Male Polyurethane (Plastic) CondomsThe main drawbacks to latex condoms are their bad taste, the limitation of only using water based lubricants with them, and the problem of people becoming allergic to latex. So what's the alternative? It's the polyurethane condom. This condom is sold under the brand name, "Avanti." It costs about $7 for 6 condoms (that comes out to $14 a dozen, twice the price of latex condoms). The benefits of these condoms is that they can be used for people who are allergic to latex, and that they donÕt taste bad if you're using them for oral *** (yes, I have tasted them, and found they have no bad taste at all). These condoms can be used with any type of lubricant, oil or water based. Besides the high cost, it is still not known how much protection they will offer against AIDS and STD's. As long as they donÕt break or fall off, they should offer adequate protection, since HIV and other STDs will not pass through polyurethane. But studies are still being done to determine how often they break or fall off.
Female Polyurethane (Plastic) Condoms
The female condom is sold under the brand name, "Reality." These are only good for vaginal intercourse. Since theyÕre made of polyurethane, you can use any type of lubricant with them, although they do come with their own lubricant. They cost $3 each, and are usually sold in packs of 3. Like all other condoms, they're single use, so they're more expensive than latex male condoms. They have a higher failure rate than latex condoms, primarily since theyÕre much more difficult to insert and to use. If you don't use enough lubricant, they can also make a squeaking noise when you use them. Getting women to use them can be VERY difficult. But they are an alternative to male condoms if a man refuses to use a condom during vaginal intercourse. Unlike other condoms, these cannot be used for anal intercourse.