# Why do condoms have that little bulge on the tip? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 20, 2004, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-condoms-have-that-little-bulge-on-the-tip/235422 "2004-03-20T17:53:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tadishi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tadishi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tadishi)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-condoms-have-that-little-bulge-on-the-tip/235422/1 "2004-03-20T17:53:24Z")
A condom is basically a balloon --so why the odd shape on the end? (hey-it’s a legit question—let’s not get silly or disgusting here, okay?) They used to print a phrase like “reservoir tip” on the box (although that seems to be out of style now). But why? The standard instructions are to leave a little space at the end when you roll the condom on.But whether you do that or not–what’s the point of that little bulge on the tip? It isn’t big enough to collect all the stuff that the condom has to detain.The condom is basically just a balloon that adjusts its shape and is flexible enough to cover the human anatomy. So why add that funny shaped tip? And, guys, let’s not have any rude macho comments here. ---
**Author:** ![Teelo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@Teelo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teelo)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-condoms-have-that-little-bulge-on-the-tip/235422/2 "2004-03-20T18:11:44Z")
I’m guessing a few things: - Could be a mark the condom making machine makes after making a fresh batch of condoms. Just part of the working mechanisms. - It could be left there purposely so you know where the center/top part is so it goes on relatively straight. - It might also be there to aid in the making of the little buffer zone you are supposed to make when you put it on. You know, so the ‘stuff’ has a little place to fall into. - Hell, it might even be there to please your partner. Just some mere speculation…It’s not like i’m some condom expert… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-condoms-have-that-little-bulge-on-the-tip/235422/3 "2004-03-20T18:12:29Z")
> [@](#): > > The teat/tip is for retaining the semen on ejaculation That’s from [Durex](http://durex.com/index.html) who know what they’re doing. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-condoms-have-that-little-bulge-on-the-tip/235422/4 "2004-03-20T18:19:26Z")
Well, I seem to remember that the average human ejaculate is something like 4cc. When it’s spread around making a big mess all over everything, it seems like a lot, but when you collect it all in a container, it’s really not much at all. I’ve never done any experiments on the subject, but I have no trouble believing that the reservoir tip on a condom could hold that much. Besides, you have to take into account two things: all the dipshits who are too stupid to follow the instructions and leave a space, and the fact that condoms sometimes slip and slide. If non-reservoir tipped condom is right against the head of the penis at ejaculation, there’s nowhere for the ejaculate to go, except to squeeze back along the shaft towards the open air. Semen squeezing out toward the open air kind of defeats the purpose of the condom, you know? ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-condoms-have-that-little-bulge-on-the-tip/235422/5 "2004-03-20T18:20:20Z")
If there was no tip, and a user left no space, a rubber membrane directly over the urethra might make ejaculation more difficult and painful. The tip takes the pressure off. It catches most of the semen, and might remind you to leave more space if your loads require it. ---
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-condoms-have-that-little-bulge-on-the-tip/235422/6 "2004-03-20T18:37:58Z")
We need a mechanical engineer here to analyze the tip’s effect on the possibilty of critical failure. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MaceMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@MaceMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaceMan)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-condoms-have-that-little-bulge-on-the-tip/235422/7 "2004-03-20T23:12:21Z")
A few theories just off the top of my head…hey interesting pun there 😃 ) 1. the tip decreases the breakage rate of condoms (physical mechanics,etc.) 2. it relieves pressure and friction at the very sensitive opening of the penis 3. it gives you something to hold onto when putting on/taking off, and makes it slightly easier to tell the inside from the outside 4. condoms are tested by blowing them up like a balloon–and if you’ve ever noticed, most long balloons have a nipple at the end 5. collects a small amount of the ejaculate. There is no way the tip would hold 4 mL though, **CrazyCatLady**. Besides that number seems much too high for an average volume. ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-condoms-have-that-little-bulge-on-the-tip/235422/8 "2004-03-20T23:16:57Z")
Anyone remember the band **10cc** or how they got the name ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-condoms-have-that-little-bulge-on-the-tip/235422/9 "2004-03-20T23:30:03Z")
> [@CrazyCatLady](#): > > Well, I seem to remember that the average human ejaculate is something like 4cc. The Perfect Master [speaks](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_054) > [@](#): > > the normal size ejaculation is about 5 cubic centimeters Possibly a more accurate answer can be had from [WebMD](http://my.webmd.com/content/article/41/1685_50090.htm?lastselectedguid=%7B5FE84E90-BC77-4056-A91C-9531713CA348%7D) > [@](#): > > The normal volume of a fertile male’s ejaculate ranges from 1.5 to 5 milliliters (5 milliliters is about one teaspoon) > [@Glyndour](#): > > Anyone remember the band 10cc > or how they got the name As for 10cc, [Snopes](http://www.snopes.com/music/artists/10cc.htm) is your friend > [@](#): > > . . There’s a lot of apocryphal stories about names, and unfortunately, most of them are much more amusing than the ugly reality, which in this case is that the name came to me in a dream . . ---
**Author:** ![MaceMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@MaceMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaceMan)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-condoms-have-that-little-bulge-on-the-tip/235422/10 "2004-03-21T00:04:34Z")
In a quick search I found a site which claims that the average volume is 2.75 mL, with an upper range of about 6 mL. Higher volumes like Cecil’s 5 mL figure are usually achieved only after long periods of abstinence. Another site was a medical study of sperm counts in Indian men, and it cited 2.6 mL as the average volume. ---
**Author:** ![lucwarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@lucwarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lucwarm)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-condoms-have-that-little-bulge-on-the-tip/235422/11 "2004-03-21T00:13:56Z")
Sorry to hijack the thread, but I have a related question: What’s the deal with the serial number that’s visible at the edge when you completely unroll the condom? ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-condoms-have-that-little-bulge-on-the-tip/235422/12 "2004-03-21T04:25:06Z")
Besides other good reasons mentioned, without a resevoir tip, the ejaculate would have nowhere to go except down the sides of the penis and dribble out the open end. (It would be incorrect to assume that without the resevoir, the ejaculate would simply stay at the head of the penis and push out its own little balloon sac and stay there.) Dribbling ejaculate is something you don’t want for it can get on and into a partner causing unwanted pregnancy and/or disease. Peace. ---
**Author:** ![bittersweet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@bittersweet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bittersweet)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-condoms-have-that-little-bulge-on-the-tip/235422/13 "2004-03-21T04:31:05Z")
> [@lucwarm](#): > > Sorry to hijack the thread, but I have a related question: What’s the deal with the serial number that’s visible at the edge when you completely unroll the condom? That’s so the government can secretly track you and your sexual habits…I think. What do you mean, **no**? 🙂