Can you use two condoms for extra protection?
– Mark*

No, you should never use more than one condom at a time. Using two condoms actually offers less protection than using just one. Why? Condom manufacturers say that using two condoms can cause friction between them, weakening the material and increasing the chance that the condoms might break.

No other method of birth control is as successful at protecting people against STDs as a condom. But condoms are one of those things where less is more. So always use a condom if you are having any kind of sex. But just one at a time!

For more information, read these articles:
Condom
Talking to Your Partner About Condoms
Do Condoms Really Work?

Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD
Date reviewed: May 2007

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*Names have been changed to protect user privacy.