Contraception is a necessary precaution that must be taken to reduce the chances and number of STDs around the world. Condoms are one of the widely and easy-to-use contraceptive methods. Here are 5 condoms facts to blow your mind.
- Condoms are an ancient artefact
You may think condom is a modern invention due to its latex nature, but none could be further from the truth. Condoms are an ancient thing. As far back as 20,000 years ago, humanity had been playing around with condoms.
Yep, that’s somewhere in 10,000 BCE ago. You can imagine that back when people were not living the sanitary lives like the ones we have today, condoms must have been super important to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.
Have you heard some of the popular ancient condoms that have made their rounds ‘round the Internet? Many people used to rely on animal intestines—like pig intestines or sheep intestines—before latex was invented.
The good part about these ancient forms of condom was that they were reusable, unlike latex condoms that we have today that can only be used once. Back in those days, people were recommended to dip their intestine condom in hot milk before and after each use.
According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, the Djukas tribe in ancient New Guinea developed a unique concept of a condom. Unlike historical examples from civilizations such as the Egyptians, Romans, or Greeks, the Djukas tribe crafted a distinctive female condom.
They created a sheath using a specific plant material, which was inserted into the vagina before intercourse to prevent conception. The sheath was described as being six inches long and chalice-shaped, with one end open and the other end closed. The pressure exerted by the vagina during intercourse aided in keeping the sheath securely in place.
- Durex was the first company to sell condoms online
Who has not heard of the brand name Durex when it comes to quality condoms?
Even though it may not be the number 1 biggest condom brand in terms of sales (although sometimes it does steal the spot of being number 1 in many aspects, depending on the day!), Durex surely has a massive reputation (pun not intended).
This British condom company is also the first company that ever launched its own website, making tons of people find it more comfortable to shop for condoms online.
And no, we are not talking about the company launching its own condom online shop back in some 2010 or something, but back in 1996.
Many millennials probably recall this was the year the Internet was slowly becoming a part of daily living in many parts of the advanced world. Easy access to buying condoms is indeed a must.
- Condoms actually have an expiration date
Sure, condoms are not food, nor are they cream, but they do have an expiration date, too. This is because the materials used in making even the best quality condoms can naturally diminish in quality the longer it has been stored, and eventually they may even break.
It is not recommended to use a condom that has surpassed its expiration date because when a man does so, he runs the risk of failing to prevent sexually transmitted diseases nor pregnancy.
Most condoms have their expiration date stamped on their package boxes, so you can easily check for this. A condom that has become expired may turn rather brittle (which means easy breakage during usage!), or may even be rather unusually oily with a funky smell.
If you find your condom to be this way, get rid of it immediately and quickly buy a new pack for use.
- Condom sizes are just a marketing gimmick
Yes, you read that right: condom sizes are nothing more than a marketing gimmick to bypass the minds of the men with big penises who think there can’t be any condom size that suits them, so they can justify not using a condom!
That’s a long one, but in short, there is no such thing as a dick that is too big for a condom. That thing is strong and flexible, you know. Unless is a man is like alien-ly big, there is no way his dick can be too big for a condom.
So, in order to change the mindset of such men, as well as to better promote safe sex, condom companies came up with this idea of different condom sizes to accommodate different schlong sizes.
So, the next time you go shopping for a condom, you know you can just pick whatever size there is on the shelf.
- Condoms can hold some 1-2 litres of water
Isn’t that a shocker? But yes, condoms are so flexible and sturdy at the same time that they can increase in size to be used as a water container. In fact, condoms can hold up to 1 to 2 litres worth of water.
But then, you may be wondering, what kinds of people are going to use such an inconvenient thing to hold water?
As it turns out, soldiers on the battlefield sometimes use this method. Many soldiers carry around condoms in the bags for various other reasons that don’t always have anything to do with sex itself. One of them being a water container.
So now you know how handy condoms can be. Next time you go mountain hiking or camping, maybe your condoms can come in handy to keep you far from dehydration if you happen to break or lose your tumbler!
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- Electrically tested
Condoms offer a formidable barrier against minute cells. Sperm cells are some of the smallest cells you have.
Yet any small pore is enough to permit sperms to breach the barrier. Even though this breach is bad enough to cause pregnancy, it isn’t all.
All manner of STIs can transfer to the sex partner if the rubber is faulty. So it must be quality assured to offer 100% protection.
How do factories ensure this is achieved? Well, each condom is subjected to electrical current to ensure that they are airtight.
To pass the quality test, each condom has to block the flow of electricity through it. If the current is directed to it and the condom doesn’t show any form of rips or shear, then it’s intact.
Any piece that tears during this process is rejected and only the ones that withstand electric shock are packed for distribution.
- Female friendly
Men wear condoms to primarily protect against pregnancy. However, studies found that male condoms are female-friendly in many aspects.
A study established that male condoms helped vaginas to achieve an ideal and balanced bacterial habitat that fosters perfect pH levels.
Male condoms are also protected against minor vaginal infections and irritation. But how? You may wonder.
Well, unprotected sex usually disrupts the delicate ecosystem in the vagina. Semen with a pH of 7 to 8 is too alkaline for certain helpful vaginal bacteria. So these may die resulting in bacterial and yeast infections.
But when you use condoms, you retain this perfect harmony.
Many studies have been done to assess the effects of condom use on female orgasms. It found that there is no difference in female orgasm when couples performed protected and unprotected sex.
On the contrary, condoms help delay ejaculation in men, therefore prolonging the pleasure and increasing the sexual experience.
