Sexual lubricants have become widely popular these days as both men and women seek more excitement in bedroom. This article discusses all about sexual lubes including different types of sexual lubes and their purposes.

What is natural lubrication?

When a woman is sexually aroused, her vagina produces a lubricating fluid. This liquid acts as a natural lubrication and facilitates easy penetration for the penis. Besides, it also protects delicate vaginal tissue during sex. In the absence of sufficient natural lubrication when your partner is selfish or in a rush to have penetrative sex and you are not aroused yet, sex can be painful. Sometimes women may also suffer from gynaecological problems or infections meaning you are not able to get aroused and there is no sufficient natural lubrication to facilitate sex. In these situations the use of personal lubes is recommended. Unlike the vagina, the anus does not produce natural lubrication and hence its tissue may easily tear when practising anal sex. Therefore, the use of lubes become essential during anal sex.

What are sexual lubricants or lubes?

Sexual lubricants, which are sometimes known as lubes, are specialised lubricants that are widely used to enhance the pleasure of sex or masturbation. They are also used to reduce friction when the penis enters the vagina or anus. Lubes help to reduce pain during sex especially when the woman's vagina is unable to produce sufficient lubrication, when practising anal sex or when masturbating with the aid of sex toys.

What are the different types of sexual lubes?

Different types of personal or sexual lubes are available on the market such as water based lubes, silicone based lubes, oil based lubes and flavoured lubricants. You may choose any depending on your personal preferences. Given below is a brief description of few of the popular types of sexual lubes:

Water-based lubes - As the name suggests, these are water-soluble personal lubricants. These are by far the most popular and the most widely available personal lubricant on the market. The biggest advantage of water-based lubes is that they are easy to clean up after sex, besides these do not affect the latex in the condom. However, most water-based lubes are incompatible with sex acts performed in water such as bathtubs, pools or hot tubs as they can be dissolved or dispersed in water.

Oil-based lubes - Certain oil-based lubes are found useful by pre-menopausal women, menopausal women or women suffering from vulvodynia (inflammation of the vulvar nerves that can cause burning, stinging, rawness, itching, etc.). In such situations, you may require a stronger lube to ease friction. However, oil-based lubes do not go well with the latex in condoms so you carry the risk of sexually transmitted diseases as well as an unwanted pregnancy. Besides, these are harder to clean off your body and therefore expose you to the risk of bacterial infection.

Silicone-based lubes - These are the newest types of sexual lubes and are quite popular. Silicone-based lubes do not absorb into skin, instead, they stay on the surface of your skin to provide a durable glide. Though silicon-based lubes are harder to wash off the body, they last much longer than any other type. Not all silicone-based lubes available on the market are latex-safe so you'll need to check the label before use. Silicone-based lubes should not be used with silicone-based sex toys. This is because the lubricants dissolve the surface of the toys, making them sticky and causing them to disintegrate.

Flavoured lubes - These are a type of specialised lubes used to enhance the pleasure of sex. These are mainly water-based lubes that are intended for external use and not inside the vagina or anus. These are available in various flavours you may choose any depending in your personal preference.

What are the different uses of sexual lubes?

Listed below are the various uses of sexual lubes -

• To enhance the pleasure of sexual activity
• To reduce pain women may experience during sexual activity if the vagina is contracted or if there is insufficient lubrication
• To facilitate anal sex, since anus has no natural lubrication
• To assist masturbation with the aid of sex toys
• They can also be used for medicinal purpose such as gynaecological examinations, digital rectal examinations, and in the use of enema nozzles and rectal thermometers

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