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One of the caveats of the condoms-for-safer-sex mantra has been that they are not effective in preventing transmission of genital herpes because the virus may be spread by contact with skin that is not covered by latex. However, according to a new review of the research in the Archives of Internal Medicine, it turns out that consistent condom use—that means using a condom every time you have sex—can reduce your risk of contracting genital herpes (also know as herpes simplex virus-2 or HSV-2) by up to 30%. The findings did not show any significant differences in the protective effect between men and women.

By re-analyzing the data from six previously published studies on condom use and genital herpes involving 5,000 people, researchers found a protective effect that progressively diminishes with an increasing lack of consistency of condom use. In other words, the less often that you use condoms during sex the less protection you derive from them with regard to herpes. Using a condom 100% of the time reduces the risk infection by 30%, and for inconsistent condom users, their risk of infection is reduced by 7% for every 25% increase in condom use. "Although the magnitude of the protective effect was not as large as has been observed with other STIs, a 30 percent reduction in HSV-2 incidence can have a substantial benefit for individuals as well as a public health impact at the population level," writes researcher Dr. Emily T. Martin. Indeed, some protection is better than no protection. If you want to reduce your risk of contracting genital herpes, which is treatable but incurable, use a condom.