Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a reality that can affect anyone, regardless of gender identity or sexuality. To protect yourself and your partners, free condoms are available at the Wellness Education and Promotion Centre [1]. We offer a variety of condoms, including:

• Regular lubed
• Latex-Free
• Flavoured (both lubed and unlubed varieties)
• Ultra-lubricated

Water-based lube is also available for free at the Wellness Centre. This lube is safe to use with all barriers and sex toys. Lube helps make sex more pleasurable, can make it less likely that a condom will break, and reduces micro cuts and tears during sex making it harder for STIs to enter your body.

Condoms:

How to use a condom:

Condoms can be used on a penis or a sex toy for oral, anal, and vaginal sex.

1. First, always check the expiration date. If it’s expired, don’t use it!
2. Feel the packaging to make sure that there’s air inside. Air means that it hasn’t been punctured.
3. Tear open the packaging with your hands. Don’t use your teeth or scissors!
4. Place the rim of the condom over the penis or toy. Leave a small space for bodily fluids by pinching the tip.
5. Roll the condom over the outside of the shaft until the rim of the condom meets the base.
6. If you want to, apply lube to reduce friction.
7. When you’re done, hold the rim of the condom with your hand as it’s removed from the body.
8. Tie the end of the condom and throw it in the trash.

Condom tips:

When you’re using condoms, here are a couple of things to keep in mind:

• Make sure you use a new condom if you're switching between holes (so from the vagina to the anus or vice versa) or switching to another partner.
• Using condoms or dental dams during oral sex can prevent STIs from spreading to your throat or mouth.
• Don't layer condoms; only use one at a time.
• Condoms can also be used on sex toys. This can make clean-up easier and prevent fluid transmission between bodies!

Dental Dams:

Dental dams are thin latex or polyurethane sheets that you place between your mouth and either a vagina or anus during oral sex. STIs like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis can all be spread during oral sex so a dental dam can be a great way to protect yourself.

You can make dental dams out of a condom. Take the condom out of the package and use scissors to cut off the tip, and make a cut through the unrolled ring. Roll it out and you should have a sheet to use that covers the whole area.

How to use a dam:

1. Dams aren’t as easy to find as condoms, so you might not be as familiar with them. To use a dental dam, don’t stretch it or hold it tightly against the skin. Just let it stick naturally to the body via moisture or use a little bit of lube on your partner’s body.
2. When you’re done make sure to throw it away! Don’t flip it over and use the other side!
3. A great option for dental dams can be to use unlubed flavoured condoms (to make it easier to cut and hold) and to add some of your own lube.

Come by the Wellness Centre [1] for condoms, lube, and a demo on how to turn a condom into a dam.

Related Information: 

• Hive Health Services [11]
• Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) [12]
• Go Freddie [13]