Personal lubricant

WorldBrand briefing

AI supplement

Original synthesis to sit alongside the encyclopedia article below. Not part of Wikipedia; verify facts on Wikipedia when precision matters.

Personal lubricant refers to topical substances designed to reduce friction, enhance comfort, and support intimacy or medical procedures involving human bodily tissues. It is used across personal care, sexual health, and clinical settings, with formulations tailored to safety, compatibility with other products like condoms, and specific use cases.

Key moments

Pre-20th centuryEarly use of natural substances like olive oil, petroleum jelly, and bath oils for intimate and medical lubrication
1950s onwardsWidespread commercial adoption of personal lubricants, starting with clinical applications before expanding to consumer sexual health use
Late 20th centuryDevelopment of water-based, silicone-based, and oil-based specialized formulations to address limitations like staining, washability, and condom compatibility
21st centuryGrowth of natural, organic, and hypoallergenic lubricant options aligned with environmental and sensitive-safety preferences

Cultural and Regulatory Context

Personal lubricant use has shifted from informal, homemade solutions to a regulated consumer product category. Early formulations often had safety flaws, such as damaging latex condoms, which led to the development of specialized, condom-safe options. Regulatory bodies now classify many personal lubricants as medical devices or cosmetic products depending on their ingredients and intended use.

Market and Usage Significance

Beyond sexual health applications, personal lubricants are used in medical settings like rectal exams, catheter care, and treatment for conditions like vaginal dryness. The market has expanded to include inclusive formulations for all gender identities, with targeted products for transgender health, senior care, and disability support.

Evolution of Formulations

The category has evolved significantly: water-based lubricants remain the most common for their easy cleanup, silicone-based variants offer longer-lasting protection, and oil-based options are now less recommended due to condom degradation risks. Natural and plant-based formulations have grown in popularity as consumers prioritize clean-label products.

Personal lubricants (colloquially termed lube) are specialized lubricants used during sexual acts, such as intercourse and masturbation, to reduce friction to or between the penis and vagina, anus or other body parts, or applied to sex toys to reduce friction or to ease penetration.

Surgical or medical lubricants or gels, which are similar to personal lubricants but not usually referred to or labelled as "personal" lubricants, may be used for medical purposes, such as speculum insertion or introduction of a catheter, or for personal pleasure. The primary difference between personal lubricants and surgical lubricants is that surgical lubricants are thicker, sterile gels, typically containing a bacteriostatic agent.[1]

Types

By composition

Water-based

Water-based personal lubricants are water-soluble and are the most widely used personal lubricants. The earliest water-based lubricants were cellulose ether or glycerin solutions.

By usage

Vaginal lubricants

Vaginal lubricants are used to augment vaginal lubrication and reduce vaginal dryness and pain during intercourse, and by couples trying to conceive. During fertility interventions, the use of a lubricant eases sperm specimen collection by masturbation. Commonly used lubricants include saliva, oil (such as baby oil, olive oil, canola oil, or mineral oil) or commercially available lubricants that are either water-based or hydroxyethylcellulose-based.[8]

Human saliva and olive oil have been found to be detrimental to sperm function.[9][10][11] Certain commonly used commercial lubricants, although labeled as non-spermicidal or spermicidal agent-free, have been found to impair sperm function,[10][12][13][14][15] with several of these lubricants being as toxic to sperm in vitro as contraceptive gels.[16] Sperm motility and viability were found to be disrupted shortly after direct contact between sperm and those lubricants or in saliva.[10][12][17][18] Sperm function could be compromised following lubricant contact, due to the specific ingredients in the lubricant or due to the chemical properties of the lubricant, such as highly raised osmolarity or low pH.[15][19] Such lubricants are therefore unsafe for use during fertility procedures such as semen collection[10][12][13][16] or by couples trying to conceive by natural or assisted reproduction.[10][12][20][18]

