Keeping Sex Safe: Use Condoms for All Sexual Activity

It’s not just about intercourse … In this day and age a significant percentage of people use condoms when they are engaging in either vaginal or anal intercourse.  These individuals have come to understand that the possibility of exchanging sexually transmitted infections or diseases through these activities is a very real prospect.

However, with this noted, a majority of people who are sexually active actually do not use condoms when they are engaging in other types of sexual activity, particularly when they are engaging in oral sex.  The reality is that whenever the potential for exchanging certain types of bodily fluids exists, a condom should be used to ensure the safest sexual experience possible.

HIV can be found in blood, semen and to a lesser extent in vaginal secretions.  HIV can be transmitted from person to person if it is present in any one of these blood fluids and if the other sexual partner has a cut or abrasion on his or her skin.  In addition, it is also possible for HIV to transfer into a person’s body through mucous membranes in some instances.  Therefore, while engaging in unprotected oral sex is not the highest risk of sexual activity possible, there remains a risk that unprotected oral sex can result in the transmission of HIV.

Another misperception associated with safe sex is that when it comes to anal sex you have to be on the “receiving end” in order to run the risk of contracting HIV.  Being on the receiving end is riskier, the person on the “giving end” also runs the risk of being infected with HIV.  The fact is that rectal tissue easily can be torn and cut during anal sex.  If the person on the receiving end has HIV, the virus can transmit to the person on the giving end if that individual has a cut, tear or abrasion on his penis.

Beyond HIV, you need to keep in mind that condoms also protect against the transmission of other types of STIs or STDs.  While these infections and diseases may not have as significant of consequences as HIV, you obviously want to protect against these infections as well.

Many people complain about using condoms because they contend that the interfere with the ultimate pleasure of sexual activity.  While it is true that condoms can change at least to a small degree the “feelings” associated with sexual activity, there are condoms on the market today that actually are designed to add to the pleasure of sexual activity.  If the effect on pleasure is your concern in regard to condom use, you will want to consider one or another of the condom types that are designed to enhance the pleasure of sex.

The bottom line is that whenever you are engaging in sexual activity … to be blunt and to the point … whenever the possibility exists for the exchange of the bodily fluids mentioned, a condom should be a part of the process.