Condom comes off and takes hair with it — Ouch!

Dear Reader,

Ouch! What a nusiance — and a buzzkill. Before you shave, try this: Smear a little water-based lube on your penis or around the ring on the inside of a rolled-up condom before you put it on. This may make for more comfortable and uninterrupted pleasure when you take it off. Keep in mind, a snugly fitting condom should remain snug throughout the motion, pressure and friction produced during sex — even with that extra dab of lube.

Why not try this option out first by yourself — maybe when you masturbate — by simulating movements and the grasp felt when you're inside your partner? Afterwards, slowly roll or slide the condom off from the base of your penis to see if this solves the pubic hair-pulling problem. Try gently stretching the tighter ring at the open end of the condom slightly out and away from the shaft of your penis, and then running lubed thumbs along your penis between it and the condom as you remove it. This can also help to prevent some of those locks from getting caught up in a latex lawnmower. As always, you and your partner can experiment with these options together.

Depending on how much hair you're talking about, could you prep them prior to getting 'em in the condom? Might smoothing or combing them down and toward the tip of your penis make for less tugging when the condom passes over them on its way off? Some folks choose to trim their pubes; trimming yours may keep them away from the grasp of the condom — just be sure to be careful when you're clipping down there! You could also gently stretch the condom at its ring as you roll it up or down to help reduce unwanted hair snagging or removal before and after the condom is used.

Now that some major hair care issues have been addressed, what about the condoms you're using? Could you go with a slightly looser fit? They need to fit snuggly, but not choke, your chicken. Condoms are not supposed to move around when they're on, nor require a crowbar to take them off. Again, you can try 'em on to learn which sizes and brands work for you.

If the "ripping" situation persists beyond your comfort zone, you might revisit voluntary hair reduction or removal. Reading the related Q&As might ease your concerns about what's known in the biz as "pubic hairdressing."