4 ms·

> condoms, which have a real- > world failure rate of about > 18 percent That's odd, so I did some research and found: > With consistent and corr

> condoms, which have a real- > world failure rate of about > 18 percent That's odd, so I did some research and found: > With consistent and correct > use, condoms have a failure > rate of 2 percent. The > typical use effectiveness > rate is about 18 percent I ... don't understand. Are people putting them on their fingers? Can someone explain?

chimeracoder 9y ago
> I ... don't understand. Are people putting them on their fingers? Can someone explain? Abstinence has a "consistent and correct" usage rate of 100% (within rounding error). Of course, in the real world, abstinence has a pretty poor rate of preventing unintentional pregnancies, when not combined with other methods. Real-world use encompasses everything from people keeping condoms in their wallet (exposing them to heat + friction) to people deciding not to use a condom (whether because they forget, because they believe the other person is on birth control, because they decide to just "take a risk this once", or anything else).
- userbinator 9y ago
  to people deciding not to use a condom I don't think that counts as part of the "use effectiveness rate", which AFAIK are only those who (claimed to?) have used one but failed.
  - chimeracoder 9y ago
    > I don't think that counts as part of the "use effectiveness rate", which AFAIK are only those who (claimed to?) have used one but failed. It actually (usually) is, because that's a really important part of the effectiveness of a method. That's why I added the part about abstinence - it might work if you're consistent and committed about it, but people still decide not to use it as a method. If someone invented a condom that had a 100% perfect-use effectiveness rate, but it also made sex uncomfortable to the point that people decide not to use it most of the time even when it's available, it's real-world effectiveness would be low. And that's the important number to measure.
Lon7 9y ago
You wouldn't believe what happens. They slip off or break and intercourse is continued without them. Some guys put two on at a time, some guys insist on wearing the larger sizes even though they don't fit. Some reuse condoms, some store them in their wallet for two years. Some guys put them on wrong or inside out. Some guys use a lubricant that weakens the latex.
- throwawayaug6 9y ago
  These arguments are always phrased as if every guy who's having trouble with condoms is an idiot. I think that's counterproductive. I'm a "grower". The size difference is so significant that any condom that still feels comfortable when erect will easily slip off when flaccid. Smaller condoms are actually painful because of the ring at the base.
  - Lon7 9y ago
    You're right. I'm sorry about that.
andruby 9y ago
There's a right way to roll a condom on, and a wrong way. It isn't rocket science, but when your brain is competing for blood with another organ..
dogma1138 9y ago
Rolling it the wrong way, not rolling it all the way down, not rolling it correctly which leads to more frequent tearing when air is caught at the end. And one of the most common issues buying the largest size available even when you don't have a 12" as thick as drink can tool. While it's been 16-17 years since I had a sexed class i still remember the girl who came and told us to buy regular or even ("small") since it was still when I was 14-15 then she took a the smallest size Durex and rolled it over a 2 liter soda bottle and said unless you are bigger don't buy magnum super XL.
- Scriptor 9y ago
  Just because they can stretch that much doesn't mean they're comfortable.
  - sli 9y ago
    Plus just rolling it over a 2 liter bottle doesn't account for the physical side of what's going on. You can stretch a condom pretty far, but that does not say anything about how it stands up to friction. If a condom is too tight, it will break on you. I hate talking about this because people just assume I'm lying, but... I've had normal sized condoms break on me a couple times, it's frightening. Magnums do not break on me, and fit much better, so that's what I use (the XLs are too big). I just don't fit safely in a normal sized condom, it doesn't matter one bit that I can fit them over a bottle.
    - dogma1138 9y ago
      It's fine to use a Magnum I you actually need it, Western condoms tend to be 51-54mm in width for non Magnum sizes and 56-59 for magnums if you actually need it by all means use it but for most people the normal ones will be the best fit. In other places it might be different I know people think that Asian thing is a trope but it's not Durex reduces the width from 54 to 49mm for the Asian market which is a bitch.
  - dogma1138 9y ago
    I know I had issue finding a good size in Hong Kong before and I'm not adult film star endowed by any stretch of the imagination. That said in the west you are likely not going to be needing magnum sizes either. The regular size is well within average girth and we'll over the average length the regular size for most brands is 18-19cm from the base ring to the tip(there are ISO standards for Condoms :)), unless you are measuring yourself from your anus you aren't likely to need anything longer than that.

