Q.I am allergic to the latex in condoms. What do you suggest I use to have safe sex? I need something that will work. I have always been told to use lambskin, but I am scared that it isn’t going to protect me well.

S.W.

A.It’s true that lambskin condoms alone do not prevent the transmission of small viruses like HIV. You have two options to practice safe sex if you have a latex allergy.

A. First is to use the female condom, Reality. This is a non-latex cylinder with rings on both ends. The smaller closed ring fits inside the vagina, over the cervix much like a diaphragm. The larger open end sits outside the vaginal opening.

The second option is to use two condoms. Since you are allergic to latex, your partner would put on a regular latex condom; then, to keep the latex from touching you, he would put a lambskin condom over that. If your latex allergy is very severe (to the point of causing breathing difficulty, for example), I would suggest option number one so you are not exposed to latex at all.