Advice

Condoms for blow jobs?

Kaitlyn
Question

Should a condom be used when giving a blow job?

Absolutely!

Oral sex⁠ poses the potential for STI transmission for both the giver and the receiver. So it’s wise to make sure you’re using a condom⁠ (or a dental dam⁠ for oral sex⁠ on a woman) each time. One of my favorite examples of the risks associated with this is that of herpes. Many many many people have oral herpes. It’s fairly common and is often picked up during childhood from contact with others or things as simple as a kiss from your granny (assuming she has oral herpes). So let’s say you preform unprotected oral sex on a partner⁠ when you’re just starting to get a herpes outbreak. You could very easily give your partner herpes on their genitals⁠! Now, of course, condoms don’t provide 100% protection against herpes (since they don’t cover all of the contact area sometimes), but they’re a lot better than nothing at all (in other words, they do reduce the risk). Other STIs can also be transmitted by unprotected oral sex. So your best bet is to wrap it up!

Check out⁠ these pages for more information:

    Similar articles and advice

    Article
    • Caitlyn Tivy PT, DPT, OCS

    Endometriosis is a complicated and often debilitating condition. It’s believed to occur in approximately 10% of people with uteruses of “reproductive age.” That’s approximately 200 million people worldwide – a whole lot of folks! About two-thirds of people with the condition will develop symptoms before the age of 20, but it may take several years and consultations with multiple healthcare providers to receive a diagnosis. One of my missions in spreading awareness about endometriosis is to help more people receive a diagnosis and appropriate care more quickly.