On lubes

Regardless of age or sexual dysfunction, every woman should have a bottle of lube next to her bedside.  Whether it is because you suffer from vaginal dryness, want to have a “quickie” and haven’t given yourself enough time to become aroused, or because you just like the feeling of having something ‘extra’ down there to help the penis and/or toys slide inside you.  Lubrication is also extremely helpful when applied to the clitoris to help the fingers slide and glide over it. 

Most people have seen the KY jelly commercials and the various products that are available offering ‘warming’, ‘cooling’ and even ‘intense’ sensations from the lube itself.  What you may not know is that there are more brands available than just KY and, depending on preference, you may enjoy one of these even more.  Typically, lubes come water-based or silicone.  Both are condom compatible but you don’t want to use the silicone with any sex toys.  Some people have never even heard of silicone lube, but this is an excellent option because it coats the skin rather than soaking into it like water-based lubes can.  The other thing women have recently been concerned with are the chemicals that make up the product.  Most women do not have any problems with the chemicals in KY, but some women find KY irritates them.  If this is the case, or if you are trying to reduce your contact with chemicals, you may want to look for one that is glycerin and paraben free.  Glycerin can break down into the body and turn to sugar which can affect women prone to yeast infections.  Paraben is a preservative added to the product which can cause irritation and an allergic reaction to the vulva area.  Liquid Silk is an excellent option for glycerin free lube and Wet Platnium is a silicone based, glycerin and paraben free product. 

Shameless plug: our website now recommends products of all kinds that have proven to be effective with our patients over the past 12 years that the Center has been open! Take a look.