Question

My husband and I use condoms for birth control, but we would like to try sex in the shower. Are condoms safe to use in water?

Answer

Condoms are perfectly safe to use in water, whether in the shower or submerged (though I would suggest putting them on before you get in the shower, pool, ocean, submarine ... or whatever).

The bigger issue is that having sex in water can be a little tricky because the lubrication (whether natural or synthetic) tends to get rinsed away. If you don't have enough lubrication, the friction can wear down the condom and cause it to break. So what I would recommend is that you explore lubricants that are silicone-based. These lubricants do not rinse away easily from just water, yet are perfectly safe when used with latex.

Although such lubricants may be harder to find at your local drugstore, you can get them in the MyPleasure.com store

Dr. Sandor Gardos

MyPleasure provides up-to-date and useful sexual education materials in combination with a store that allows people to buy, try, and learn about new aspects of sexuality. We believe everybody deserves a great sex life.