What you should know about Condom Expiration date?

Nothing lasts forever and everything in this world comes with an expiry date and no wonder condom too have an expiration date. Condoms don’t need any introduction today and its benefits are widely known to young men and women across the world. Though condom offers uncompromising protection and comes with lot of advantages, there are fee disadvantages as well. Expiry date is one of the disadvantages of condom. It becomes a disadvantage only when we use it after the expiration date.

So, it is always important to look at the expiry date of a condom before opening the pack. We do it with a pack of chocolate or a ketch up, don’t we? Condom being categorized as medical device, it is of utmost important to use it well before its expiration date.

Why condoms have an expiration date?

Condoms are made using natural rubber latex or non-latex material and a lubrication is also added. Both the ingredients (latex and lube) have a shelf life. Thus, condoms should have an expiration date to ensure it is at the highest quality to allow the user to enjoy uncompromising protection.

Manufacturers test their condoms with a shelf life in mind and give a specific expiration date based on their test results. Remember, the expiration date is not the end date of a condom that it becomes terrible when you use next day. But, expiration date is the day when the condom begins to lose its effectiveness. The expiration date is an indicator that you can better buy a new condom and throw that one out.

What problems can come when someone uses an expired condom?

Remember, beyond expiry date, the condom ceases to become ‘vagina-friendly’. In the sense the lubricant present in the condom will begin to irritate sensitive vaginal skin and a spoiled condom may also likely to tear midway leading to unwanted pregnancy or STDs.

On the flip side, remember that even not expired condoms, it might not be “good”. The way you take care of your prophylactics throughout their lifetime often determines their longevity.

Indicators of a potentially damaged condom

- Rolling the condom becomes difficult. It may not roll comfortably over your organ

- The lube becomes smelly and sticky. The stink will be heavily felt the moment you open the pack

Who monitors the quality of condoms?

Every condom goes through rigorous quality control processes before coming to the market. Condom manufacturers had to meet the regulatory compliance to ensure condoms they produce meet the stringent quality norms set out by The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.

What's the typical condom expiration date?

The expiration date on an average of any condom is between 3 - 5 years.

Where to look for condom expiration date?

It will be available on the outer retail box and the back side of each condom wrapper. It will be usually bigger than the fine print, so that it will be readable with naked eye under normal circumstances.