Safer Sex, Better Sex: The Truth About Condom Design

Consider the noble condom: it shows up (when invited), does its job, and does it well (98 percent of the time, unless we somehow manage to mess it up, in which case it still works more than eight out of 10 times). It protects us from disease and unwanted pregnancy, allowing us to enjoy sex with minimal consternation over serious, long-term consequences.

And yet, what respect do we give the condom? What appreciation? None, that’s what. “People often talk about the fact that condoms are a ‘grudge purchase,’ ” says Carol Carrozza, the VP of marketing for Ansell Healthcare, which makes LifeStyles condoms. “No one would use condoms if they didn’t have to.”

Ah, but we do have to, and we do use them─and how. The condom industry is a business like any other, and business is booming: profits were up 5 percent at the end of 2008 compared with the same time in 2007. But that doesn’t stop condom companies from trying to up their margins─both in the name of public health and their bottom line. Which is why several condom companies have launched new products in the past few months—most notably LifeStyles X2 and Trojan Ecstasy—all designed to make condoms less of a drag and more of a pleasure purchase.

But how much of these new designs are real anatomical innovations and how much is clever marketing? Just in time for the weekend, we consulted with several experts to find out what really makes a difference.
 
RIBBING
Ribs have been around almost as long as condoms have been made of latex, making it one of the most enduring safer-sex innovations. Ian Kerner, a sex and relationship counselor and author of Love in the Time of Colic, says that the increased friction and resistance can make a difference in men's sensation. However, since the highest and most sensitive concentration of nerve endings are located in the head of the penis, additional ribs added to the shaft and the base of a condom may not do much, says Carol Queen, director of continuing education at Good Vibrations.

For women, ribbing on the base of the condom targets a more sensitive area. “There are very few nerves on the barrel of the vagina,” says Pepper Schwartz, a professor of sociology at the University of Washington and author of Prime: Adventures and Advice on Sex, Love, and the Sensual Year (Schwartz has served on Trojan’s advisory board). “Most of them are right at the beginning. Those ribs are designed to hit the major part of the nerve endings, which is the entry to the vagina.” Not all women report a difference in sensation based on the ribbing, so personal preference applies. (However, almost everyone we spoke to recommended a vibrating ring to be worn over the condom, which the large majority of women will most assuredly feel.) 

WIDER HEAD
This may make the biggest difference in sensation for men. “Men love the roomier head; it doesn’t matter what brand it is,” says Debby Herbenick,  associate director of the center for sexual health at Indiana University and research fellow at The Kinsey Institute. “It’s a very nerve-rich area, so a standard condom that is more fitted would reduce sensation. The roomier condoms help them to feel sex with greater sensation.”  

Queen notes that one of the most popular sellers at Good Vibrations is the Pleasure Plus condom, one who’s head she likens to a “giant pelican’s beak.” Trojan’s newest line of condoms, Ecstasy, also features a wider head than traditional condoms (though with no real avian resemblance), and were a hit with the NEWSWEEK testers.
 
DOUBLE LUBRICATION
By this, we mean lube on both sides of the condom, a prominent feature of both the new Trojan Ecstasy and LifeStyle’s X2. This style mimics a trick recommended by safer-sex educators for years, says Queen: adding lube to the head of the penis before putting on the condom. “Lubrication is very important for men who find condoms to be a little tight, [and] have a problem with sensation,” says Kerner. “The lubricant allows the condom material to rub on the head and give it extra sensation.” He notes that too much lube could lead to the condom slipping off. Make sure that a double-lubed condom has lubrication only on the inside tip, not extending all the way to the base.

SPECIAL LUBES
Some condoms come pre-lubed with warming agents, numbing gels (to increase duration), and gels laced with ingredients designed to enhance the experience. There’s no hard and fast rule about what works best─one NEWSWEEK tester found LifeStyle’s X2s, lubricated with a warming gel that contains L-arginine, to be particularly pleasant, while another found the gel to be irritating. (L-arginine as a nutritional supplement has been shown to increase blood flow; research on its topical effect is less clear. Queen also warns that eating foods rich in L-arginine may trigger outbreaks in those with herpes.) “You want to experiment, but be cautious of what elements you introduce into sex,” says Kerner, who recommends buying trial sizes of specialty lubes─and the condoms laced with them─before making a larger commitment.

A NOTE ON FEMALE CONDOMS
Traditional condoms aren’t the only ones going through some redesign. FC2, the latest version of the female condom, was approved by the FDA in March. FC2 has two new advantages. First, it’s made of a softer, more latexlike material. “[The previous material] made a distinct sound. It was way more like a blowup-doll experience then most women wanted it to be,” says Queen. “Imagine a sandwich bag in a sexual situation.” The new material is not as crunchy and wrinkly in sensation or sound, she says, but still works effectively.

The second big advancement is cost. The newer material decreased production expenses, which means the price point will decrease by about 30 percent. Queen cites the higher cost of female condoms (the original FC costs $16.99 for five) as one of the reasons they’re not nearly as popular as the male version, despite possibly offering more protection against STDs.

So what’s the bottom line? Just as there’s no “best" sexual position or sexual partner, there’s no one best condom innovation. “Smart guys who want to be engaged in safe sex will usually take some time to find a condom that works for them,” says Kerner, and smart women interested in their own pleasure and sexual health will do the same. So get testing, dear readers, and don’t stop until you’ve found your favorite.