While many people believe that condoms are a relatively new form of
contraceptive, created not so long ago, this is far from
true. Many historians believe that, in ancient Egypt, pharaohs used papyrus reeds to cover their penises during sex. In the East, the Chinese used oiled silk paper and the Japanese had two versions of a condom. The paper shows that while it is unknown whether condoms in these early days were used more to prevent disease, as
contraceptive devices or for ritualistic purposes, we do know that by the 16th century, the emphasis was on the prophylactic function of the condom. Today, condoms have evolved in many ways and are now available and appealing to the mass public. This paper
discusses the history of the condom, tracing its roots back to ancient days and covering related topics to present day. It also discusses the challenges that were presented to condom use along the way.