So that condom is no big deal, right?  Safe sex is just a matter of being selective?  If you agree with either of those ideas, you really should read on.  And if you’re a fan of safe sex, we have some facts you might want to know as well.

When an airline pilot is preparing for takeoff, he goes through a rigorous checklist of his aircraft’s mechanics and functions.  Your odds of being in a fatal crash on the top 25 safe Airlines in the world is 1 in 13.57 million (Source).  Would you be surprised to discover that unprotected sex gives a woman 1 in 2 odds of catching Gonorrhea and 4 in 10 odds of catching Chlamydia (Source)?  That’s in just one unprotected encounter!

In 2007, slightly over 1 in 1,000 people contracted Gonorrhea, and that’s just the reported cases (Source).  So 1 in 13.57 MILLION people are involved in a plane crash with fatalities on highly safe airlines, 1 in 1,000 people contract Gonorrhea.  I think maybe it’s time we contemplate a safe sex checklist.  Those pilots may be on to something.

The right lubricant is critical to safety

So here is a checklist we suggest you try out to improve your sexual health by engaging in safe sex and play.

First, if you are with a partner, do you have your condoms?  Think about it, if one unprotected encounter exposes you to a 50/50 chance of catching a nasty infection, each subsequent encounter almost guarantees that you’ll catch something that you’d really rather not have to treat.  And if you’re among the hearty sorts who doesn’t fear disease, perhaps you should have a look at the new resistant strains.

Unless you are in a long term, completely monogamous relationship with a partner who is disease free, you shouldn’t ever be without a condom when you’re ready for fun.  For everyone else, make sure the condom is number one on your safe sex checklist.

Second, if you plan to use lubrication (and if you’re planning on anal play, plan to use lubricant), make sure your lubricant is compatible with the condom or toy you’re using.  I was curious about how fast a latex condom would deteriorate with a silicone lubricant, so I ran a test using a condom on a rubber dildo.  I stretched a condom over, and applied silicone lubricant by hand.  The condom began to disintegrate on contact.

When I say disintegrate, I mean that in the literal sense of the word.  The condom was melting into goo in front of my eyes.  The dildo wasn’t doing well either.  Always use water based lubricants with latex condoms.  As you can see, checklist point two is critical to the safety of checklist point one.

The rest of our checklist relates specifically to toys.

Third, when using a sex toy like a dildo, make sure that you get into the habit of washing it before and after use.  A clean sex toy prevents the spread of infections.  Also, some materials can pick up small debris, which can lead to uncomfortable, unsanitary play.  A simple wash eliminates this problem.

Fourth, inspect your toy for any damage.  A chip on a glass toy can lead to painful issues.  A damaged retrieval mechanism on an anal toy can be dangerous as well.  If your toy has wiring (like a vibrator with a wired remote), make sure the wiring is not damaged.  Never play with a damaged sex toy.  The risk isn’t worth the sensation.

Fifth, make sure you intend to use your toy in the way it is intended to be used.  This is a simple rule that can save you from potentially dangerous play.  If you aren’t sure about your toy’s uses, contact us with our Ask an Expert button in the top right corner of this blog.

Finally, safe sex requires that you know your body.  Know your allergies and select toys that won’t affect them.  Silicone dildos and vibrators are great hypoallergenic choices for play.  Make sure the lubricant you select is body safe for you.  Know what size of dildo you can safely use.  Body safe toys are critical to safety, and for that matter, fun!

This is just a rudimentary checklist.  You may have even more items you want to add to yours.  But if you have a safety checklist, and you follow it well in advance of your next play time, when it’s time to have fun, you can focus on the whole point of adult play – HAVING FUN!  So take the time to make sure you’re prepared, then go out and have fun!

And follow your checklist.

Related posts:

1. Is Anal Play Safe?
2. Breath Play: Not Safe
3. Anal Sex Toys, Play it Safe
4. Featured Products – Durex Play Sensations
5. Is Analingus Safe?

Tags: Condoms, Lubricants, safe sex, Safety and Health, Sexual Health

This entry was posted on Monday, August 31st, 2009 at 6:20 am and is filed under Condoms, Dildos, Sexual Health, Sexual Health and Safety, Water-Based Lubricants. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.