Wellness Vending Machine Resources

What sexual health supplies you need will be based on a variety of factors including what genitalia you have, the type of sexual activity you are choosing to engage in, and personal preference. The following flowchart can be a good place to start to find out which supplies might work best for you!

External condoms are barriers for use during oral sex with a penis and when inserting body parts or sex toys vaginally or anally. External condoms:

• Protect against many STIs and pregnancy (for vaginal intercourse with a penis). 
• Most external condoms are made of latex, so if you or your partner(s) has a latex allergy, use latex-free external condoms or internal condoms instead. 

Additional Resources: 

• External Condoms Information (Planned Parenthood) 
• How to Use an External Condom (CDC) 

Oral (dental) dams provide a thin barrier during oral-vaginal and oral-anal contact. When used properly, they protect against STIs and other infections transmitted during oral sex.  

• To use an oral dam, check the expiration date on the package. If it hasn’t expired, carefully remove it from its packaging, unfold it, and hold it flat over the vaginal opening or anus during oral sex. You can add lubricant to the side touching the person’s vaginal opening/anus for increased pleasure. You do not need to stretch or pull the dam to use it.
• Be careful not to flip over the oral dam once you start using it. Consider marking one side of the dam with a non-reversible symbol or letter in permanent marker. That way, you will know which side touched one person’s genitals/anus and which side touched the other person’s mouth. Dispose of each dam after one sex act: do not reuse or flip over dams.
• If you don’t have an oral dam available, you can convert an external condom into a dam by carefully cutting off the tip of the condom and along the length of the condom. See instructions below for more guidance.  

Additional Resources: 

• What’s a dental dam? (Planned Parenthood) 
• Better information about dental dams (Go Ask Alice!) 

Internal condoms, sometimes called FC2 condoms, consist of a nitrile sheath, an outer ring, and a polyurethane inner ring. Internal condoms: 

• Protect against STIs when inserting body parts or sex toys vaginally or anally and are latex-free. They can actually provide more protection against STIs by covering a greater surface area of skin outside the vagina or anus than external condoms do.   
• The end of the internal condom with an inner ring goes into the vagina/anus to keep it in place and the outer ring remains outside the vagina/anus. Some people may opt to remove the inner ring if inserting the condom anally. It is important not to remove the inner ring if inserting the condom vaginally. 
• You can insert an internal condom up to 8 hours prior to sex.
• Some people find internal condoms are less restrictive on a penis than external condoms.  

Additional Resources: 

• Full FC2 Written instructions  
• What is a female (internal) condom? (Go Ask Alice!)  
• Female Condom information (Planned Parenthood)  

Water-based personal lubricant (“lube”) can increase sensation, reduce friction, and lower the risk of a barrier method ripping or tearing during sex. Water-based lubricant is safe for use with any barrier method and all sex toys and won’t stain sheets or clothing.  

Silicone-based lubricant is safe for use with barriers but it may change or destroy the surface of silicone-based sex toys. If you choose to use oil- or silicone-based lube instead:  

• Do not use oil-based lubricants (Vaseline, lotion, mineral oil, coconut oil, etc.) with latex barriers as they can greatly increase the chance the barrier will rip or break.  
• Do not use silicone-based lubricants with silicone sex toys, as it can deteriorate the surface of these toys.