Condoms are a hot commodity here at NCC and we’re going to break it down for you.
Dyson Wellness Center provides students with free condoms on campus to promote safe sex and a healthy lifestyle. The condom brand that Dyson purchases is called LifeStyles, and there are four different types of condoms offered, all of which are lubricated. One condom comes in a single packet, of which there are different colors.
The blue packet is Extra Strength, for those who ejaculate above the average speed of 28 miles per hour. According to California Institute of Technology, “this is the average speed of the ejected semen relative to the ejaculatory penis, and can be increased by training the Kegel muscles (by pretending to withhold your urine).”
The gray packet is Ultra-Sensitive/Sensibles, so that you can “feel more of her so she can feel more of you,” according to LifeStyles. “Almost like wearing nothing at all.” The yellow packet is Latex-Free, and the gold packet is KYNG. LifeStyles describes KYNG as “more room for the big man” and “extra width and length for the man who needs a larger, more comfortable fit.”
The latex-free condoms are the least popular, but no trend has been seen between the other three types of condoms.
According to Kimberly Dunn, administrative assistant at Dyson, the staff at Dyson try not to make students feel uncomfortable when coming in to grab condoms. They also don’t monitor the time of day that students get condoms as a privacy measure. “We don’t want to be intrusive,” said Alison Lennhardt, family nurse practitioner (FNP-C) at Dyson.
“Those are there for a reason and we’re glad to have them for students, but we also don’t want to make students feel shameful at all for coming in taking them.”
For those who don’t know, the latex condoms have a message on the back that states the following: “LifeStyles condoms are intended to prevent pregnancy, transmission of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections. Caution: This product contains natural rubber latex which may cause allergic reactions.” The back of the Latex-Free condoms also includes a statement that the “synthetic polyisoprene condoms do not contain natural rubber latex.”
According to Lennhardt, students regularly go to Dyson for STI testing, so there isn’t really any time of the year that students tend to get tested more often.
“We have definitely seen in the three and a half years that I’ve been here an increase in utilization for testing,” said Lennhardt. “Students are more aware of the testing options that we have available here.”
Depending on students’ history and risk factors, Lennhardt said it’s usually recommended to get tested at least once a year.
Along with condoms, Dyson also provides little packets of lubricant from a brand called Glide, which offers a natural-feel, water-based lubricant. Packets come with 11 fluid ounces of lubricant inside, which is equivalent to three milliliters (for all the science majors out there). Glide lube is compatible with both latex and polyurethane condoms.
In addition, Dyson also provides strawberry-flavored dental dams from a brand called Trust Dam, which provide protection during oral sex. Furthermore, Dyson provides pamphlets on how to use condoms correctly and effectively. “If used incorrectly, they do increase your risk for an STI,” said Lennhardt.
Dyson tests students for chlamydia and gonorrhea for free because those are the two STIs that tend to be the most prevalent on campus, which is a trend that can also be seen nationally. According to Lennhardt, those two are also the most commonly seen STIs in both men and women under the age of 25. In addition, Dyson also tests for herpes, syphilis and HIV.
Testing for HIV, herpes and syphilis all require a blood test that is completed at Quest, a lab near campus that Dyson has a relationship with. While Dyson initially orders the labs, students would have to go to the lab for testing because the medical providers at Dyson do not handle those STIs.
“If, in fact, anything were to be positive then we direct (students) as to what the next steps would be and the next level of care that would be required for further testing, evaluation and potentially management,” said Lennhardt.
“If students have concerns, they start having any symptoms, just make an appointment as soon as possible (with Dyson) to speak with a medical provider,” said Lennhardt. “That way they can either be counseled on what’s going on and receive the testing that they need to fully evaluate and make sure that if in fact they have something that it’s treated and prevented from being spread to others.”
All the condoms currently provided at Dyson do not expire until 2021 or 2022, but only if they are stored in a good place. Condoms should be replaced about every month or so due to risk of damage, and they shouldn’t be kept in wallets or pockets for long periods of time due to friction and increased heat.
According to the National Health Service, condoms should also be replaced every 30 minutes during long sex sessions. If you would like your condoms to last to the expiration date, keep them at a cool temperature in, let’s say, your desk drawer, although don’t keep them next to your hole puncher.
Dyson pays for all the condoms that they provide to students and purchase a large amount of them at the beginning of every school year, spending about $1,200 to $1,500 every year, according to Judy Ways, RN, BSN, college health nurse at Dyson. “We are the ones that are responsible for distributing them not just only in Dyson but throughout campus at events,” said Lennhardt. “We also create condom bags for RA’s to have for students who live in housing.”
The LifeStyles brand has been used by Dyson for the past three and a half years. The medical staff is responsible for restocking the condoms, and they restock them about once a week.
“We also have them in each exam room, too, so that persons who are coming in for appointments can take them before they leave,” said Lennhardt.
There tends to be a higher demand for condoms at the beginning of the school year because Dyson has to replenish its stock more than once a week during that time. Students also seem to hit a home run at the beginning of terms, around Valentine’s Day and spring break and at the end of the year because the condoms tend to go a little faster.
