Condoms are made of several different materials, such aslambskin,latex,polyurethane, or other synthetic materials such as AT-10 resin and polyisoprene.
Additional additives can cause unexpected reactions to either one or both partners, and there is often little way of knowing what you are being exposed to even after reading the product label.
Suparat Malipoom / EyeEm / Getty Images
To this end, here are some of the ingredients most commonly found in popular condom brands.
Nonoxynol-9
Nonoxynol-9 is a spermicidal detergent that helps prevent pregnancy. Frequent exposure to nonoxynol-9 can cause inflammation of the cervix, vagina, and rectum.
These types of irritations can actually increase your vulnerability to sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, especially if you don’t use condoms consistently. The inflammatory reaction in women is also linked to an increased risk ofurinary tract infections.
A number of condom manufacturers, such as Kimono Condoms, have made the point of removing nonoxynol-9 from all of their products. Others, such as the Trojan Armor Series, warn against the use of nonoxynol-9 condoms for anal sex or more than once-daily vaginal sex. But the majority of manufacturers do not specifically warn about the nonoxynol-9 risk.
Understanding Nonoxynol-9
Parabens
Parabensare a type of preservative used in many personal lubricants and lubricated condoms. This preservative inhibits bacterial growth and helps extend the product shelf life.
Whether the relatively small amount of parabens found in condoms can cause these effects is the subject of ongoing debate.
Glycerin
Glycerin is a sweet-tasting preservative classified as a sugar alcohol. It is commonly used in personal lubricants andflavored condomsto improve taste during oral sex.
This may increase a woman’s risk of getting HIV, and it can also increase the risk of spreading the virus due to viral shedding, a condition in which HIV concentration is higher in tissues that are actively inflamed, reddened, and swollen.
Casein
Many manufacturers add a milk protein called casein to their latex condoms to make them smoother. You might be opposed to using these products if you follow strict ethical vegan principles.
Since there are no international or federal regulations governing vegan certification, only a handful of manufacturers have certified that their condoms are animal-product-free with a governing body such as the Vegan Society.
Among them:
Even if a person is non-vegan, there is a risk, albeit slight, of an allergic reaction if you have a milk allergy.
Condoms
Benzocaine
Benzocaine is a topical anesthetic used in certain condoms to decrease sensitivity and increase comfort during intercourse. Common side effects of benzocaine may include localized inflammation, irritation, and dryness. Because benzocaine is readily absorbed through the skin, it has the potential, albeit rare, of causing dizziness, rapid heartbeat, and breathing difficulty.
A Word From Verywell
Other components that might be present in some condoms include aloe vera, L-arginine, and synthetic chemical flavorings which are not always tested for safety in vaginal or rectal tissues.
This places you at risk of an allergic reaction, such as if you have alatex allergy. And it can also entirely undermine the protective benefit of a condom—potentially increasing, rather than decreasing—the risk of STIs.
The more you know about the condoms you use, the better protected you will be. If you don’t knowhow to use a condom, don’t be embarrassed to ask your healthcare provider.
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Fichorova RN, Tucker LD, Anderson DJ.The molecular basis of nonoxynol-9-induced vaginal inflammation and its possible relevance to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 transmission.J Infect Dis. 2001;184(4):418-28. doi:10.1086/322047Stoiber T.What Are Parabens and Why Don’t They Belong in Cosmetics. Environmental Working Group.Nicole W.A question for women’s health: chemicals in feminine hygiene products and personal lubricants.Environ Health Perspect. 2014;122(3):A70‐A75. doi:10.1289/ehp.122-A70Wang CC, Mcclelland RS, Reilly M, et al.The effect of treatment of vaginal infections on shedding of human immunodeficiency virus type 1.J Infect Dis. 2001;183(7):1017-22. doi:10.1086/319287American College of Cardiology.Benzocaine topical.Additional ReadingNohyneka G, Borgert J, Dietrich D, et al.Endocrine disruption: Fact or urban legend?Toxicology Letters.2013;223(3):295-305. doi:10.1016/j.toxlet.2013.10.022
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Fichorova RN, Tucker LD, Anderson DJ.The molecular basis of nonoxynol-9-induced vaginal inflammation and its possible relevance to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 transmission.J Infect Dis. 2001;184(4):418-28. doi:10.1086/322047Stoiber T.What Are Parabens and Why Don’t They Belong in Cosmetics. Environmental Working Group.Nicole W.A question for women’s health: chemicals in feminine hygiene products and personal lubricants.Environ Health Perspect. 2014;122(3):A70‐A75. doi:10.1289/ehp.122-A70Wang CC, Mcclelland RS, Reilly M, et al.The effect of treatment of vaginal infections on shedding of human immunodeficiency virus type 1.J Infect Dis. 2001;183(7):1017-22. doi:10.1086/319287American College of Cardiology.Benzocaine topical.Additional ReadingNohyneka G, Borgert J, Dietrich D, et al.Endocrine disruption: Fact or urban legend?Toxicology Letters.2013;223(3):295-305. doi:10.1016/j.toxlet.2013.10.022
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Fichorova RN, Tucker LD, Anderson DJ.The molecular basis of nonoxynol-9-induced vaginal inflammation and its possible relevance to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 transmission.J Infect Dis. 2001;184(4):418-28. doi:10.1086/322047Stoiber T.What Are Parabens and Why Don’t They Belong in Cosmetics. Environmental Working Group.Nicole W.A question for women’s health: chemicals in feminine hygiene products and personal lubricants.Environ Health Perspect. 2014;122(3):A70‐A75. doi:10.1289/ehp.122-A70Wang CC, Mcclelland RS, Reilly M, et al.The effect of treatment of vaginal infections on shedding of human immunodeficiency virus type 1.J Infect Dis. 2001;183(7):1017-22. doi:10.1086/319287American College of Cardiology.Benzocaine topical.
Fichorova RN, Tucker LD, Anderson DJ.The molecular basis of nonoxynol-9-induced vaginal inflammation and its possible relevance to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 transmission.J Infect Dis. 2001;184(4):418-28. doi:10.1086/322047
Stoiber T.What Are Parabens and Why Don’t They Belong in Cosmetics. Environmental Working Group.
Nicole W.A question for women’s health: chemicals in feminine hygiene products and personal lubricants.Environ Health Perspect. 2014;122(3):A70‐A75. doi:10.1289/ehp.122-A70
Wang CC, Mcclelland RS, Reilly M, et al.The effect of treatment of vaginal infections on shedding of human immunodeficiency virus type 1.J Infect Dis. 2001;183(7):1017-22. doi:10.1086/319287
American College of Cardiology.Benzocaine topical.
Nohyneka G, Borgert J, Dietrich D, et al.Endocrine disruption: Fact or urban legend?Toxicology Letters.2013;223(3):295-305. doi:10.1016/j.toxlet.2013.10.022
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
