Dear Doctor;

My girlfriend recently came off the Pill so I started wearing condoms, but I seem to have an allergic reaction when I put them on. The condom seems to cause the skin around the top of my penis and foreskin to become red and inflamed. This causes a lot of discomfort (like a really bad stinging sensation) which continues until I wash all the lubricant off. Is this some form of allergy to latex?

Dennis, Kigali.. 

Dear Dennis, 

What you are observing and experiencing is true. You seem to be having allergy to latex present in the condom. If there are other allergic conditions like asthma or allergic cold, there is greater risk of allergy. Latex allergy can occur in both men and women. Surgeons suffer from latex allergy in form of itching and eruptions over fingers. 

If the problem is mild, one can take anti allergy pills just 30 minutes before using a condom. But if it is severe or symptoms persist, it is better to stop using it. You can look for condoms causing low allergy like the sheep skin one. Some experts advise using two condoms to minimise risk of allergic reaction. But that is risky because spillage can occur during change over of condom. Both of you can consider adopting other methods of contraception like use of pills or intrauterine device.