Now condoms are made of latex, and if you or your partner experience an allergic reaction to latex you should then use polyurethane condoms instead, these are slightly more expensive but do the job just as well. Condoms can be purchased from nearly everywhere now: Supermarkets, petrol stations, pub/club toilets and so on, there is no embarrassment in buying condoms, it proves you are being responsible – but if you feel embarrassed taking them to the till then simply buy some while you are in a club or pub however it will limit the variety and brand you can get.

All condoms that are safe to use will have the British Kite logo on the back of wrapping to prove it has been made to high standards, sticking to well known brands such as Durex and Trojan will save you the effort, also novelty condoms which have shapes and glow in the dark etc are usually only for novelty uses only and may not protect you. Remember condoms like the food in your fridge has a use by date which like the kite logo will be on the back of the condom wrapper which will be next to either Exp or MFG.

A point to keep in mind is that with latex condoms you can only use water based lubricants with them, using oil based lubricants such as Vaseline can break down the latex and then nine months later...which brings us to the next point that if the condom breaks during sex quickly take off and replace the condom with another, however if you only notice after sex that the condom has split then you should consider getting emergency contraception such as the morning after pill.

To dispose of your condom you should wrap it in tissue paper and then throw it in the bin, don't try to flush it as it will just cause blockages in the system, and you don't want that coming back on you by your landlord.

To save any embarrassing moments during sex practice putting on condoms before hand, or get your partner to put it on for you.