Condoms

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Condoms for safe sex

The Happy Willy Company wants everyone to have a rich and fulfilling sex life. One that is right for the individual, varied and fun for all involved. We also want everyone to enjoy sex safely and responsibly and this means taking sensible precautions.
We have a wide range of condoms to choose from varying sizes, styles (extra lube, extra thin etc.) and even flavours – with chocolate flavour condoms being a top seller. The ranges of condoms on sale are from well known, long-established brands such as:

• Mates
• Glyde
• Level
• Skyn
• Pasante

The Glyde range of condoms is also, currently, the only vegan condom manufacturer on the market, something that they are very rightly proud of.

Just what is a condom?

A condom is a thin, fitted ‘tube’ or sheath that is worn over the penis during sex. They can help to prevent unwanted pregnancies and STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases). They work by creating a barrier between partners that prevents semen and other bodily fluids from reaching the vagina, mouth or rectum.
In addition to providing a layer of protection against STDs, condoms can also protect against STIs (Sexually Transmitted Infections) if used correctly during vaginal, anal and oral sex.
Condoms should not be used with oil-based products like lotions, lubricant, moisturiser or products like Vaseline because these can damage latex and polyisoprene condoms. They are, however, safe to use with polyurethane condoms. Water-based lubricants, on the other hand, are safe to use with all condom types.
It should go without saying, but we will point out anyway that condoms should only be used once and they should never be used past their use-by date – condoms that are past their use-by date become drier, weaker and more likely to break during sex. This puts you and your partner at risk of STDs, STIs and unwanted pregnancy.

How effective are condoms

Male condoms, that have not exceeded their use-by date, are approximately 98 percent effective. Of course, this is true if the condom is used perfectly and since nobody is perfect, they are actually around 85 percent effective on average. Most people can use them correctly though, thankfully.
These percentages do drop off by a drastic amount if the condoms have expired, however, so always make sure the condoms are ‘in date’. The average shelf life of a condom is between 3 and 5 years, depending on the manufacturer. Storage will affect shelf life too, so the date stated on the pack is not going to be totally accurate if the condoms are stored improperly.
Condoms should be kept away from humidity, heat and of course sharp objects. Wear and tear from extended periods in pockets, wallets, purses, bags… All chip away at the lifespan and effectiveness of a condom.

How do you properly use a condom?

It is not difficult to use a male condom correctly. That said, it is surprisingly easy to use them the wrong way. Condoms packages do come with instruction sheets, and it is a great start, but they cannot detail everything that you need to know so that you can make your sex safer and not just enjoyable.
To help you out, and help keep you and your partner safe, The Happy Willy Company has put together some simple instructions for you to follow.

Check the expiration date

This has already been touched on, but it is worth repeating. To make sure a condom is even still usable, check the expiration date. Do this before opening the individual package. When a condom is past its use-by date, or it has been stored improperly, the material begins to break down and this increases the risk of failure. If the date has passed, or you think it may not have been stored properly then throw it away.

Open the package carefully

When opening a condom package, tear carefully along the edge or a corner. Never use scissors or fingernails to open them. The little foil packets that they come in are fairly easy to tear, they are made this way deliberately.
Most, if not all, condom foil packets have tiny snips on the side to make opening them even easier. Using any kind of sharp object is asking for trouble because it increases the risk of cutting, ripping or tearing the condom right along with the package.

Get the condom the right way out

It can be quite easy getting a condom inside out, especially in the excitement of the moment – but take your time and you’ll be fine. You will know if you have it the right way if you can roll it down easily – almost like rolling a sock up your leg.
If you have to put fingers inside to pull it down, then you have it inside out. Throw it away and start again with a fresh one.

Make some room

Contrary to popular belief, a condom shouldn’t be ‘filled’ – there needs to be some room at the end, like a sock where the toe part is ‘floppy’ because it hasn’t been pulled on all the way.
This is because the reservoir tip at the head of the condom is not actually large enough to contain all of the semen of an ejaculation. Indeed, not all condoms even have a reservoir.
Following this particular ‘tip’ will help prevent any ejaculate from being pushed out of the condom – thus making the condom itself useless.
Everybody at The Happy Willy Company hopes you find this information useful, and here’s to a great, safe sex life! You can shop with confidence as all our products come with tracked delivery and discreet packaging and billing.