chimeracoder 9y ago

> I ... don't understand. Are people putting them on their fingers? Can someone explain? Abstinence has a "consistent and correct" usage rate of 100% (within rounding error). Of course, in the real world, abstinence has a pretty poor rate of preventing unintentional pregnancies, when not combined with other methods. Real-world use encompasses everything from people keeping condoms in their wallet (exposing them to heat + friction) to people deciding not to use a condom (whether because they forget, because they believe the other person is on birth control, because they decide to just "take a risk this once", or anything else).

userbinator 9y ago
to people deciding not to use a condom I don't think that counts as part of the "use effectiveness rate", which AFAIK are only those who (claimed to?) have used one but failed.
- chimeracoder 9y ago
  > I don't think that counts as part of the "use effectiveness rate", which AFAIK are only those who (claimed to?) have used one but failed. It actually (usually) is, because that's a really important part of the effectiveness of a method. That's why I added the part about abstinence - it might work if you're consistent and committed about it, but people still decide not to use it as a method. If someone invented a condom that had a 100% perfect-use effectiveness rate, but it also made sex uncomfortable to the point that people decide not to use it most of the time even when it's available, it's real-world effectiveness would be low. And that's the important number to measure.

Lon7 9y ago

You wouldn't believe what happens. They slip off or break and intercourse is continued without them. Some guys put two on at a time, some guys insist on wearing the larger sizes even though they don't fit. Some reuse condoms, some store them in their wallet for two years. Some guys put them on wrong or inside out. Some guys use a lubricant that weakens the latex.

throwawayaug6 9y ago
These arguments are always phrased as if every guy who's having trouble with condoms is an idiot. I think that's counterproductive. I'm a "grower". The size difference is so significant that any condom that still feels comfortable when erect will easily slip off when flaccid. Smaller condoms are actually painful because of the ring at the base.
- Lon7 9y ago
  You're right. I'm sorry about that.

andruby 9y ago

There's a right way to roll a condom on, and a wrong way. It isn't rocket science, but when your brain is competing for blood with another organ..

dogma1138 9y ago

Rolling it the wrong way, not rolling it all the way down, not rolling it correctly which leads to more frequent tearing when air is caught at the end. And one of the most common issues buying the largest size available even when you don't have a 12" as thick as drink can tool. While it's been 16-17 years since I had a sexed class i still remember the girl who came and told us to buy regular or even ("small") since it was still when I was 14-15 then she took a the smallest size Durex and rolled it over a 2 liter soda bottle and said unless you are bigger don't buy magnum super XL.

Scriptor 9y ago
Just because they can stretch that much doesn't mean they're comfortable.
- sli 9y ago
  Plus just rolling it over a 2 liter bottle doesn't account for the physical side of what's going on. You can stretch a condom pretty far, but that does not say anything about how it stands up to friction. If a condom is too tight, it will break on you. I hate talking about this because people just assume I'm lying, but... I've had normal sized condoms break on me a couple times, it's frightening. Magnums do not break on me, and fit much better, so that's what I use (the XLs are too big). I just don't fit safely in a normal sized condom, it doesn't matter one bit that I can fit them over a bottle.
  - dogma1138 9y ago
    It's fine to use a Magnum I you actually need it, Western condoms tend to be 51-54mm in width for non Magnum sizes and 56-59 for magnums if you actually need it by all means use it but for most people the normal ones will be the best fit. In other places it might be different I know people think that Asian thing is a trope but it's not Durex reduces the width from 54 to 49mm for the Asian market which is a bitch.
- dogma1138 9y ago
  I know I had issue finding a good size in Hong Kong before and I'm not adult film star endowed by any stretch of the imagination. That said in the west you are likely not going to be needing magnum sizes either. The regular size is well within average girth and we'll over the average length the regular size for most brands is 18-19cm from the base ring to the tip(there are ISO standards for Condoms :)), unless you are measuring yourself from your anus you aren't likely to need anything longer than that.