5 Things You Should Know About Using Flavoured Condoms

‘Fun Now Kids Later,’announced a condom campaign that popped on my Insta feed this morning. An accidental tap on #SafeSex mentioned in the caption led me to a sundry of condoms that seemed neither fun nor safe. There was an achaari flavour for ‘parantha and achaar lovers’ and adrak and honey ‘for a clear throat’! I was taken aback.

When I sat down to Google more about them, I realised that achaari/adraki or fruity/chocolaty/ minty-flavoured condoms are a different ball game altogether. While the good-old barrier method is meant to protect us from sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancy, their piquant variants serve a different purpose. If this statement made all the chocolate and bubblegum lovers go “whaaattt!,” you’ve got to read this carefully. I am about to share a different side of flavoured condoms. Here are five things you need to know:

They’re Meant For Oral Sex ONLY

Flavoured condoms are meant to make oral sex more pleasurable and safe. While the fun foreplay act has no pregnancy risk involved, there’s always a chance of transmission of an STD like herpes, gonorrhea, and AIDS. But despite the danger, only 34% of people use condoms during oral sex, according to a 2017 study. That’s why a hint of strawberry, chocolate and other flavours is added to encourage people to use a condom and stay safe.

They Can Cause Infections

FYI, flavoured condoms are safe–but only as long as you stick to using them for their intended purpose stated above. The lubricant on these condoms contains sugar, which by FDA standards is fine for oral consumption. However, introducing it into the vagina during sexual intercourse is a bad idea. It can disturb the natural acidic flora of your vagina and can cause yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis. It can also upset the delicate balance of your vulvar skin and cause itching or burning sensation. So, as a rule, you should not use flavoured condoms for vaginal intercourse.

Using Them Could Be Risky

According to a study published in the journal contraception, condoms have a 1% chance of failure and can lead to an unwanted pregnancy. Flavoured condoms, on the other hand, may have a higher failure chance as they’re meant for oral sex only. They can break easily due to extensive friction during sexual intercourse.

You Need To Test Them First

Most standard and flavoured condoms are made of latex. If you’re allergic to this material, using condoms–both falvoured and plain–during oral sex can lead to rashes, hives or a runny nose. A more severe latex allergy can cause difficulty breathing and loss of blood pressure. So, as a precaution, you must do a taste test before diving in head on.

You Need A Lube

The safe-condom mandate is to use a flavoured condom during oral sex and switch to an unflavoured one during intercourse. We all know how difficult it is to abide by this rule in the heat of the moment. So, guidelines by Cornell University suggest using a lubricant with a condom to prevent breakage. You can count on Sirona’s Moisturising Lube Tube. Made with natural ingredients like Tasmanian pepper fruit and riberry, it can reduce friction during sex and make it more pleasurable. All this, without disturbing your natural flora down there. It is safe to use multiple times and will surely spruce up your sex life.