How to test properly a condom after use?

[hedjoss]

Hello, Scarleteen.

I would like to know how to properly check a condom after use.

I've heard a lot of "ways" to check them:
-Filling it with water.
-Blowing air inside.
-Make a knot.
- etc.

So, how do you recommend to check a condom after use?

Also, I've read that condoms "breaks" are holes and rips.
Holes are easily visibles or are super tiny holes?

How do we have to check them when is ejaculate inside? and how to check them when you didn't ejaculated inside the condom?

Thanks, Scarleteen!

[Heather]

This literally simply isn't a thing to do, period. All of those things you are listing are internet urban legends that don't do anything (except buzzkill a nice after-sex buzz almost immediately, which obviously stinks).

If, when a condom is removed, it isn't in shreds, then that's all you need to know about it. Condoms just don't get teeny, tiny holes you can't see in the way people who think they need to be "tested" imagine. If and when a condom gets a small tear, it turns into a large tear almost instantly. All this other stuff doesn't offer you anything: a condom will always pass these "tests" if it isn't clearly broken.

If you are using condoms but still are not feeling confident in them, your better bet is to try and figure out why that is, and what you need to work on that. For instance, do you need to read up more on condoms and their efficacy, or how to store or use them properly (in proper use, only around one in every 2,000 condoms breaks, after all)? Or is this about feeling like sex, period, is more risky at this point in your life even with condoms for your comfort? Perhaps these fears -- and the desire to do "tests" -- is coming from an underlying anxiety disorder: if so, your better bet would be to seek out some help with that.

[hedjoss]

So, even if it gets a super small tear, it's gonna be visible?

Basically, if the condom breaks in any way, I'll notice when I remove the condom?

[Heather]

A super small tear isn't likely to stay one even just in the process of removing the condom.

But for sure, if you are looking at the condom at all, you're going to notice a break. A torn/broken condom usually looks like a popped balloon.

[hedjoss]

Sorry for my english, I didn't understand this first line:
"A super small tear isn't likely to stay one even just in the process of removing the condom."

[Alice O]

No need to apologize! We are sorry that we are not able to offer our services in languages other than English.

What Heather meant was:

A small tear in a condom isn't going to stay small. It is going to get bigger. Even just taking the condom off will make it bigger.

In short:
"If and when a condom gets a small tear, it turns into a large tear almost instantly." So you will notice it!