Ask Dr. Chaves: Condom Use, Leaky Penises and More

Weekly Sex Q&A With Dr. Chaves

Page 2 of 2

sexual allergies

Hi Dr. Chaves,

My husband's penis gets itchy and irritated whenever we have sex. He's seen various doctors but no one can tell him what is causing it. We have both been checked out medically and neither of us have any STDs or infections. We are in a monogamous relationship and we don't use condoms so it's not a latex allergy. We have eliminated anything that might be causing a sexual allergic reaction. We switched to hypoallergenic soap and laundry detergent (I never use any creams or douches down there, etc.). My husband hardly ever wants to have sex anymore because he's so uncomfortable. Have you ever heard of this problem and do you have any idea what could be causing it? FYI: We aren't into any weird or unusual sexual practices, just pretty standard sex. And I don't have any problem with lubrication.

Sign me,


I completely understand the frustration. It sounds like you both have looked into this issue thoroughly and have been through the more common possibilities. I’m going to bring up a new possibility that may or may not have any relevance. Could he be allergic to bacteria in your vagina or your vaginal lubrication? A number of women — an estimated 40,000 — are allergic to male semen, why not the other way around with female bodily fluids? The female semen allergy is an allergic reaction to a specific person’s proteins in their semen — and vaginal lubrication has proteins. Although I’m not familiar with this being a medical issue with female lubrication, I’m trying to come up with an alternative possibility you haven’t covered. Maybe an allergy specialist or immunologist is an area to explore. This is something I would try as an experiment; then again, I was dropped on my head as a baby. I would have my partner get aroused through whatever means (masturbation, oral, etc). I’d penetrate her (fingering) repeatedly and rub her lubrication on my penis to see if any irritation or itchiness occurs. Experiment the old fashion way. Either way, I’d explore the allergy route, as unlikely as it may be. You know, wearing a condom isn’t the end of the world. The question beforehand discusses ways to spice up the glove love. Maybe your husband might warm up to the idea of condoms if he knew about the ways to accentuate condom play.

sperm diarrhea

Dear Dr. Chaves,

Why do you think that whenever my girlfriend swallows my sperm she gets diarrhea afterward? It has been like this for as long as I can remember, and it was the same with my previous girlfriends too. And I am sure it is not just an excuse to avoid doing it.

Thank you,


Wouldn’t you know it? I asked some MDs and searched for research on semen and diarrhea studies and there’s so little out there. Can we get some funding for this? I find it very interesting that all of your girlfriends have experienced the same effects from ingesting your semen. That or they all got the secret memo on using the same excuse with you. Dr. David Resnick, who is studying semen allergies, has identified diarrhea as one of the side effects of being allergic to semen. There’s also the possibility that your girlfriends were allergic to something you ingested (diet, drugs, substances, anything) and had a reaction. I’ve talked way too much about allergic reactions to body fluids in the last two questions. It’s pretty rare and there can definitely be other possibilities. I have a suggestion: Try a detox diet and see what happens to your semen taste and its liquid stool responses. Cut out the fast food and meats, eat more fruits and vegetables, stop ingesting the harmful substances (smoking, drugs), and see if things change for the better.

Have a question for Doctor Chaves? Send it to


More Like This


      Best of the Web

        Special Features