This is a picture of lubricants. Lubricants can be used with or without condom. But if used without condom, you have to remember that lubricants do not offer any protection against sexually transmitted diseases or HIV/AIDS. Some condoms already have lubricants added to them. The lubrication on condoms also varies. Some condoms are not lubricated at all, some are lubricated with a silicone substance, and some condoms have a water-based lubricant. The lubrication aims to make the condom easier to put on and more comfortable to use. You should only used lubricants that are meant to be used with condoms. For example baby oil or vaseline are not suitable to be used as lubricants, they can cause the condom to tear or may. Also, some other oils may cause skin irritation. More about HIV prevention can be found at http://www.avert.org/hivprevention.htm

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Photo credit: � David Alexander/ M/MC Photoshare