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How to Have Safer “Bareback” Sex Without a Condom

Medically reviewed by Janet Brito, Ph.D., LCSW, CST-S — Written by Adrienne Santos-Longhurst on February 26, 2021

Definition
Origin
Who it applies to
Potential risks
Potential benefits
Tips and precautions
STI exposure
Seeing a doctor
Takeaway

overhead view of a gay couple laying together in bed — Miodrag Ignjatovic/Getty Images

If you’ve been on Grindr or kicking it old school and creeping Craigslist ads, you’ve probably seen the term “bareback” — or BB for short — come up.

You’re here, so you’re probably considering bareback sex. Or, at the very least, you’re curious.

Here are the answers to your burning questions and a few considerations to make before hopping on the bareback bandwagon.

What does “bareback” mean?

It means having penetrative sex without a barrier.

If you haven’t already made the connection, riding bareback is a play on horseback riding without a saddle.

Its origins, however, aren’t so cute and fuzzy.

Where did the term come from?

When the term first appeared in the mid-1990s in the gay press, it referred to intentional condom-less anal sex among gay men living with HIV.

A short time later, the definition changed, and it was primarily used to talk about people with penises having anal sex with other people with penises without using a condom.

It’s since been co-opted to refer to any kind of penetrative sex without a barrier.

Can anyone do it?

Yep — anyone who wants to can.

How risky is it actually?

Ain’t gonna lie, it’s risky.

Exactly how risky is hard to say, since there are so many factors that affect risk.

These factors include anything from how many partners you’ve each had to whether you’re on the giving or receiving end of penetration, and even if you’re using enough lube.

What we can tell you for certain is that over 1 million STIs are acquired every hour worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The majority of STIs have no symptoms or such mild symptoms that they’re hard to recognize. This includes HIV, which can be undetectable. (More on that in a bit).

You or your partner could transmit an STI without even realizing you’ve contracted it in the first place.

Unless you skip partnered sexual activity all together, barrier methods, like condoms, are the most effective way to prevent the transmission of STIs.

If you ditch the barrier, you’re exposed … in more ways than one.

Are there any benefits?

Pleasure, for starters! The feel of their skin on yours, and their mouth and tongue on, well, everything, just feels good. This is thanks to the heat, wetness, and friction.

That said, pleasure shouldn’t be your only motivator to ditch barrier methods.

“The primary benefit to sex without a barrier is heightened sensation,” says Caitlin V. Neal, MPH, a resident sexologist for sexual hygiene company Royal.

“Many people report that the increased heat and feel of skin-to-skin contact increases their arousal and pleasure,” Neal explains. “Although, this alone isn’t reason enough to go without a barrier, so please don’t let an unsafe partner penetrate you unless you’re fully consenting.”

There are some other potential benefits to sex without a barrier, like bonding and intimacy.

Making the conscious choice to have barrier-free sex with a partner can give you a greater physical connection and up the intimacy factor, bringing you closer.

Skin-to-skin contact and even contact with seminal fluids and genital secretions have been linked to improved mood, reduced stress and depression, and a stronger immune system.

If you’re trying to conceive, going bareback makes it possible for sperm to get to where they need to go. But there’s more.

When seminal fluid makes contact with reproductive tissues, it initiates a controlled inflammatory response. This affects reproduction function to increase the chances for producing a healthy pregnancy.

If you want to give it a shot, do this first

Barrier methods, like condoms, help prevent STIs and unwanted pregnancy, so going bareback means a higher risk for one or both, depending on the type of sex you’re having.

An open and honest convo about risks, expectations, and boundaries before going sans barrier is in order.

Set expectations and discuss boundaries

Not to be a total killjoy, but if you haven’t already had the “where is this going” talk, now’s the time to do it.

Set boundaries and expectations based on your situation.

While some recommend that bareback sex be reserved for people in monogamous relationships, that may not be the type of relationship that’s right for you.

If it is and you’re both committed to not engaging in barrier-free sex acts with anyone else, cool.

If sex with other partners is on the table, committing to barrier use with other partners is the safest way to go bareback with each other.

Once you’ve nailed your “sexpectations,” it’s time to talk STI testing. Yes, even if you’re monogamous.

Test for STIs and share your status

Unless neither of you has ever engaged in any type of sex act, then STIs are a possibility and a talk about status and testing needs to happen before saying buh-bye to barriers.

STIs and swabs may not be anyone’s idea of sexy pillow talk, but it’s necessary. Infections aren’t just transmitted by having penis-in-vagina or penis-in-anus sex. Manual, oral, and dry humping in the buff can do it, too.

“If you’re considering bareback sex, make sure both you and your partner are tested beforehand and that you’ve communicated verbally about any high-risk activity you’ve engaged in recently,” Neal says.

