The surprising amount of time you can safely use a condom for during sex

We all know that safe sex is great sex. And if you want to protect against STIs and unwanted pregnancies, using a condom is the way to do it.

But, if you’ve got stamina between the sheets, it’s worth noting that this safety net only lasts for so long. It turns out that if you and your partner have penetrative sex lasting more than, you should replace the condom you’re using.

LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor GP, Dr Bhavini Shah said: ‘If you’ve been having sex for half an hour and aren’t ready to stop – change the condom.

‘Friction weakens the condom, increasing the chances of a tear. Under this time and you’re fine. ‘But if you’re over 30 minutes it’s best to play it safe. Although, obviously the amount of friction depends on how vigorous your intercourse is.’

Basically, if you’re absolutely going for it, it’s worth making a pit stop to switch to a new condom — just to be sure.

Dr Shah also adds that if you have a sex session that lasts for less than 30 minutes, and decide to go for round two, you can’t use the same rubber.

‘Don’t leave it on for another round of action,’ he says. ‘A condom is a strictly single use item. Using it twice increases the chance of breakage and seeping. There’s a reason they sell condoms in multipacks.’

Should I use two condoms at once?

If all of this is stressing you out and you think double bagging is the solution (putting two condoms on at once) you’d also be wrong.

‘One at a time please,’ said Dr Shah. ‘Twice the condom does not equal twice the safety.

‘Wearing two condoms is actually riskier than just wearing one as they will rub against each other, creating potentially condom-breaking friction.

‘This also goes for wearing a male condom and your partner wearing a female condom at the same time.’

Can fingernails rip a condom?

When we’re in the cut and thrust of the moment (sorry), getting the condom out is something we want to do as soon as possible. But don’t be overly eager.

Dr Shah said: ‘Opening a condom packet is never easy. Though the less careful you are tearing the packet, the more likely you tear the condom as well.

‘Fingernails can also perforate condoms and using your teeth to aid in opening the packet can also cause tears. 

‘While at times the packet might seem unbreakable, the condom most certainly isn’t. Take a deep breath, look for the right corner, and try again. Carefully!’

Do condoms have an expiry date?

We’re putting a lot of trust in our hardy condoms though, and alarmingly just 46% of single Brits wouldn’t feel confident identifying what to look out for on condom packaging to make sure it’s good quality and safe to use.

Dr Shah ran through the tell-tale signs that your condom is going to do its job.

In the UK, you should be looking for the British Standards Institution (BSI) Kitemark or the UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) symbol.

If you’re gallivanting in Europe and find yourself needing to buy condoms, you should look for the CE symbol of European conformity.

You need to make sure you don’t get this confused with the very similar ‘China Export’ symbol, which just means it was made in China, not that it’s safe for use.

If you’re holidaying elsewhere, it’s best to go prepared and take some with you.

Last but not least, just check the expiry date. An old condom is one that is more likely to break.

This article was originally published on 22 August 2024.

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