pleasure, anal-sex, condomWhat are the physical sensation differences between “bareback” (unprotected) and sex with a condom? Do condoms increase or decrease pleasure? Is there more stimulation to either partner with one or the other? Why?
Let us exclude psychological (condom anxiety / excitement from bareback sex) and practical (erection loss during putting the condom on) differences.
I’m asking about both top and bottom perspectives, for both anal and vaginal intercourse.
A condom on the penis reduces the direct stimulation of friction to the penis, which can reduce sensation and delay orgasm. Different condoms can feel different, so gather empirical data (in the obvious way). For men that orgasm sooner than they would like, common advice is to use a condom to reduce sensation. Don’t assume this means that sex with a condom is always less enjoyable than sex without.
A great deal of the experience of sex is psychological. If you’re really excited to be engaging in this sex, you’ll probably orgasm sooner, regardless of condom. If the idea of “barebacking” is exciting to you, wearing a condom may be disappointing, but if the idea of unprotected sex is scary, because risk of STD or pregnancy, wearing a condom can increase enjoyment. Some people associate condom use with “cheating” which may add to the excitement. This is all very specific to the people involved and the exact context, so there is no universal answer.
For a female partner during vaginal intercourse, a condom can change the way things feel in a way that may be significant, and possibly less pleasurable. (I assume this is also true for anal sex, but I don’t have the data on hand). This is also highly personal. Since the texture of latex is different than the texture of a penis, ease of penetration can be affected; the use of a lubricant can compensate.
It bears repeating that certain lubricants are not appropriate for use with a latex condom, notably petroleum jelly (Vaseline) and other oil-based lubricants.
In some people, the delicate genital tissues can react badly to the latex in most condoms, from a minor decrease in pleasure to a significant allergic reaction. For those with latex allergies, a non-latex condom can be a good choice.
The feeling during sex with a condom seems, based on opinions I’ve seen expressed, to vary quite dramatically from person to person. However, there are also many different styles of condoms which may impact the feel from person to person.
One common difference is materials: latex, non-latex, natural… I used to have a friend who swore that natural condoms felt quite a lot better, though I never found that to be the case. Caveat: Natural condoms do not do as good a job of STD prevention.
What I’ve found to be a bigger difference is the shape and lubrication. Dry lubrication or powdered condoms I find to not feel as good as wet lubricated condoms. There are also different shapes, for example the Inspiral condoms have a larger end which I find produces more sensation than tighter-fitting shapes.
Be aware of allergies to both the material and lubrication. Particularly mild allergies which don’t show obvious signs such as breaking out, but may cause minor irritation and may impact enjoyment of one or both parties.
Personally, I’ve found that condoms really don’t detract from the pleasure of sex. Whenever I’ve heard someone say “it just doesn’t feel as good, I’ve always thought to myself “C’mon, it feels pretty darn good!” :-)
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