When choosing a lube, the general rule is to avoid the following ingredients:
- Glycerin
- Petroleum
- Alcohol
- Parabens
Not only can glycerin, petroleum, and alcohol cause yeast infections, but “these additives can lead to allergic reactions and also increase the risk of bacterial infections,” says Dr. White. (Glycerin, as well as glycerol, is a type of sugar alcohol that’s been linked to yeast infections.)
According to a 2022 study published in the International Journal of Environment Research and Public Health, parabens are endocrine-disruptive chemicals (EDCs), meaning they do just that: disrupt the body’s endocrine system. EDCs have been linked to breast cancer, that’s why avoiding them anytime you can is always a good idea.
“Definitely read the label’s list of ingredients before you pick a lube off the shelf or from an online store,” says Charlsie Celestine, MD, an obstetrics and gynecology physician in New Jersey. “You want to avoid fragrance, flavor, or aroma. Avoid other ingredients such as alcohol that can be irritative, and spermicide ingredients such as chlorhexidine gluconate and nonoxynol-9. Avoid propylene glycol as well. Also steer clear of those lubes that advertise a warming, cooling, or tingling sensation, as the ingredients that give these tend to be possible irritants.”
As enticing as novelty formulas (hi, warming lubes!) may seem for your sex life, if you consider the boatload of chemicals required to create these products, then that should put you off right there. If you still want to heighten the senses during sex, consider temperature play as a foreplay idea. With toys, that could involve heating or cooling a dildo made of glass or steel, while with a partner, that could be teasing each other with ice, warmed-up massage oil, or hot wax from a candle.
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