Male condom vs Combined pill
Need help choosing? Speak to a doctor
Add your male condom review
£From £0.16/day
Overview
Rated 4.1
67 reviews
During or before sex
Frequency
82% - 98%
Effectiveness
None
Blood clot risk
None
Effect on fertility
Rated 2.8
2732 reviews
Daily
Frequency
91% - 99+%
Effectiveness
Increased
Blood clot risk
None
Effect on fertility
Male condom ingredients
Combined pill ingredients
Main hormones in Combined pill
progestogen
oestrogen
What Lowdown reviewers say
Benefits: What this contraceptive can help with
Protects against STIs
Acne or bad skin
Heavy periods
PMS and PMDD
PCOS symptoms
Period pain
Try it now
Add your male condom review
Try it now
£From £0.16/day
Check out our latest reviews
Real life reviews from people like you
Male condom reviews
67 reviews
Used for 6 - 12 mo
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 16th May 25
Somewhat positive mood
3 more effects
1 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 4th Nov 24
me and my partner have always had problems with using condoms from durex, but now trying skyns condoms, i will never go back. They don’t have that weird smell and me nor my partner could even feel as if it was there! 100% recommend
Very positive mood
2 more effects
2 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 16th May 25
Somewhat positive mood
3 more effects
1 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 4th Nov 24
me and my partner have always had problems with using condoms from durex, but now trying skyns condoms, i will never go back. They don’t have that weird smell and me nor my partner could even feel as if it was there! 100% recommend
Very positive mood
2 more effects
2 helpful
0 comments
Combined pill reviews
2732 reviews
Used for 1 - 3 mo
22 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• today
The thing that surprised me the most was how my internal clock changed (backwards with 4 to 5 hours), while usually I'm not even sleepy until 1am, now I'm easily falling asleep at 8-9pm and waking up at 6-7am when before I was still cranky at 11am. My PMDD is also almost gone, and my endometriosis pain is the easiest it's ever been, but the breast tenderness/pain extended from the luteal phase to all throughout the month. Another surprising thing was the improved natural lubrication (vaginal discharge), while before it was almost inexistent even when turned on, now it's much more consistent.
Very positive mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 days ago
Started on this pill when I was 18, all was well at the start, my skin cleared up and my periods were much lighter/less painful. I then started to not feel like myself and be quite emotionally dull, I started getting headaches on the week off and being more fatigued than normal. Good for those who are looking to lighten periods or reduce PMS
Very negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 5 yr
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 4 days ago
I have found my experience with Yasmin ok. I like that my mood is much better than on other pills and I feel more like myself, but I have completely lost my sex drive and experienced other negative symptoms unfortunately
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
22 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• today
The thing that surprised me the most was how my internal clock changed (backwards with 4 to 5 hours), while usually I'm not even sleepy until 1am, now I'm easily falling asleep at 8-9pm and waking up at 6-7am when before I was still cranky at 11am. My PMDD is also almost gone, and my endometriosis pain is the easiest it's ever been, but the breast tenderness/pain extended from the luteal phase to all throughout the month. Another surprising thing was the improved natural lubrication (vaginal discharge), while before it was almost inexistent even when turned on, now it's much more consistent.
Very positive mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 days ago
Started on this pill when I was 18, all was well at the start, my skin cleared up and my periods were much lighter/less painful. I then started to not feel like myself and be quite emotionally dull, I started getting headaches on the week off and being more fatigued than normal. Good for those who are looking to lighten periods or reduce PMS
Very negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 5 yr
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 4 days ago
I have found my experience with Yasmin ok. I like that my mood is much better than on other pills and I feel more like myself, but I have completely lost my sex drive and experienced other negative symptoms unfortunately
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
26 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 5 days ago
This is the worst thing I’ve ever done and I’m not exaggerating. Constantly up and down with my emotions, although mostly down and uncontrollable crying a lot of the time. Had a huge panic attack 2 weeks in, had to call 111 as I thought I was having a heart attack. Made me binge endlessly and uncontrollably. Made my muscles ache and made me more susceptible to injuries, and as a regular gymgoer, it significantly affected my training and fitness and I couldn’t understand why, but the longer I was on it, the worse I felt. Decided to come off after 2 months. Would HIGHLY recommend avoiding this pill. It really? really did not agree with me.
Very negative mood
3 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
26 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 6 days ago
It was ok the first couple months but I've started noticing more side effects the longer I've taken it. I get much more muscle aches, especially in my back. My gums bleed randomly during the first week of each cycle and are much more sensitive. My mood is fluctuating more too.
Decreased sex drive
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 weeks ago
I’ve been on pills now for about 5-6 years, switched to Millinette from Ridgevidon about 18 months ago. I’ve always had terrible headaches on the pill, but millinette has seemed to decrease them a bit. This pill has made me have a lot more mood swings, loss of feeling and loss of sex drive. While the pill hasn’t been awful, it’s had its ups and downs. I am currently switching to the coil to see if anything changes, otherwise i’m okay with continuing millinette.
Decreased sex drive
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 weeks ago
I switched from Ridgevidon to Millinette. Since being on any pill, i’ve had extremely bad headaches. My doctor told me to switch, seeing if a different strength of pill would change anything. While I do think I get less headaches, my sex drive decreased significantly. I also suffer with a lot more brain fog, and just general lack of feeling. Mood swings have definitely increased on the pill, but I notice they’re worse on this one. The pill isn’t an awful choice, it’s had its ups and downs. I’m currently waiting to have the coil fitted to see if there’s any changes.
Decreased sex drive
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
16 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 weeks ago
I have just completed my first month and have absolutely loved the change for me. I was suffering from PMDD for ages before starting, and this has significantly helped my mood disorder and emotional episodes. However I have gotten tender breasts when walking or running, nothing insane. And my discharge! Its so watery and so much. Sometimes I stand up and its like a small pee puddle, anyway, I have had an overall positive experience
Very positive mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 month ago
I went on this pill to sort out mood swings before my period and it absolutely sorted that out. I only took it for about 3 months though, because I had some dizziness and nausea while I was on it at random times which was bearable but not enjoyable so I switched to a different pill. I now take Milinette 20/75 and the lower oestrogen dose (20 vs. 30 with dretine) sorted out the nausea.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 month ago
I went on the pill to sort out my mood swings on my period - I would get a drop in mood in the week before my period which made me very emotional, but aside from that I normally have very even moods and don't ever experience serious lows. However, a few days into taking Rigevidon i experienced a low I've never before experienced, with honestly no possible external event in my life that might explain it. It was far worse than any mood swing I've ever had, and it lasted about 3 days before I stopped taking the pill entirely. This is not to scare anyone considering taking it (my mum was on this pill for 15 years and loved it!) and it's possible the drop in mood might have evened out if i had taken it for longer, but I wasn't able to stick it out. Both dretine and milinette have done wonders for my mood swings though!
Very negative mood
0 helpful
0 comments
Women's health, reviewed.
Get the best women’s health info in your inbox
You are signing up to receive The Lowdown's latest findings and news in women's health. Your data will be used in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie policy
Slide into our DMs
Built by doctors and experts
Our tools are made by medical professionals for your peace of mind
Our website uses affiliate links and we may earn a small commission if you click on them
