Using birth control pills and condoms provides double protection against pregnancy, and the condom helps protect against STDs too. So it’s good that you’re using condoms.

Although it's usually obvious if a condom has torn, you can’t always tell. The material used to make condoms is designed to be strong – it has to be to withstand the activity of sex. But once the material starts to tear, the friction from having sex can make a small rip get bigger.

It is unusual for condoms to tear. But some things can weaken the condom material and make breakage more of a possibility. To avoid that risk, keep condoms away from heat and light, which can dry them out, and don’t use oils or lotions on a condom (it’s okay to use water-based lubricants, though). Carrying a condom in a wallet, where it may be folded or sat on, can also wear down or stress the material and cause the condom to be weaker than it should be.

Condoms may tear if they don’t fit well or are not put on correctly (such as not leaving enough room at the tip of the condom). They can also tear if they come into contact with a person’s nails, rings, piercings, teeth, or other sharp edges.

The material used to make condoms can weaken over time, so check the expiration date and don’t use one that has expired. And, of course, condoms can come off during sex, particularly if they haven’t been put on properly.

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