We’re all about safer sex here at sextoys.com. Today I’ve put together five of my favorite items that will help you stay safe without killing the mood! We’re all responsible for our own well-being and these items are, without a doubt, essential in my book.

1. Lifestyles Vibra Ribbed – This is the original ribbed condom and provides a little something extra! Lifestyles Vibra Ribbed are designed for maximum sensation for both parties.

2. Latex Dental Dam – Reduce risk while keeping your partner satisfied. For the ultimate protection for oral-genital contact during sex, Dental Dams are the best choice.

3. Trojan Naturalamb – For those of you who are sensitive to latex, the Trojan Naturalamb is the answer you’ve been looking for. Because it is made from a natural membrane, you will find it has its own special feeling of sensitivity!

4. Durex Love Lubricated – Everybody needs some love and that’s why we suggest Durex Love Lubricated. They’re twenty percent thinner than average condoms and designed to fit securely.

5. Lifestyles Luscious Flavors – This twelve pack of assorted condoms includes three luscious flavors and colors to keep things interesting!

If you have latex allergies, you can still practice safe sex.  Trojan Naturalamb condoms are latex free and just as safe as all other Trojan Condoms.  You get allergy free peace of mind when you use these.

From Trojan:

“The NATURALAMB brand condom is different from a latex condom. Because it is made from a natural membrane, you will find it has its own special feeling of sensitivity!Each NATURALAMB brand condom is tested to help ensure reliability and individually packaged for ease of use.

NATURALAMB brand condoms are lubricated with our own unique jelly-type lubricant, and then rolled for your further comfort and convenience. NATURALAMB brand condoms also have the exclusive KLING-TITE band at the top for added safety!”

And be sure to check out our complete selection of condoms for safe sex.

There are so many things I love about this commercial.  Wow, that’s not something I usually say.

There are a lot of hilarious condom commercials, but this one is both smart and funny.  The best thing about it is that they are acknowledging that lots of different people need condoms for different reasons.  It’s not every day you get to see randy old folks, gay cops or the beginnings of a threesome!  Of course, that may just be my perverted take on the whole thing…

ps. we’ve got a crapload of Durex Condoms available on sextoys.com – just in case you find yourself in any of these scenarios in the near future.

Among the more testy subjects on the priphery of pornography is the subject of the use of condoms.  Should they be required on porn sets?  That’s a great question, and if you’ve read this blog for a while, you know the word I’m going to use next.

YES.

But there is a debate raging now.  From the Los Angeles Times:

“The call for change by the Los Angeles-based AIDS advocacy organization — one of the largest community-based HIV/AIDS medical providers in the nation — comes in the wake of news last week that a female adult film performer tested positive for HIV.

The woman had worked despite lacking a clean test within the last 30 days, required under the industry’s voluntary guidelines, according to officials from the San Fernando Valley-based clinic that serves the porn industry. She tested at the clinic on June 4 and then worked June 5. Her HIV-positive test results came back June 6, according to Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation officials. She had last tested HIV-negative April 29, they said.”

You may not be a porn star, but you can play it safe.  We strongly suggest that you eliminate the risk of catching serious STI’s by using a condom whenever you play.  You’ll get peace of mind, and the knowledge that you have taken precautions to keep from spreading any to your partner.

As many readers know, we are big proponents of condom use as a necessary aspect of maintaining sexual health.  Our Condom Category now contains hundreds of choices for men and women from Extra Sensitive to even Non-Latex condoms, and we also have a complete selection of Dental Dams.  As well as maintaining your safety, condoms also allow each individual to control his or her reproductive choices.

But now, more than ever, safety is a principal concern.  New studies in the United Kingdom and the United States have identified drug resistant STI’s that were previously easy to treat.

“Antimicrobial resistance in N. gonorrhoeae remains an important challenge to controlling gonorrhea; gonococcal strains may be resistant to penicillins, tetracyclines, spectinomycin, and fluoroquinolones. Resistance to CDC-recommended doses of ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin exceeds 40% in some Asian countries (World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Region Gonococcal Antimicrobial Susceptibility Programme (GASP) Report- 2000. Commun Dis Intell 2001; 25:274-277).

Fluoroquinolone-resistant strains of N. gonorrhoeae have also been reported in the United States and Canada. The proportion of gonococcal isolates in Hawaii that are fluoroquinolone-resistant currently exceeds 13% and increasing numbers of resistant strains have been identified in the continental United States (Gonococcal Isolate Surveillance Project (GISP) Annual Report – 2003).” Source – CDC.

We strongly urge everyone to use condoms during play with new partners, and to maintain your sexual health.  And we also would like to remind you that the symtoms of some STI’s do not become apparent until after the person carrying it has already transmitted the infection.  You can’t tell a person is infected by just “looking.”

Enjoy safe and healthy play.  Use condoms.