Got some stamina problems? Condoms are often the first treatment option suggested when your not-so-long-lasting intimate life could use a little desensitization — and there are certainly plenty of them on the market.
Just to name a few, Trojan Extended Pleasure condoms, Durex Performax Intense, Durex Prolong and Lifestyles Extra Strength options all claim to bring you the latest in sensation control.
Do climax control condoms and desensitizing condoms really work, though? It depends on you, your privates and your needs.
We’re not here to help you pick a brand, but we can help you make the best choices along your way. Below, we’ve broken down the facts about how condoms can help with PE, what science says and some alternative treatments if PE is causing you some problems.
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Do Condoms Make You Last Longer?
Condoms are great if you want to protect you and your partner against most (STDs) and (STIs) — and we know we don’t have to tell you that this protection is a good idea. Latex condoms are also an effective way to keep pregnancy risk low.
As for the lasting longer thing, the research is anecdotal at best.
True, evidencesuggests that a condom may reduce the sensitivity of your privates, which can make it take longer for you to become aroused.
This is because you’re putting a barrier between the source of pleasurable friction (your partner) and the most sensitive areas of your privates (the glans or tip, and the frenulum.
One small study tested the level of various men with and without a condom, and found that the men’s vibratory threshold — the amount of vibration that the men required in order to feel sensation — was higher when the men used a condom.
Some other research has found that people report feeling a less intense level of tactile sensation during intimacy when wearing a condom. And we’re going to bet you’ve experienced — and complained about — this yourself at some point.
But there are two limitations here, namely that:
- Factors like condom size, the thickness of the condoms and the use of a numbing agent can all make your individual results vary.
- Other PE treatments have a lot more research to support them.
Condoms are still convenient and easy-ish, though, so if it works for you, great.
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Which Condoms Make You Last Longer?
If regular condoms don’t work for you or you’re looking for a new way to manage PE, you may be wondering how to get the most out of the right condoms for the job — and which condoms those are.
The number of products on the market can make it difficult to determine which ones will be right for you, but if you’re going shopping for condoms that help you last longer in bed, here are two types that may be the right ones.
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“Extended Pleasure” Delay Condoms
Products labeled with descriptions like “extended pleasure,” “endurance” and “climax control” delay arousal with an internal coating of numbing lubricants that make the sensitive parts of your privates feel slightly numb (not like, numb-numb). These climax control lubricated condoms may use benzocaine or lidocaine — common numbing agents you may already know from dental products.
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“Extra Safe” or “Extra Thick” Condoms
On the other hand, some condom brands extend the shelf life of your pleasure with thicker walls. These condoms allege that they’re safer due to the extra thickness, though we need to remind you that latex still can break regardless of how thick it is.
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How to Use Condoms for PE
Condom use is hopefully something you probably got the low-down on in education, so we’re not going to get out the banana and walk you through the step-by-step. That said, we’d be remiss if we didn’t offer a few salient points about how to actually make condom use an effective tool for PE management.
- Make sure the numbing agent is facing you, not your partner. Remember: this is a bedroom hack for you — not your partner. If you’re using a condom with internal numbing agents, be careful not to spread any of it to your partner.
- Don’t wear more than one condom. While two condoms might seem better than one in theory, experts point to an increased risk of condom breakage due to extra friction in practice.
- Make sure you don’t have any latex allergies. If you do, consider non-latex alternatives — there are plenty of them out there.
- Wear the right condom size. Big loose magnums could create unexpected friction and will be more likely to come off, while extra tight ones may create discomfort and chafing, and increase risk for breakage.
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Other Ways to Treat PE
The right type of condom may help, but if this isn’t an effective option for you, there are other things you can do to slow down arousal, like techniques to help you relax, topical sprays and medications that slow down arousal:
- Topical PE sprays and lubricants help temporarily desensitize the nerve endings in your privates, typically by means of an anesthetic that you apply to your privates before intimacy.
- Prescription medication for PE can help guys who just can’t seem to find an effective over-the-counter option. While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hasn’t actually approved any meds for PE yet, your provider may consider prescribing antidepressants like sertraline (the active ingredient in Zoloft) or paroxetine (the active ingredient in Paxil).
These selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) slow down arousal for some men. Onestudy found that men who used paroxetine increased something called intravaginal latency time (IELT) from less than 30 seconds to approximately 4.5 minutes over time. ED medications, like Viagra (sildenafil), can also be prescribed off label for PE. - The stop-start technique is exactly what it sounds like — when you get close to finishing, you stop and allow the sensation to pass. Once it has, you carry on.
- The squeeze technique involves gently squeezing the tip of your privates when you’re close to arousal until the sensation passes.
- Pre-coital solo-time a few hours before intimacy, which research shows may lower the sensitivity of the privates and delay arousal.
- Therapy can also help. Sometimes, PE is caused bypsychological factors, such as feelings of guilt or anxiety about having arousal. And therapy is also used to treat ED.
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The Final Word on PE Condoms
Wearing a condom may not be everybody’s idea of fun, but if it keeps the fun going longer, you may want to reconsider.
They’re also generally a good idea — beyond increasing your stamina during intimate activity, condoms also offer protection from STIs and pregnancy, and can help protect your health with minimal side effects.
That said, we’d like to issue a general reminder: if PE is stressing you out, talk to a healthcare professional about it. Ignore the stigma — some estimates suggest around 30 percent of men are affected by this common type of dysfunction, so there’s a good chance some of the other guys in the waiting room are there for the same reason.
And just to recap, here are some of the basics of PE treatment:
- When you’re shopping for condoms that make you last longer, look for products labeled “extended pleasure,” “extra safe” or “endurance.”
- Beyond contraceptives, there are many options available for treating PE, including topical products, oral medications and techniques to delay arousal.
- We offer sildenafil, sertraline and paroxetine as PE treatments online, following a consultation with a licensed healthcare provider who will determine if a prescription is appropriate for you.
- If your PE is due to psychological issues like performance anxiety, you can find a therapist locally by searching for therapy providers in your city, or use ouronline mental health services to connect with a licensed provider.
This article originally appeared on hims.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
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