Personal lubricant: Encyclopedia - Personal lubricant

Personal lubricant

Personal lubricants are specialized lubricants used to reduce friction with the genitals or anus. Personal lubricants were originally derived from surgical lubricants designed for use during medical procedures, but are now most commonly used to provide lubrication for sexual acts, particularly where natural lubrication by vaginal fluids is not available or insufficient.

Personal lubricant - Types

Personal lubricant - Water-based

Water-based personal lubricants are water soluble, and are generally the type which is least irritating to body surfaces. These are descended from a cellulose and water combination, originally labeled as 'Surgilube', released in the 1950s. Subsequent products have added various agents for spreading, water retention, and resistance to contamination. The viscosity of these products can be adjusted by adjusting their water content and concentration of cellulose (or other gel forming macromolecule). They do have a tendency to dry out during use, but application of additional water is sufficient to re-activate them. These properties lead to their frequent use for sexual activity.

Since the 1980s, a few companies have used a water soluble, silicon co-polymer (dimethicone), for a prolonged slippery effect. While these contain a silicone component they are still water based products. They are very slippery, which can be a disadvantage because a certain amount of friction is necessary for optimal sensation, their viscosity cannot be adjusted, and they can stain clothing and sheets.

Water-based lubricants are incompatible with sex acts which occur in water (such as in a bath) as they can be dissolved or dispersed in water.

Popular brands include K-Y Jelly, Astroglide, Sliquid, H2O, and ready lubricant.

The veterinary lubricant and special-effects slime ingredient J-Lube is sometimes used as a sexual lubricant, especially in some sexual subcommunities. It is usually purchased as a powder, which consists of polyethylene oxide mixed with sucrose as a dispersing agent, and produces an inexpensive and extremely slippery lubricant when mixed with water.

Personal lubricant - Oil-based

Petroleum jelly has long been used for medical procedures. Being oil-based, it does not react with body fluids in the same way as water-based products, making it longer lasting, though it is somewhat less lubricating. Petroleum jelly is sometimes used as a lubricant for anal sex. Although petroleum jelly is inexpensive and readily available, it can often be very difficult to clean off the body after sexual activity, due to the fact that it is not water soluble.

Unlike water-based lubricants, oil-based lubricants weaken latex and may reduce the effectiveness of latex condoms as a contraceptive and protection against sexually-transmitted diseases. This also applies to oil-based lotions or foods which may be used as an improvised lubricant.

It has been said that no oil-based lubricants should be used for anal sex or masturbation because "many oil-based substances will coat the lining of the rectum, providing a haven for many potential infections." ([1]).

Popular brands include Vaseline.

Personal lubricant - Silicone-based

Technically, most silicone-based lubricants are oils, as they are chemically hydrophobic. They tend to retain lubrication longer than water-based lubricants.

Silicone-based lubricants should not be used with silicone based sex toys.

Popular brands include Eros, Sliquid Silver, Wet Platinum and DeGLOW ([2]).

Personal lubricant - Specialty

"Specialty" lubricants are designed to cause physiological or physical changes to the area applied; these include warming lubricants which heat up in temperature on contact with the body. Breathing on these types of lubricants can also increase their temperature creating a pleasant warming sensation. Another type of specialty lubricant can increase blood flow to the regions in which they are applied creating a fuller erection of the penis or clitoris; these may contain vasodilators to theoretically increase blood flow after topical application. Still others include flavored lubricants.

Popular brands include Wet fun flavors (may be warming and/or flavored), Sliquid Swirl & Sliquid Sizzle (flavored lubricants), KY Jelly (warming lubricant) and Thermal (warming lubricant with vasodilator L-arginine).

Personal lubricant - Alternatives

Other substances improvised as sexual lubricants:

• moisturizing body lotion
• saliva
• cooking oils
• egg white
• fruit pulp and other foods

Personal lubricant - Uses

Personal lubricant - Medicine

In medicine, personal lubricants can be used for gynecological examinations, digital rectal examinations, and in the use of enema nozzles and rectal thermometers.

Personal lubricant - Sexual intercourse

A lubricant can be used to increase pleasure or reduce pain during sexual activity and may be used for lubricating the penis or dildo and/or the vagina or anus before sexual intercourse. Personal lubricants make bearable and even pleasurable acts that would otherwise be painful, such as anal sex, or vaginal intercourse when the woman experiences vaginal dryness or her vagina is contracted. It is generally sufficient to apply a good drop of gel on the vaginal entrance; anal sex may require a more generous application. There are also available combinations of personal lubricants with spermicides, to be injected into the vagina prior to intercourse.

Personal lubricant - Masturbation

Males and females masturbate differently. While males do produce a lubricating fluid (Cowper's fluid), the informal name for this fluid, "pre-come" or "pre-cum", already indicates that this may often be released only relatively shortly before orgasm or after intense mental stimulation. A lubricant may be used to facilitate the use of certain sex toys, or with females as part of prolonged clitoral stimulation.

Category: Personal lubricants

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Personal lubricant", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki