There are a whole bunch of ways to make sex a safer (and sexier) experience for everyone involved. Think of this page as your one stop shop on what to do and how to do it.
Use Condoms
Condoms come in all sorts of shapes, colours, textures, and flavours. There are internal and external condoms, condoms made from silicone and condoms made of natural products - there really is something to suit every occasion and body. With so many options, we’ve broken down some of the information so you can make an informed decision when choosing your next pack!
- Latex Condoms: Are the most common type sold in Australia. They are easy to find in supermarkets, chemists, sexual health centres (often for free) or online and are relatively inexpensive.
- Non-Latex Condoms: Some people are allergic to latex or prefer latex-free options. Non-latex condoms are typically made from materials like polyurethane or polyisoprene. They are a safe and effective alternative for people with latex allergies. You can purchase these from supermarkets, chemists, and adult stores. **Important to note that these are not usually given out for free at sexual health centres and will need to be individually purchased.
- Ribbed and Dotted Condoms: These condoms feature raised ridges and dots on their surface to enhance sensation for all bodies.
- Flavoured Condoms: These condoms come in a variety of flavours like strawberry, banana, and chocolate and are fun to use during oral sex.
How to use a condom:
- Push the condom to one side before opening the packet.
- Squeeze air from the tip, then roll the condom onto the object or body part you want to protect.
- Always use lots of water-based or silicone-based lubricant when having penetrative sex. Avoid ALL oils, including but not limited to olive, coconut, baby, and Vaseline as they can cause the condom to break.
- Check the condom occasionally by holding the base and pulling out - re-lube and get back to it!
- When you're done, hold the base of the condom when pulling out.
- Take the condom off and tie a knot in the open end to stop anything spilling out.
- To dispose of it, wrap it in a tissue and dispose of it in the bin along with any packaging.
Internal Condoms
An internal condom is designed to be inserted into the vagina or anus to provide protection. Internal condoms can be a little tricky to purchase IRL but can be found online and from some adult stores and sexual health centres. **Full disclosure - internal condoms are often referred to by their commercial name ‘Femidom’ and the branding and marketing can be directed towards people with vaginas. But don’t let this discourage you at all - they can be used by everybody.
An internal condom is typically made of synthetic latex or polyurethane and consists of two flexible rings:
An inner ring: This ring is closed and is used for insertion. It is designed to hold the condom in place within the anus or vagina.
An outer ring: This ring remains outside the body, covering the anal or vulval area, providing additional protection, and preventing the condom from going too far inside.
For information on how to use internal condoms for anal sex, click here.
Dams
Dams/dental dams are used to cover all sorts of surfaces including the anus, vulva/vaginas, or any area really that you want to protect from coming into contact with someone else. Dams are typically used during oral sex. Dams can be purchased from adult stores, online and from some sexual health centres.
How to use a dam:
- Remove the dam from the packet.
- Optional: moisten the area with water-based lubricant.
- Lay the dam flat covering the entire area (e.g. whole anus/vulva).
- Hold the edges of the dam.
- Use a new dam if changing areas between anus and vulva.
Gloves
Gloves can be used when you are putting an object into someone’s body and wish to keep both bodies protected. Gloves can also be used if you’re moving between anus play to mouth or vagina play. For instance, if you were using your hands to touch your partner and moved from their anus to their mouth, it's recommend that you take off the gloves you were using when touching their anus and putting fresh gloves on to touch their mouth. Doing so will ensure no germs are passed between the openings. Nitril, powder-free, disposable gloves are recommended to use as they are latex-free.
Lube
There are various types of lubricants available, each with its unique characteristics. Lube can be found online, at supermarkets, chemists, adult stores, and some sexual health centres. We recommend using lube whenever possible and as much as you like! Using lube not only makes slipping and sliding easier and more comfortable, it also lessons your chances of contracting an STI - less friction means less risk!
There are hundreds of lubricants on the market, and this means you can get a lube that suits your exact needs. Here we have broken them down:
- Water-Based Lubricants: These are the stock standard, most commonly used lubes. They are compatible with condoms and sex toys and are easy to clean up. However, they may require reapplication during prolonged sexual activities.
- Silicone-Based Lubricants: These are long-lasting and provide a silky, smooth feel. They are excellent for activities in water, like shower sex, but they are not compatible with silicone sex toys or some condoms. Check the product label for compatibility information.
- Oil-Based Lubricants: These include natural oils like coconut, avocado, and almond oil. They are not recommended for use with latex condoms as they can weaken the material, increasing the risk of breakage. They are best suited for non-latex condoms or other barrier methods.
- Hybrid Lubricants: These combine water-based and silicone-based formulas, providing the benefits of both. Check the label for condom compatibility.
Wash Your Hands
Now this may seem like one that we shouldn’t have to include, but it can be super easy to forget. Make sure you wash your hands before and after a sex session and potentially during. If you are moving from one part of the body to the other and do not wish to cross contaminate your partner and don’t have any barriers available, washing your hands will lessen the chance of giving your partner an infection. You should also wash your hands after handling used condoms or sex toys.
PrEP
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)is a preventive medication to protect you from contracting HIV. People who are HIV-negative can take PrEP to reduce their risk of getting HIV, and it’s 99% effective. PrEP only protects you from HIV, so condoms will still need to be worn if you want to avoid other STIs. For more information about PrEP and where you can find it, visit our PrEP page.
U=U
People living with HIV on effective treatment can’t pass on the virus. Effective treatment reduces the HIV viral load in semen, blood, anal mucosa, and vaginal fluids to undetectable levels. This means there is no risk of HIV being passed on through sex from someone with an undetectable viral load. This is called undetectable = untransmissible (U=U). 98% of people living with HIV who are on treatment in Australia are undetectable. For more information about U=U, visit our U=U page.
Getting Tested
Getting a sexual health test is relatively simple. It involves a urine test, a blood test, and swab tests. You can get one through your GP, sexual health centre, and some walk-in centres.
Talking
Talking about getting tested, your safer sex practices, and your status with your sexual partners can help to normalise the conversation, bust stigma, and you might even empower more people to look after their own sexual health! Lots of hook up apps have built in profile features where you can disclose your sexual health status, and it’s important and handy to use this feature if it’s available.
If you test positive for something after a sexual health test, you’ll need to let the people who you’ve had sexual contact with know. This can be scary to navigate, but we’ve got some tips on our disclosure page.
Getting vaccinated
Some infections that can be spread during sex can be prevented through vaccinations. In Australia we are fortunate enough to have access to some of the world’s leading vaccinations. You can be immunised against Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, HPV and MPOX. For more information follow the links below.