I spoke with three “sexperts” — Claire Cavanah, cofounder of sex-toy shop BabelandWendy Strgar, “loveologist” and founder of organic sexual health products company Good Clean LoveDr. Lauren Streicher, OB/GYN and clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University Medical School — to find out what kinds of products they absolutely DO NOT recommend, and which ones they do.
Toys made of jelly rubber are also porous, added Cavanah, “which means they can harbor bacteria, too.”
“The best way to tell if a toy is made of safe material is if you open the box and you can smell the plastic," said Strgar. “Just think — that’s going in your vagina.”
Not all lubes are created equally, she noted. “I have a whole chapter devoted to lubricant in my book.”
What you should use instead is a water- or silicone-based lubricant, like Wet Platinum or Replens Silky Smooth, which is more slippery and lasts longer.
“There have been some concerns about how [parabens] impact hormones,” said Cavanah. And as for N-9: “It can cause tiny micro-tears in the mucous membranes of the vagina and anus, so instead of protecting people from HIV, lubes with N-9 can actually create a greater risk.”
Strgar was especially vocal about petrochemicals. “KY, Astroglide — it’s all made with really heavy chemicals,” she said, which can sometimes lead to bacterial vaginosis. “You want your intimacy products to provide more glide, but not disturb the natural equilibrium of your body.”
“If you’re going to use a banana, a cucumber, a carrot, whatever, put a condom on it because it can break off inside of you and get stuck, or it can scratch.”
Lambskin condoms “don’t protect against the transmission of STDs or HIV,” Cavanah said. Unlike latex, lambskin has tiny pores that can still allow viruses like HIV and herpes through. Yikes.
“There are so many high-end toy companies around right now, and if you can find one of those companies that’s making a nice, silicone toy" — for vaginal or anal use — “that’s what you want to go to, just in terms of safety,” said Strgar.
Technically, “the rectum is not designed for intercourse,” noted Dr. Streicher, and the tissue can tear. But if you’re going to use anything anally, “listen to your body,” she said. “If it hurts, there’s a reason it hurts.”
title: “Sexperts List 6 Products You Should Never Put In Your Vagina” ShowToc: true date: “2024-09-14” author: “Mary Dalton”
I spoke with three “sexperts” — Claire Cavanah, cofounder of sex-toy shop BabelandWendy Strgar, “loveologist” and founder of organic sexual health products company Good Clean LoveDr. Lauren Streicher, OB/GYN and clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University Medical School — to find out what kinds of products they absolutely DO NOT recommend, and which ones they do.
Toys made of jelly rubber are also porous, added Cavanah, “which means they can harbor bacteria, too.”
“The best way to tell if a toy is made of safe material is if you open the box and you can smell the plastic,” said Strgar. “Just think — that’s going in your vagina.”
Not all lubes are created equally, she noted. “I have a whole chapter devoted to lubricant in my book.”
What you should use instead is a water- or silicone-based lubricant, like Wet Platinum or Replens Silky Smooth, which is more slippery and lasts longer.
“There have been some concerns about how [parabens] impact hormones,” said Cavanah. And as for N-9: “It can cause tiny micro-tears in the mucous membranes of the vagina and anus, so instead of protecting people from HIV, lubes with N-9 can actually create a greater risk.”
Strgar was especially vocal about petrochemicals. “KY, Astroglide — it’s all made with really heavy chemicals,” she said, which can sometimes lead to bacterial vaginosis. “You want your intimacy products to provide more glide, but not disturb the natural equilibrium of your body.”
“If you’re going to use a banana, a cucumber, a carrot, whatever, put a condom on it because it can break off inside of you and get stuck, or it can scratch.”
Lambskin condoms “don’t protect against the transmission of STDs or HIV,” Cavanah said. Unlike latex, lambskin has tiny pores that can still allow viruses like HIV and herpes through. Yikes.
“There are so many high-end toy companies around right now, and if you can find one of those companies that’s making a nice, silicone toy" — for vaginal or anal use — “that’s what you want to go to, just in terms of safety,” said Strgar.
Technically, “the rectum is not designed for intercourse,” noted Dr. Streicher, and the tissue can tear. But if you’re going to use anything anally, “listen to your body,” she said. “If it hurts, there’s a reason it hurts.”
title: “Sexperts List 6 Products You Should Never Put In Your Vagina” ShowToc: true date: “2024-10-05” author: “Randy Reyes”
I spoke with three “sexperts” — Claire Cavanah, cofounder of sex-toy shop BabelandWendy Strgar, “loveologist” and founder of organic sexual health products company Good Clean LoveDr. Lauren Streicher, OB/GYN and clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University Medical School — to find out what kinds of products they absolutely DO NOT recommend, and which ones they do.
Toys made of jelly rubber are also porous, added Cavanah, “which means they can harbor bacteria, too.”
“The best way to tell if a toy is made of safe material is if you open the box and you can smell the plastic,” said Strgar. “Just think — that’s going in your vagina.”
Not all lubes are created equally, she noted. “I have a whole chapter devoted to lubricant in my book.”
What you should use instead is a water- or silicone-based lubricant, like Wet Platinum or Replens Silky Smooth, which is more slippery and lasts longer.
“There have been some concerns about how [parabens] impact hormones,” said Cavanah. And as for N-9: “It can cause tiny micro-tears in the mucous membranes of the vagina and anus, so instead of protecting people from HIV, lubes with N-9 can actually create a greater risk.”
Strgar was especially vocal about petrochemicals. “KY, Astroglide — it’s all made with really heavy chemicals,” she said, which can sometimes lead to bacterial vaginosis. “You want your intimacy products to provide more glide, but not disturb the natural equilibrium of your body.”
“If you’re going to use a banana, a cucumber, a carrot, whatever, put a condom on it because it can break off inside of you and get stuck, or it can scratch.”
Lambskin condoms “don’t protect against the transmission of STDs or HIV,” Cavanah said. Unlike latex, lambskin has tiny pores that can still allow viruses like HIV and herpes through. Yikes.
“There are so many high-end toy companies around right now, and if you can find one of those companies that’s making a nice, silicone toy" — for vaginal or anal use — “that’s what you want to go to, just in terms of safety,” said Strgar.
Technically, “the rectum is not designed for intercourse,” noted Dr. Streicher, and the tissue can tear. But if you’re going to use anything anally, “listen to your body,” she said. “If it hurts, there’s a reason it hurts.”