“All STIs have an incubation period. So, even if you tested negative recently, if you’ve been having unprotected sex you may want to get two negative tests before going bareback.”

Getting tested is NBD. Do it together, and then go for gelato.

Keep using a barrier until you’ve both received results, and then decide how you want to proceed.
Remember that you both have the right to change your minds about ditching barrier protection at any time, regardless of the results.

That said, a positive test doesn’t mean you need to permanently shelf the bareback thing.

Most STIs can be cleared up with a course of antibiotics, so just postpone sex in the raw until you finish treatment and retest to make sure you’re in the clear.

If you test positive for HIV, condoms are still recommended by experts outside of abstinence, but bareback sex doesn’t have to be off the table.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) can help you control HIV and eventually get your viral load low enough to be undetectable. Viral load is the amount of HIV in the blood, anal mucus, and semen.

A person with undetectable HIV (HIV-U) can’t transmit the virus to others.

Consider preventive medication

Preventive medication is available for certain STIs and another way to have safer sex without a barrier.

PrEP — short for pre-exposure prophylaxis — is a drug you can take to prevent HIV if you’re at risk because you aren’t using condoms and your partner is HIV-positive or if you or your partner is having sex with other people.

When taken properly, PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV by around 99 percent.
There are also vaccines available that can help you prevent hepatitis B and HPV.

FYI: HPV is the most common STI in the United States and is spread through intimate skin-to-skin contact. There are different HPV strains and almost everyone will get at least one type during their lifetime.

Depending on the type, HPV can cause genital warts and different types of cancer, including cervical, penile, and throat cancers.

Assess any contraceptive needs

If pregnancy is a possibility and you or your partner don’t want to get pregnant, you’ll need to find a secondary birth control method. You have a few options to choose from, each one with its own cost and effectiveness.

A healthcare professional can help you figure out which one’s right for you.

Options include:

pills
patch
shot (Depo-Provera)
intrauterine devices (IUDs)
diaphragm
contraceptive implant
contraceptive sponge
vaginal ring (NuvaRing)
spermicide
fertility awareness method (FAM)
surgery, like a vasectomy or tubal ligation

No birth control method is 100 percent effective. It’s important to put some serious thought into your options for an unexpected or unwanted pregnancy.

If you think you were exposed to an STI

If there’s a chance you were exposed to an STI, take a trip to a clinic or healthcare professional for testing.

STIs have different windows and incubation periods, and they might not be detectable or cause symptoms for days or weeks. You may need to go back for more testing.

Still, early detection and treatment can help you avoid complications, so don’t put it off.

When to see a doctor or other healthcare professional

See a doctor if you experience any signs or symptoms of an STI or pregnancy.

Common STI symptoms include:

unusual vaginal, penile, or rectal discharge
genital bumps or sores
genital or anal pain, burning, or itching
pain during sex
pain or burning when urinating
pelvic pain
swollen lymph nodes in the neck or groin
fever and chills

Early signs of pregnancy include:

missed period
nausea and morning sickness
sore or swollen breasts
fatigue
frequent need to urinate
spotting

The bottom line

Making the decision to go condom-free isn’t something you do on a whim. Consequences could be severe.

Have a candid convo with all involved about the risks and expectations. If you aren’t all willing to invest the time and effort needed for regular testing and precautions, or if there’s even a hint of mistrust, keep using a barrier method.

Adrienne Santos-Longhurst is a Canada-based freelance writer and author who has written extensively on all things health and lifestyle for more than a decade. When she’s not holed-up in her writing shed researching an article or off interviewing health professionals, she can be found frolicking around her beach town with husband and dogs in tow or splashing about the lake trying to master the stand-up paddle board.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Birth control.https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/birth-control
Carballo-Diéguez A, et al. (2009). Is ‘bareback’ a useful construct in primary HIV-prevention? Definitions, identity, and research.
Carballo-Diéguez A, et al. (2011). Sexual pleasure and intimacy among men who engage in "bareback sex".https://europepmc.org/article/pmc/3319084
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2669431/
Neal CV. (2021). Personal interview.
PrEP effectiveness. (2020).https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/prep/prep-effectiveness.html
Pre-exposure prophylaxis. (2020).https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/hiv-prevention/using-hiv-medication-to-reduce-risk/pre-exposure-prophylaxis
Protecting others. (2021).https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/livingwithhiv/protecting-others.html
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs). (2019).https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/sexually-transmitted-infections-(stis)
Schjenken JE, et al. (2020). The female response to seminal fluid.https://journals.physiology.org/doi/abs/10.1152/physrev.00013.2018
Unprotected sex (bareback sex). (2019).https://www.gmfa.org.uk/unprotected-sex

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Medically reviewed by Janet Brito, Ph.D., LCSW, CST-S — Written by Adrienne Santos-Longhurst on February 26, 2021

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