| Characteristic |
Male Condoms |
Female Condoms |
| How to wear |
Rolled on the man's penis. Fits the penis tightly. |
Inserted into the woman's vagina. Loosely lines the vagina and does not constrict the penis. |
| When to put on |
Put on erect penis right before sex. |
Can be inserted up to 8 hours before sex. |
| Material |
Most made of latex; some of synthetic materials or animal membranes. |
Most made of a thin, synthetic film; a few are latex. |
| How it feels during sex |
Change feeling of sex. |
Fewer complaints of changed feeling of sex than with male condoms. |
| Noise during sex |
May make a rubbing noise during sex. |
May rustle or squeak during sex. |
| Lubricants to use |
Users can add lubricants:
- Water-based or silicone-based only.
- Applied to outside of condom.
|
Users can add lubricants:
- Water-based, silicone-based, or oil-based.
- Before insertion, applied to outside of condom.
- After insertion, applied to inside of condom or to the penis.
|
| Breakage or slippage |
Tend to break more often than female condoms. |
Tend to slip more often than male condoms. |
| When to remove |
Require withdrawing from the vagina before the erection subsides. |
Can remain in vagina after erection subsides. Requires removal before woman stands. |
| What it protects |
Cover and protect most of the penis, protect the woman's internal genitalia. |
Cover both the woman's internal and external genitalia and the base of the penis. |
| How to store |
Store away from heat, light, and dampness. |
Plastic condoms are not harmed by heat, light or dampness. |
| Reuse |
Cannot be reused. |
Reuse not recommended. |
| Cost and availability |
Generally low cost and widely available. |
Usually more expensive and less widely available than male condoms. |