- Condoms improve vaginal health
Apart from preventing STIs, condoms help to retain the delicate vaginal ecosystem. The vagina is teeming with microbiomes thriving in the highly acidic environment.
During unprotected sex, however, the penis getting into contact with the vaginal cavity distorts this fragile atmosphere.
This is because the penis is slightly alkaline. This situation lowers the pH level of the vagina. A slight disturbance confuses the good bacteria working to keep the garden lush.
When these bacteria are out of form, the vagina starts smelling. Besides, harmful bacteria start propagating.
This disharmony is bad for the reproductive cavity. It causes irritation, discharge, and infections.
Using antibacterial and antifungal ointment helps, but not after considerable discomfort and embarrassment to all involved. Unfortunately, this becomes the situation each time you engage in unprotected sex.
There is an easier way out through. Using condoms prevents all these issues. Thus condoms help to retain the perfect vaginal equilibrium
According to a research paper published in NICS Well, a Chinese scientific journal, an investigation delved into the connection between condom usage and the presence of beneficial bacteria in the vagina.
The study uncovered that women who used condoms exhibited increased levels of a favorable bacterial strain known as lactobacillus, which is renowned for its protective abilities against infections.
On the contrary, women who utilized intrauterine devices (IUDs or ‘coils’) did not display similar elevated lactobacillus levels. Drawing from their discoveries, the authors inferred that condom use might provide protection against bacterial vaginosis.
- Can last upto four years
The flimsy rubber undergoes rigorous tests before getting into the marketplace. Each latex piece is tested for reliability, durability, and safety.
Still, they are lubricated after production. The thin film of oil helps to protect the rubber against bristling and breakages.
Any slight defects are rejected. After all, they are meant to offer protection against some undetectable and incurable infections.
Thus it’s no wonder that condoms can last up to four years without having any issues. The only condition to support this long life spans is proper storage.
If you store them in a cool and dry place, away from moisture and direct sunshine, they can remain functional. But condoms still come with an expiry date, which isn’t that long after the date of manufacture.
But condoms are cheap, hence not many people would consent to use condoms that are so aged. This is especially true since they can’t vouch for their integrity after this long storage.
- Condoms are super effective
Condoms are rubber sheaths inserted in the penis shaft before penetrative sex.
The simple act is versatile.
It’s thought that using rubber is 10,000 times more effective in protecting against HIV and STIs when compared to having raw sex.
Data shows that HIV transmission is reduced by over 85% when condoms are used correctly.
Besides preventing STIs, a condom is also used to starve unwanted pregnancies. Condoms are perhaps the most inexpensive birth control. It is reliable and stress-free. It doesn’t even have to count days and forget about swallowing, unlike the pills.
Besides, HIV, condoms are useful in forestalling the spread of some untreatable infections. Hepatitis B and Genital herpes are severe infections since they don’t show any symptoms.
So their transmission spread undetected. But condoms prevent their spread by 90% and 40% respectively.
As per the records from the National Library of Medicines, in June 2000, the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH) conducted a comprehensive evaluation of scientific evidence concerning the efficacy of condoms in preventing sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
The results of the review indicated that condoms were effective in providing protection against the transmission of HIV to both women and men. Additionally, they were found to reduce the risk of men acquiring gonorrhea. However, the available evidence for the effectiveness of condoms in preventing other STIs was considered insufficient at that time.
One of the beauties of using condoms is that it doesn’t reduce pleasure. The sexual sensation doesn’t reduce when using condoms, the feeling remains the same.
In conclusion, we have discussed the five astonishing condom facts you might not know about before. We hope these facts can help you conclude whether these facts make you change the way you think about or perceive condoms.
SIMILAR QUESTION
What Are Some Fun Facts About Condoms?
Introduction
Condoms have been an integral part of the practice of safe sex for centuries. It is estimated that condoms have been used for birth control since the 16th century. Despite their long history, there are still some fun facts about condoms that many people may not be aware of. This paper will discuss some of the interesting facts about condoms, including their history, manufacturing, and usage.
History of Condoms
The use of condoms dates back to ancient Egypt, where they were made of linen and used to prevent pregnancy. In the 16th century, they were made of animal intestines and used to protect against venereal diseases. In the 19th century, latex condoms were developed, which allowed for more effective protection against sexually transmitted diseases. Today, condoms are made from latex, polyurethane, and other materials.
Manufacturing of Condoms
Condoms are manufactured in a variety of sizes, shapes, and textures. The average condom is 7.5 inches long and 2.0 inches wide, but they can be as small as 4.7 inches long and 1.5 inches wide. Condoms are made from a variety of materials, including latex, polyurethane, and lambskin. They are also available in a variety of colors, flavors, and textures.
Usage of Condoms
Condoms are the most effective form of contraception when used correctly and consistently. When used correctly, condoms have been proven to reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancy. They are also one of the only forms of contraception that provide protection against a variety of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS.
Some Fun Facts About Condoms
There are a number of interesting and fun facts about condoms. For example, the average condom can stretch up to 800 percent its size, which means it can fit almost any size penis. Additionally, the average condom can hold up to one gallon of liquid, which is why they are used for water sports. Finally, condoms are the only form of contraception that can be used to prevent the transmission of sexually transmitted infections.
Conclusion
In conclusion, condoms are an important part of safe sex practices and have a long history. They are made from a variety of materials and come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and textures. Additionally, there are several fun facts about condoms, including their ability to stretch up to 800 percent their size and their ability to hold up to one gallon of liquid. Finally, condoms are the only form of contraception that can provide protection against a variety of sexually transmitted infections.
