Dear Counsellor:

I'm a young teen and must tell you I hate using the condom. I cannot feel intimate with a barrier between my boyfriend and me.

He is much older than I am and seems to have a problem using the condom. When he tries to fit it, his penis goes dead and the minute he puts it aside he is like a blazing fire. What should I do, since both of us have issues with the condom?

Teen Queen

Dear Teen Queen:

You and your boyfriend can choose not to use the condom. You must be sure you are both faithful to each other and know you are both free from sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Can you guarantee that? Yes, the sensation that you feel when you use the condom is slightly less, but people who used condoms regularly do get use to this, and the emotional reassurance that the condom brings may more than make up for the marginal reduction in physical sensation.

Remember, also, you can try the female condom, which is also very easy to use.

You must accept a personal responsibility to protect your sexual health.

For more information on condom use, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections, call the AIDS/STD Helpline at 967-3830, 967-3764 or toll free at 1888-9914444.