You’ve just finished having hot sex with your guy, he pulls out, and then you both realize, the condom broke! You’re both in a state of shock, and now you need to know what to do next. You’ve come to the right place. HomoCulture is here to tell you that you are not the first person in the world to be in this broken condom conundrum. What is important is that you maintain a level head if you’ve experienced a torn condom during sexual activity. Relax as we guide you through the process calmly, with facts and precision.
The Assessment
As soon as you notice the condom has broken, stop sexual activity immediately and withdraw from your partner and ask a few questions to determine how to proceed. The most pivotal questions are the following:
Did the condom break before or after ejaculation?
If no cum or pre-cum is present, then remove the old condom, replace it with a new one, and carry on with sexy times
Is the condom still on?
If it isn’t, remove it from you or your partner’s body
Do you know the current status of your partner?
If you are not sure of your status or that of your partner’s, consider getting tested right away. More on that later.
Now that the basic questions have been addressed, HomoCulture covers the basic information that everyone wants to know. Yes, you may have been exposed to HIV if your partner is positive as ejaculate may contain HIV in large quantities. However, the odds of infection from one encounter are fairly small. But any time you practice unprotected sex, the risk remains, so now that you might have been exposed, what are the next steps?
STI Concerns
Immediately after possible exposure, it is important to not douche, use an enema, or any harsh soaps to scrub around your mouth, genitals, or anus because this can cause inflammation and increase the risk for infection. You may also inadvertently push ejaculate higher into the rectal canal.
Testing
Go to a medical clinic and get a test for STIs as soon as possible after possible exposure, with 14 days or less the recommended time allotted for reliable results.
As a general rule of thumb, the following time frame is in place for common STI testing after exposure:
- Chlamydia, gonorrhea – at least 2 weeks
- Genital herpes, HIV – at least 3 weeks
- Syphilis – at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months
- Genital warts – if symptoms appear
Note: if you oral sex was in play, get a throat swab at your STI screen.
The PEP Talk
Post-Exposure Prophylaxis, also known as PEP, is the pill taken once daily for 28 days that prevents HIV infection if you have been possibly exposed to HIV. See your primary care physician, visit your local free clinic or any hospital and speak with an HIV specialist that can get you started on a course of PEP. If you are unsure of where to go, search online to find the nearest facility or organization near you that provides assistance. Note that a course of PEP must be started within 72 hours of HIV exposure.
Final Considerations
To prevent any stress in the future, if you are HIV negative, you may want to consider taking pre-exposure prophylaxis, also known as PrEP, a pill that is popular within the gay community that prevents HIV infection. Not only does it prevent seroconversion, but is even more effective than condoms, even if you forget to take it every now and then, with some reports of the drug being 100% effective. Although this is a controversial claim, even the most conservative estimates are higher than condom use. For those that have lots of sex, PrEP might be the best bet. However, PrEP does not protect you from other STIs like hepatitis, chlamydia, gonorrhea and others that can wreak havoc on your body, so keep that in mind!
Additionally, it is not always possible to know your partner’s status as some people may be HIV positive and not even realize it. Use water or silicone based lubes and plenty of it to prevent possible tearing while having sex. Make sure the lube has not reached its expiration date, with the same going for the condoms you use. Condoms should be kept away from the extreme temperatures as well as sunlight since the elements can weaken them over time. Remember that you can still be prepared and have the hottest sex!
For more information, HomoCulture recommends you talk to your doctor.
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