Condoms are the most widely

used method of contraception and, as the seeming guardian of safe sex, its usage

is akin to leaving your home with clean underwear in some cases. However, using

it is one thing but does the size of the condom matter?

Because of stigma, some manufacturers

do not want to necessarily label a condom ‘small’ because it might not make it

off the shelves. They have to contend with the egos of men who would not be caught

dead in a pharmacy or gas station buying something with ‘small’ on the package.

They get around this with the inevitable ‘one size fits all’ labelling but this

is not true. You may even say it’s false advertising.

To answer the question, yes,

the size does matter. What is the use of fitting something the size of a baby

carrot into something meant for a full-sized cucumber? It is not only stupid

but in wearing a product that is ill-fitting, it defeats its primary purpose of

providing protection. If it slips off during sex, then you may be required to

get a ‘morning after’ pill which can be expensive and comes with side effects.

Condom size is not only

dependent on the length and girth of the phallus but also height, weight and

body shape of the man which we know differs from person to person. The right

size condom not only enhances the sexual act but also prevents discomfort and greatly

reduces the possibility of breakage. If a man struggle to fit on a condom,

performance anxiety can increase and he can lose his erection which is not

cool.

Up to 20 per cent of condom failure is due to

incorrect sizing, according to the findings of a study conducted by the Indian

Council of Medical Research. Another

international research body Lucky Bloke which polled 3,500 respondents from 28

nations found that 35 per cent of men actually needed a smaller than average

condom size while 15 per cent needed a ‘large’. This is actually in keeping

with the global male population where penis sizes run the gamut.

So, how will a guy know which size fits

him? Much of it is trial and trial. He will have to try them on for size –

literally. After measuring his erect member, he should try on different brands

and sizes until he finds one that is snug but not tight. Nowadays, manufacturers

produce condoms with a wide array of offerings so men can find some fun in experimenting.