Home > Safer Sex > Latex Gloves

For maximum protection against STI and HIV transmission, latex gloves should be worn while performing digital penetration and manipulation. Some sexually transmitted infections, such as herpes, can be transmitted by merely coming into contact with infected sores on the skin, which may be too small to see or hidden by pubic hair.

It is recommended that you wash your hands with hot water and anti-bacterial soap before touching anyone else's genitals. If your skin is compromised in any way, if you want to avoid needing to wash your hands, if you're going to be engaging in anal fisting or exposing yourself to any blood, or if you just want to be extra-safe, then try using latex "examination" gloves. They're available at most drug stores.

Safer sex gloves are made of virus-impermeable materials and may be used to protect both partners when engaging in manual stimulation of the vulva, anus, or penis. Standard powdered latex examination gloves are commonly available at drug stores, and more exotic gloves (longer gloves, gloves made of nitrile rather than latex, unpowdered gloves, or x-large/x-small gloves) may be obtained through mail order from medical suppliers.

Be sure to remove any sharp objects (such as jewelry) from your hand before putting a glove on. For any manual anal penetration, be sure your fingernails are VERY short. If your fingernails are too long, you can puncture your glove and/or make penetration uncomfortable for your partner. Be sure you are using a glove of sufficient length to protect the entire surface that will be exposed. Some people who for fashion's sake prefer to keep long fingernails put cotton balls around their fingernails before putting on their gloves. The thought is that this will prevent any contact between the sharp fingernails and the inside of the glove.

It is best to turn gloves inside out as you remove them; after one glove is turned inside out, you may optionally drop any used condoms and/or oral barriers inside it before placing it in the other gloved hand and turning the other glove inside out around it and discarding.

Special Tricks and Techniques

• For different sorts of sensations, you can try putting little round beads (or other objects without sharp edges) between the glove and your fingers. Rings without any sharp edges can also serve this purpose.

• Putting a little water-based or silicone-based lube on his or her fingertips before putting on the gloves may increase the penetrater's sensation.

• If you wish to engage in cunnilingus (or analingus) at the same time you are manually penetrating the vagina, the following approach can be valuable, though it does take practice: using a longer glove if possible, slit it up both sides (stopping as you get to the wrist) to form a flap that you can then fold up and use as an oral barrier. By cutting the glove in this way, you will have two flaps so that manual penetration may be done with the palm up or the palm down. This glove modification technique works well with latex gloves, and poorly with nitrile gloves. As it is difficult to remove any powder from the inside of a glove, unpowdered gloves are preferable if this technique is going to be used.

Latex allergies are an increasing area of concern, particularly for health care workers. Fortunately, if you or your partner have any sort of latex sensitivity, non-latex alternatives for safer sex are available, including Avanti condoms or Saran Wrap for cunnilingus and anallingus, and Nitrile gloves.