Friendly reminder: Condoms are a one-time-use thing.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently tweeted advising that people shouldn’t wash and reuse condoms because they aren’t as effective the second time around. I know they can be pricey, but just gotta say—solid advice!
We say it because people do it: Don’t wash or reuse #condoms! Use a fresh one for each #sex act. https://t.co/o3SPayRf9m pic.twitter.com/AwkPqE9YMl
Using condoms properly and protecting yourself during sex is super-important, especially since sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are on the rise. According to the CDC, only about 24% of women and 34% of men aged 15 to 44 used a condom during their last sexual intercourse encounter in the past year.
This could be one culprit for the recent increase in sexually transmitted diseases. In September 2017, the CDC said that more than two million cases of STIs like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis were reported in the U.S. in 2016—that’s the highest number ever. Ever.
The majority of those cases (about 1.6 million) were chlamydia, which can damage a woman’s reproductive system and make getting pregnant difficult, if not treated. Antibiotics can usually clear up this condition, along with gonorrhea and syphilis (you know, unless it’s an antibiotic-resistant strain), but the key is getting tested so you can catch and treat it—after, of course, using protection too.
In case you need a refresher, here’s how to use condoms the right way:
Besides only using a condom one time, there are a few other key pointers you should keep in mind:
Also, please, please, please, throw that thing away when you’re done doing the deed. Kthanks.
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