Vaginal lubricants such as mineral oil, canola oil, or hydroxyethylcellulose-based lubricants are recommended for use by couples attempting conception by The Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.[8][9][10][16][15][19][21][22][23]

Anal-specific

Many lubricants are safe for anal sex, but there are products that are specifically marketed or designed to enhance enjoyment of anal sex. Often, this is simply a thicker gel rather than a liquid. This thicker consistency is preferable because it helps the lubricant stay in place. Some anal lubricants contain numbing agents to relieve discomfort during anal sex, although the use of numbing agents is generally inadvisable as a lack of sensation makes accidental injury more likely. Additionally, a commonly used numbing agent, benzocaine, can cause an allergic reaction in those with an allergy to PABA (4-aminobenzoic acid). Some lubricants are conveniently packaged for ease of application. Many of these products such as Astroglide Shooters have been pulled from the market due to FDA Medical Device Requirements.[24] Products containing benzocaine can numb all body parts with which they come in contact.

Uses

Sexual activity

A personal lubricant can be used to increase pleasure and reduce pain during sexual intercourse or other activities and may be used for lubricating the vulva, especially the clitoral glans, the vagina, the penis, the anus, stroker, dildo or other sex toys before or during activity. Lubricant may be applied to any body part desired, to the inside and/or outside of condoms, or to the hands or fingers. Personal lubricants are particularly useful for sexual foreplay and intercourse when a partner experiences dryness or excessive contraction (tightness) of the vagina or anus. Anal sex generally requires more generous application of lubricant since the anus does not have natural lubrication sufficient for most sexual activity.[28]

Masturbation

While most males and females produce varying amounts of their own lubrication, extra lubrication is sometimes sought when needed. There are specific lubricants which may be used in male masturbation, often called "masturbation creams", but are not suitable for vaginal or anal use or for use with condoms.[29] Many men in Japan use lubricant created specifically for onaholes such as the Tenga Egg.[30] Lubricant that is safe for sexual intercourse is also safe for masturbation.

Hand lotion is often used for recreational masturbation and popularly seen as an alternative to lubricants created specifically for sexual intercourse.[31]

Masturbation

Hand lotion is often used for recreational masturbation and popularly seen as an alternative to lubricants created specifically for sexual intercourse.[31]

Medicine

Enema nozzles[32][33] and rectal thermometer tips should be lubricated before use to minimize friction while inserting through the tightly retentive anal sphincter.[34]

Personal lubricants can help treat erectile dysfunction in older men.[35]

References

http://www.medline.com/catalog/category-products.jsp?iclp=Z05-CA10_08_05&N=106248&itemId=Z05-CA10_08_05&No=0 RET. DEC. 28, 2017^

Rebecca Vesely. Protecting Women from HIV--Docs Hopeful About Microbicides Scientific American, December 1, 2008, retrieved 6 December 2011^

Study finds most lubricants damage rectal cells and some increase HIV activity aidsmap, 26 February 2011, retrieved 30 April 2011^

CS Dezzutti, ER Brown, B Moncla, J Russo, M Cost. Is Wetter Better? An Evaluation of Over-the-Counter Personal Lubricants for Safety and Anti-HIV-1 Activity PLOS ONE, 2012^

The Latex Condom: Recent Advances, Future Directions FHI Network, Family Health International, 2010, retrieved 2010-06-29^

Study finds most lubricants damage rectal cells and some increase HIV activity AIDSMap, 26 February 2011, retrieved 30 April 2011^

Saturday, 4 May 2019 Personal Lubricant Help^

Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine in collaboration with the Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. Optimizing natural fertility: a committee opinion" Fertil Steril 2013;100(3): 631–7.^

Tulandi T, Plouffe L Jr, McInnes RA. Effect of saliva on sperm motility and activity" Fertil Steril 1982;38:721–3.^

L Anderson, SE Lewis, N. McClure. The effects of coital lubricants on sperm motility in vitro Hum Reprod, 1998^

