The History of Condoms

Their history revolves around their two primary purposes: preventing disease and preventing pregnancy. Long before the condoms of today were available, though, people had to get a bit creative.

The First Condoms: They Used What?!

The history of condoms spans further back than you may realize, all the way to 1,000 B.C.E., which is around the time that the use of external condoms was first recorded. These condoms aren’t like those of today, though; they were instead made of linen sheaths, oiled silk paper, or leather. In some cases, a very thin hollow horn was even used—perhaps that’s where the term “horny” came from!

When it comes to the first bit of visual evidence of condom use, though, we have to flash forward to 200 C.E.

Syphilis Savior

In the 1500s, Gabrielle Fallopius, an Italian doctor, suggested that the use of a linen sheath external condom could help protect against syphilis. At the time, syphilis was a deadly epidemic, making condoms a hero in terms of preventing its spread.

What’s In A Name?

It was in the 1600s that the condom finally got its name, but there are some conflicting accounts of its origin. One is that farmers who lived in Condom, France, started to use sheep guts as an external condom, which may also be the origin of the lambskin condom.

Yet another theory is that Charles II had a physician named Dr. Condom who gave him oiled sheep intestines to use as an external condom—we’re sensing an animal theme in the 1600s.

However, others believe that the name “condom” comes from the Latin word condus, which means “vessel.”

Three Cheers for Latex!

In 1855, rubber was introduced as a component of external condoms. Interestingly, men were told that they could wash and reuse the rubber condoms up until they physically crumbled—a far cry from the single-use practice of today.

It wasn’t until 1912 that single-use condoms were introduced, thanks to the introduction of latex, which made condoms cheap and disposable. They were ready just in time for World War I, where latex condoms were mass-produced and given to troops all over the world.

However, a problem appeared after the war. France was concerned about a decline in birth rates—the condoms appeared to be doing their job exceptionally—so they implemented a ban on external condoms and other contraceptives. Thankfully, that ban didn’t last forever.

In the 1950s, condoms saw a transformation that made them tighter, thinner, and lubricated. A reservoir tip was also introduced that collects semen, decreasing the risk of leakage and unexpected pregnancy. Slowly but surely, we’ve found our way to the condoms in use today.

Stepping into the Light

While condoms were once a source of embarrassment, with the emergence of HIV as a sexually transmitted infection, external condoms stepped into the light, with experts agreeing that they were the best way—aside from abstinence—to avoid HIV.

A Competition and An Advancement

In 2013, billionaires Bill and Melinda Gates issued a challenge: to create a promising next-generation external condom design. Whichever one appeared most promising would win $100,000.

The entries were unique, including one design that allowed the condom to “shrink wrap” to better fit the penis and another that used a graphene-based model that was reported to be 100 times stronger than steel, eliminating worries about ripping the condom.

In 2017, yet another advancement was made in the design of condoms. An England-based Condom Company introduced i.Con, which is the world’s first smart condom. The device is a ring that fits around the base of the external condom and can provide statistics on your penis and sexual performance (e.g., calories burned, girth, etc.); think of it like a smartwatch but for your sexual health. Additionally, the device claims to be capable of detecting sexually transmitted infections such as syphilis and chlamydia.

A Condom Over 3,000 Years in the Making

The modern-day condom design is something to be appreciated—it’s certainly a far cry from the use of a thin, hollow horn or sheep intestines. Thanks to thin latex and lubrication, condoms are able to protect against STDs and pregnancy while remaining as unobtrusive as possible.

Sexual health is a vital component of your well-being, so remember to have fun and stay safe, and if you visit us during Pride Month, help yourself to the free condoms available in the clinic.

Interested in more Pride blog posts? Click here for the overview.

References

Khan, F., Mukhtar, S., Dickinson, I. K., & Sriprasad, S. (2013). The story of the condom. Indian journal of urology : IJU : journal of the Urological Society of India, 29(1), 12–15. https://doi.org/10.4103/0970-1591.109976