How Safe Are PersonalLubricants

Sexual intercourse is more about just sex. It also included the proper satisfaction of Partners involved along with safety and comfort. At times, sex hits a “rough patch” by the double-quoted phrase, I actually mean it. Often too much friction can cause
rashes, itchiness and skin related problems during intercourse. In straight words, sex is best when sex lubricants or a Personal Lubricant is involved. They are also termed as sex lubes. Sex lubricants can make the intercourse more fun for women with vaginal issues like dryness, itches or a skin rash. These are pretty common among women contributed by a varied number of factors like falling estrogen levels, emotional stress or side-effect of some medicines. With the aid of sex lubes, use of condoms becomes more delightful. Condoms must be used to prevent STDs and other problems which one of the partners might deny if it is not comfortable.

Sex lubes have gained a lot of popularity lately with a rise of over 60% in their sales. However, there are certain threats about their usage too. Let us check them out.

Myths and Issues.

Earlier it was believed that lubricants reduced chances of transmitting STDs because they make intercourse surface too slippery. But recently it was found that large​​​​​ number of people who used sex lubricants for anal sex were tested positive for gonorrhea or chlamydia than people who did not use them. It happened because sex creams caused inflammation of anus and vagina which made it easier for micro-
organisms to attack. There have been cases from 2014 where sex gels have been reported to reduce the pH level of vagina which could be dangerous for women as they became more prone to vaginal infections. Also, the incorrect choice of lubricants for sex used like petroleumjelly/vegetable oil have been reported to cause bacterial diseases like vaginitis, yeast
infection on women. The above stated instances cannot be taken as a valid proof for spreading STDs through sex lubricants. However, the use of condoms in case of intercourse is a must as they check the spread of such diseases. Condoms are even more important in case homosexual intercourse where there is a greater chance of STD spread. None of
these studies definitively establish that sexual lubricants directly cause any type of infection. Other issues, Let us assume that infection is not caused by sex gels. However, sex lubricants are said to contain certain chemicals that can cause allergies to sensitive skin people or irritations. They are mostly the desensitizing agents in lubricants like benzocaine which is a topical anesthetic. There can be other lubricants for sex that contain capsaicin (yeah the one found in chilies!) Certain flavours and fragrances might cause irritation and rashes like glycerin, glycol or parabens. Buyers are expected to read the components while buying a particular sex gel to avoid further issues. By applying a little amount of a new sex lube on the inside part of elbow one can check the sensitivity of skin. If there is no redness past one day, the chemical is okay to be used else it should be stopped immediatelyAt times sex lubes can degrade latex and therefore they must not be used simultaneously with latex condoms. Some of the examples like mineral oil, baby oil has been reported to degrade latex. There are certain water-based lubricants too like Astroglide which might decrease sperm motility. However, the above statement hasn’t been proved scientifically but still, it is better to be safe than sorry!

At the
end, I would like to say, sex cream are not as harmful as they are expected to be if used within limits. It might be a good solution for dryness issues and help in improving the sex life of the couple but before any type of consumption, thorough research must be done on personal body as well as the product.