Contraceptives Birth Control

Why You Should Buy Condoms Online and Not at the Shops

This article looks at four reasons why a shift in purchasing patterns for condoms is foreseen; from the high street to the online store.

Firstly, online you can find a far greater variety of condoms. Recent research shows that the brands available through most high street stores are limited to little more than Durex and Mates and a few ‘own brands.’ By comparison, at an online store you may find between 5 to 10 (or even more) brands to choose from. Why is this important? It’s important because it makes it easier to find a condom that is the right size for you – in turn improving both the sensation for the couple and the safety. (A badly fitting condom reduces the effectiveness of the protection it affords significantly). Variety is important because it is, as the saying goes, the spice of life: How about trying a different flavour, texture, shape or lubricant? There is another reason that it is good to find alternative brands: Just as you would look for a shop selling more than one brand of coffee so that you could buy Fair Trade or an organically grown variety, online you can find more ethical brands than on the high street.

Secondly, shopping online affords you greater privacy that the high street. It is not just those that buy smaller condoms that want the privacy of buying online. Many people would prefer to browse online at their leisure and read the information available on each pack of condoms without everyone in a store knowing what they are looking at and what their ‘preferences’ are! Condoms from online stores tend to come in plain, unmarked packaging so that not even the postman knows what’s in the package.

Thirdly, condoms are significantly cheaper online (frequently by around 20%). The question that it would be natural to ask is whether the large price difference means that there is a difference in quality. The simple answer is that there are many online stores that sell only branded and quality stamped condoms. In fact, many of the exact brands that you would buy in store are available online. That means that you can directly compare the costs for exactly the same products. Read more…

Condoms Verses The Pill

Recent studies have shown that women are using condoms more now as a form of birth control. Many state they prefer condoms over the pill. This is a change in past studies, and there has been a noticeable increase in condom usage over the past few years. When used correctly, condoms are found to be just as effective as the birth control pill. They are also less expensive. They have no side effects, unless you discover an allergy to latex, and they also protect against Sexual Transmitted Diseases, unlike the pill. The birth control pill is solely for preventing birth, it does nothing to protect against STDs.

Decreasing the risk of sexual transmitted diseases and infections was cited as the main reason for condom usage. The only sexual transmitted disease, the condom is not completely effective at preventing is HPV, which can be spread through skin to skin contact. There has been a 6% increase in the number of men reporting to use condoms. There has also been a decrease in the number of men and women reporting to have had sex with others they didn’t really know. Read more…