Is it okay for my brother to keep a condom in his wallet?

Dear Concerned Older Brother,

You tell your younger brother that he should throw out that dried out, frizzled up condom immediately. First of all, it doesn’t look cool for him to carry around the same condom for three years. He thinks he looks cool when he really just looks like someone who isn’t getting any.

The problem with storing condoms in your wallet is that latex (which almost all condoms are made out of) does not like heat. The heat in the wallet breaks down the latex to the point where it will easily rip and tear if you use it for sex. Of course, that puts you and your partner at risk for a possible pregnancy and/or STI transmission.

The same goes for purses and backpacks. Besides the heat issue, there’s generally lots of sharp objects including scissors, tweezers, and protractors (for all you math geeks), that can puncture the condom.

The best way to store latex condoms is at room temperature and away from light or heat. Put them in a sock drawer for long-term storage. You can put a condom in your pocket if you’re going out on the town and know you’re getting lucky. Just don’t store it in there.

Best regards,