“Is it advisable to use vaginal gels?”

Is it advisable to use vaginal gels or are there other forms of lubrication?

Joanna

Currently, the pharmaceutical industry has developed wonderful products for female genital care. Dryness and lack of lubrication is one of the most frequent consultations, since the lack of lubrication can lead us, not only to less pleasant sex, but even painful. Within these specific products for the vagina, we have, on the one hand, vaginal moisturizers, which are gels that will provide hydration in basic daily or frequent vaginal care. It means that we will use a moisturizer to improve the hydration of the vagina, and avoid dryness in general.

Now, when we have sexual relations we can find that the response we expect from our body (that when we get excited we lubricate) is difficult. This can happen for multiple reasons: taking hormonal contraceptives, times of stress, or periods where there is a decrease in estrogen such as during menopause or while breastfeeding. When it is difficult for us to lubricate, we can use a lubricant that is a product specifically designed and formulated to supply lubrication externally. These products are specially formulated to make sexual intercourse easier, because they reduce friction, and provide that feeling of moisture and lubrication that we expect during sex.

Not many years ago, getting a lubricant was an arduous task, and often they were only found in sex shopwhich were not so democratized nor were they so cute like now. Therefore, something as simple as a lubricant could be an almost luxury item. In addition to the stigma that it entailed (and that for some people still exists) because they understood that using a lubricant was something shameful.

The use of saliva can be a frequent resource. The only thing we must take into account is that the use of saliva does not make us have less safe sex. For example, moistening the genitals with saliva when having oral sex can be very effective, but we must bear in mind that if we are having casual sex, and we do not know if that person may have an STI, it is better not to have this mouth-genital contact. directly and use a condom.

If you have sexual relations in which you do not expect risk of STIs (and this means having a closed partner in which we have performed tests to rule out STIs), you can use saliva. But if this is not the case, and you need it, it is better that you use a lubricant. Of course, choose a quality lubricant, compatible with the condom, and certified as a sanitary product.

Finally, using a lubricant can not only be done out of necessity, or because we have a problem, but as a game element that makes us have different sensations.