical doctor, the commonest reason that people come to us is that the condom broke. But, we often wonder if the condom actually broke or it slipped off. And in that case they will be worried about their risk of acquiring HIV and they’€™ll be coming for what we call post-exposure prophylaxis, which we provide here at Zuzimpilo Clinic’€ she says.

Dr. Lebina further explained what a post-exposure prophylaxis is.

‘€œThe post-exposure prophylaxis is basically HIV treatment or antiretroviral medication that needs to be taken for a month and it needs to be taken within 72 hours after exposure. So, if you had it last night and you’€™re not sure about the HIV status of that person or you forgot to use a condom or the condom broke, then come and get the treatment that you need to take to prevent you from getting HIV’€.

She added that this raises questions as to whether people, more particularly men, know how to use condoms.

‘€œPeople talk a lot about breaking of condoms. But one of the ways to prevent condom breakage is that people must lubricate on their private part before putting the condom. And, then, to also hold on to the condom when you withdraw, so that it does not slip off or fall off.   If you know how to put it on properly, it shouldn’€™t break.   Get a banana and practise how to roll it down, so that when the moment comes you are the expert’€, concludes Dr. Lebina.

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