Other than adding flavours and textures, it’s been nearly 50 years since there’s been any technological advancement when it comes to condoms. That may have changed this week when Boston University announced the invention of self-lubricating condom that will reduce the spread of sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies.
After all, people like to wear condoms that makes sex better and more pleasurable, and this prophylactic is reportedly less likely to break while you’re getting intimate than a condom you have to lube up yourself.
“Preventing the spread of HIV and other diseases is critically important,” says Mark Grinstaff, a College of Arts & Sciences professor of chemistry and a College of Engineering professor of biomedical engineering, coleader of the interdisciplinary research team that announced the new condom design in a paper published Tuesday in the British journal Royal Society Open Science. “That really was the driving force for creating new technology here,” Grinstaff says.
Designed to become slippery when wet, the lubricant layer is made of “hydrophilic polymers” and unlike most condoms, it can withstand “1,000 thrusts” — which the scientists claim to be around 16 minutes of sex.
The actual condom has not been tested yet. Although a touch test with individuals has been done, where they were given three pieces of latex—one a standard, non-lubricated latex condom, one a standard condom with a personal lubricant applied to it, and one the self-lubricated condom developed by Grinstaff’s team.
85 percent of the participants preferred Grinstaff’s self-lubricating condom and found that it was the most slippery to the touch.
“People found that to be an attractive feature,” says Grinstaff, who is also ENG’s Distinguished Professor of Translational Research. “Those in our survey who don’t typically use a condom said they would consider using a condom if it stayed slippery like this.”
90 percent of the participants indicated that if it were on the market, they would prefer to use the self-lubricating condom over a standard latex version.
What Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism really think of LGBT people will surprise you
This self-lubricating condom is sure to change the sex game for many!
