Condom Study Proves They Don’t Reduce Sensitivity, Rebukes Assholes Everywhere

I once heard a guy explain that wearing a condom during sex was like getting a massage while wearing a parka. Another favorite of mine: Wearing a condom is like eating candy with the wrapper on. I believe it—even from the female's perspective, the lack of real skin-to-skin contact is very tangible. The majority of us, lads and lasses alike, would prefer to do the no-pants dance with maximum sensation (and intimacy, for those of us who like that shit). 

I know I'm not the only woman who's been crazy pissed when a new partner tries to brush off my request for a rubber, though—"it doesn't feel as good" isn't a legitimate excuse not to wear one if your partner wants some protection from things like, oh, I don't know, HERPES AND BABIES. Same goes for guys who claim they're "too big." I was at that demonstration at freshman orientation in college, buddy. I know it can fit over your head.

"I can't get hard," the one semi-questionable-but-maybe-real excuse that was left is now off the table too, it turns out:

“Condom-associated erection problems have been a very under-researched topic,” Dr. Cynthia Graham, the co-author of a study that was published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine this month on the matter, explained. “Increasing evidence suggests, however, that they may influence whether condoms are used correctly or from start to finish of sex.”

The boner blues are actually more about any anxiety you might have than the condom on your cock. It's sort of like falling asleep at night: The more you worry about it, the less likely it is to happen. 

“Men who first experience loss of erection when they use condoms might worry about [difficulty] experiencing erections more generally and hence be more vulnerable [to erectile problems]."

The consensus? Yeah, yeah, I know, it feels better without a condom, but if your partner fears pregnancy or an STD, you have no excuse not to pony up and roll a bad boy on. (In fact, I'd go as far as to say trying to talk your partner out of using protection is incredibly selfish.) The good news: There are ways you can manipulate your rubber strategy to be as close to going bareback as possible.

• No.1: Right after you pull the condom out of the package, put a couple drops of lube in the tip before you roll it on. This will help internal stimulation and heat transfer, not to mention reduce the chances of breakage as you start thrusting.
• No. 2: Get it on as fast as you can. The interim between foreplay and sexy time can cause your willy to wilt, which is a bummer for everyone. More often than not, this is why we equate condoms with dick deflation.
• No. 3: If the lube-in-the-tip strategy isn't enough to help your condom plight, double check the size. If it won't roll all the way down to the base of the penis, it's too small. (If it's too big, you'll also feel a pretty drastic dip in sensitivity, so adjust accordingly.)
• No. 4: Thinner condoms generally feel better than thicker ones and are just as effective.  

Another tip for all my ladies: It's important to know how to roll one onto a guy, too. Not only will it keep you safe if he's too drunk to get it on, but it's also really hot. Especially if you can do it with your mouth. This helps with the inherently unsexy part of putting the condom on and gives him a dose of oral stimulation. 

There are many reasons young, strapping men can have trouble getting a hard on that don't involve the rubber at all as well. Alcohol and drugs cause immediate problems (especially when you're trying to get one of those bad boys on when you're wasted), while watching porn more than you have actual sex can sort of rewire your brain to experience arousal differently. 

The researchers hypothesized that something much more serious might be to blame, though: We have no idea how to put the damn things on ourselves or our partners. More than one third of dudes were technically never taught how to do it the right away, which points a major finger at our existing sex education system. But I'll avoid ranting on that one for now. Even if you've been rolling condoms on for decades, it doesn't help to check in with your doc to verify your technique. 

So no, fellas, you're not going soft because you're using condoms. When your lady friend wants you to wrap it up, use some lube, ask for her help, move quickly, but please—don't be that asshole.