Typical conversations about women’s sexual health tend to gravitate toward protection, overlooking one of the most crucial aspects: pleasure. Or, more specifically, the role of personal lubricants to promote comfort and intimacy during sex.
Many women associate lubricants with menopause or assume they’re only necessary to help reduce vaginal dryness or similar symptoms. But using a quality vaginal lubricant can enhance sexual experiences for all women, regardless of age, and can even help maintain your vaginal health. That’s one of the many reasons every woman should consider incorporating a safe lubricant into their routine.
What Is a Vaginal Lubricant?
A vaginal lubricant helps reduce friction during sex to make the experience smoother and more comfortable for all parties. Lubricants can come in many forms—water-based, silicone-based, and oil-based. Personal lubricants commonly enhance pleasure and intimacy and prevent any discomfort that can occur during sex.
Yet you may come across the term vaginal moisturizer as a substitute for lubricant. However, take note that the two serve different functions. While vaginal moisturizers help maintain hydration for everyday use, people typically use lubricants only during sexual activity to provide immediate relief from dryness and discomfort. Both play crucial roles in vaginal care. Lubricants are especially important for making sex more enjoyable and reducing the risk of irritation.
Who Needs to Use a Lubricant?
Everyone can benefit from using a personal lubricant. While it’s true that vaginal dryness becomes more common with age, especially during and after menopause, many women experience vaginal dryness throughout their lives. Hormonal changes, medications, and even stress can reduce natural, vaginal lubrication. Women who are pregnant, postpartum, or on certain birth control pills may also find that their bodies don’t produce enough lubrication.
Even women who typically produce “enough” lubrication may find themselves becoming drier during prolonged sexual activity. Using a lubricant can help ensure a smoother, more comfortable experience, regardless of how much lubrication your vagina produces.
Why the World Health Organization (WHO) Recommends Lubricants for All Women
The World Health Organization (WHO) even highlights the importance of lubricants as part of its mission to promote overall sexual health and wellbeing. Sexual health involves finding pleasure and comfort, not just avoiding sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). According to WHO guidelines, they consider lubricants an essential component of self-care to help empower everyone to take control of their sexual health.
However, by reducing discomfort and enhancing pleasure, lubricants can reduce the likelihood of breaking condoms, which does add a layer of protection against STDs. With such wide-ranging benefits, it’s clear why the WHO has become such a strong advocate for lubricants.
How to Choose the Right Lubricant for You
The key to choosing the right lubricant is understanding your own body’s needs and preferences. With so many options available, finding the right one can feel overwhelming, but here’s a simple breakdown of the most common types and their pros and cons.
Silicone-based lubricants are a great option if you’re looking for something longer-lasting. The products give a smooth, silky feel and don’t require reapplication as often. However, users shouldn’t use them with silicone sex toys and they can sometimes irritate the skin.
Oil-based lubricants include both synthetic and natural oils. While they can provide long-lasting moisture, oil-based lubricants can damage latex condoms. They’re also more likely to irritate sensitive skin and may increase the risk of yeast infections.
Water-based lubricants are the most versatile and widely recommended, safe to use with latex condoms, easy to clean up, and less likely to cause irritation. However, you may need to reapply them during longer intimate sessions as they tend to dry out faster than silicone-based products.
Lubricant Ingredients: Taking a Closer Look
When selecting a lubricant, we also recommend paying close attention to the product’s ingredients.
A good lubricant should support your vagina’s natural pH balance, which helps protect against infections. Women’s health experts often recommend water-based lubricants with a pH of around 4.5 to maintain good vaginal health.
Some lubricants come with added flavors, scents, or warming/tingling effects, and while these sound enjoyable, they often contain irritating chemicals. That’s why it’s best to choose a simple, high-quality lubricant.
FemmePharma’s Mia Vita Personal Lubricant and Moisturizer supports women’s intimate health needs with a gentle, water-based formula. The Mia Vita Lubricant and Moisturizer enhances comfort during intimacy by providing long-lasting lubrication and is designed to double as a daily moisturizer to maintain good vaginal health. It is free from harsh chemicals, is also pH-balanced, and promotes natural hydration.
Regardless of your age or life stage, using a quality lubricant is an easy way to improve comfort, pleasure, and support your sexual health and wellbeing.