Am I Still at Risk to Transmit an STD Even With a Condom?

Using condoms as directed can significantly lower the risk of transmitting an STD (sexually transmitted disease). According to Planned Parenthood:

If you have anal, oral, or vaginal sex, the best way to prevent STDs is using barriers like condoms and dams.

However, please note that while it is definitely a good idea to use condoms, they do not provide 100% protection against the transmission of STDs. For example, Planned Parenthood states that “condoms may not work as well to prevent skin-to-skin STDs, because they don’t cover every body part that can be infected (like the scrotum or labia).”

To make condoms as effective as possible in preventing the transmission of STDs (as well as help in preventing unwanted pregnancies), consider the following:

• Never use a female condom and a male condom at the same time. Just use one or the other.
• Put on a condom before your penis touches your partner’s mouth or genitals.
• Most condoms are made from latex. If you are allergic to latex, use a condom make from an alternate material, such as plastic.
• If you are sharing sex toys, use condoms on sex toys.
• Use lubrication to prevent friction from breaking the condom and from causing any small skin tears in the genital area.

For more information on using condoms to make sex safer, click here. For information on how to talk to your partner about safer sex, click here. You can also learn more by reading the information presented in the Planned Parenthood’s Preventing Pregnancy & STDs.

TeenHealthFX would like to encourage you to speak to your doctor about safer sex precautions for the future. Doctors generally recommend that teens and young adults who choose to be sexually active use condoms each and every time they have sex to protect against unwanted pregnancies and the transmission of STDs, as well as a back-up method of birth control such as the pill or birth control shot. Your doctor can make the best recommendations for you and discuss with you how to use properly use birth control to maximize its effectiveness.

If you don't have a doctor and live in northern New Jersey, you can call the Adolescent/Young Adult Center for Health at 973-971-5199 for an appointment with an adolescent medicine specialist or contact your local teen health center or Planned Parenthood. A Planned Parenthood health center is a good option if you have concerns about cost or confidentiality issues. You can also contact your insurance company for a list of in-network providers.

FX also suggests that you check out the links in our Resource of the Month: Planned Parenthood Resources on Safer Sex so that you can learn about sexual readiness, how pregnancy happens, pregnancy tests, emergency contraception, birth control, STDs and more. The more educated you are about these topics, the more likely you will make healthy decisions for yourself when it comes to your sexual health.