What to know
- Condoms and other barriers are used during sexual intercourse to reduce the probability of pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases.
- This page contains sexually graphic images and may not be suitable for some audiences.
![Male (external) condoms of various colors in a 2x3 grid.](/condom-use/media/images/iStock735055311200x6752.jpg)
External condom don'ts
- DON'T store condoms in your wallet, as heat and friction can damage them.
- DON'T use nonoxynol-9 (a spermicide), as this can cause irritation.
- DON'T use oil-based products like baby oil, lotion, petroleum jelly, or cooking oil, because they will cause the condom to break.
- DON'T use more than one condom at a time.
- DON'T reuse a condom.
How to put on and take off a male (external) condom
![A condom removed from condom wrapper. Before sex, carefully open and remove condom from wrapper.](/condom-use/media/images/Malecondom1hires.png)
![Hand placing condom on tip of penis. Before sex, place condom on the head of penis. If uncircumcised, pull back the foreskin first.](/condom-use/media/images/Malecondom2hires.png)
![Hand pinching air out of the tip of the condom. Before sex, pinch air out of the tip of the condom.](/condom-use/media/images/Malecondom3hires.png)
![Hand rolling condom down the penis. Before sex, unroll condom all the way down the penis.](/condom-use/media/images/Malecondom4hires.png)
![Hand holding the base of the condom while pulling out the penis. After sex - Before pulling out, hold the condom at the base, then pull out while holding the condom in place.](/condom-use/media/images/Malecondom5hires.png)
![Hand removing condom from penis and throwing away in the trash. After sex, carefully remove the condom and throw it in the trash.](/condom-use/media/images/Malecondom6hires.png)