GN Frishman, AA Luciano, DB. Maier. Evaluation of Astroglide, a new vaginal lubricant: effects of length of exposure and concentration on sperm motility Fertil Steril, 1992^

B Miller, TA Klein, MS. Opsahl. The effect of a surgical lubricant on in vivo sperm penetration of cervical mucus Fertil Steril, 1994^

A Mowat, C Newton, C Boothroyd, K Demmers, S Fleming. The effects of vaginal lubricants on sperm function: an in vitro analysis Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics, 2014^

A Agarwal, F Deepinder, M Cocuzza, RA Short, DP. Evenson. Effect of vaginal lubricants on sperm motility and chromatin integrity: a prospective comparative study Fertil Steril, 2008^

WH Kutteh, CH Chao, JO Ritter, W. Byrd. Vaginal lubricants for the infertile couple: effect on sperm activity Int J Fertil Menopausal Stud, 1996^

Ellington J, Daughtery S. Prevalence of vaginal dryness in trying-to-conceive couples" Fertil Steril 2003;79:21–2.^

B Demir, B Dilbaz, O Cinar, B Karadag, Y Tasci, M Kocak. Factors affecting pregnancy outcome of intrauterine insemination cycles in couples with favourable female characteristics J Obstet Gynaecol, 2011^

J Vargas, M Crausaz, A Senn, Germond. nonspermicidal lubricant and ultrasound gels used in reproductive medicine Fertil Steril, 2011^

J Ellington, S. Daughtery. Prevalence of vaginal dryness in trying-to-conceive couples Fertil Steril, 2003^

AZ Steiner, DL Long, C Tanner, AH Herring. Effect of vaginal lubricants on natural fertility Obstet Gynecol, Jul 2012^

A Agarwal, H Malvezzi, R. Sharma. Effect of an isotonic lubricant on sperm collection and sperm quality Fertil. Steril., 2013^

A Mowat, C Newton, C Boothroyd, K Demmers, S Fleming. The effects of vaginal lubricants on sperm function: an in vitro analysis J Assist Reprod Genet, 2014^

CFR – Code of Federal Regulations Title 21 www.accessdata.fda.gov, retrieved 2019-12-17^

Nude Personal Lubricant, Certified Organic by CCOF, Santa Cruz, California. slickn.com, retrieved 7 April 2018^

Sex-Life Road Test: Warming and Cooling Lubes Red Book Magazine, 27 April 2007, retrieved 6 December 2011^

Graham, Mark. Sexual Things GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies, 2004^

Personal Lubricants for Uninterrupted Pleasure Lube Zone, 2016-01-18, retrieved 2016-11-08^

Tyler Hauck. Lubricants for Sex: Oil-Based Lube AskMen.com, retrieved 2008-12-07^

Inside, Robot 15 November 2015^

Every Question You Have About Male Masturbation Habits, Answered 20 August 2019^

Aby Mitchell. Administering an enema: indications, types, equipment and procedure The British Journal of Nursing, 2019-02-14, retrieved 2023-08-17^

Soapsuds enema Biology-Online Dictionary, Biology-Online, 7 October 2019, retrieved 2023-08-17^

Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Measuring a Baby's Temperature Health Home – Conditions and Diseases, Johns Hopkins University, 2019-07-28, retrieved 2020-04-12^

HOW LUBRICANT CAN TRANSFORM YOUR SEX LIFE Independent.co.uk, 14 January 2019^

Lauren K. Wolf. Studies Raise Questions About Safety Of Personal Lubricants – December 10, 2012 Issue – Vol. 90 Issue 50 – Chemical & Engineering News cen.acs.org, retrieved 7 April 2018^

Emily Bass. Learning from microbicides: A young field's experience working with high-risk women AIDScience, IAVI, August 2002, retrieved 2008-12-07^

Birth Control – Nonoxynol-9 and Risk Reduction Our Bodies Ourselves, Global Campaign for Microbicides, March 2005, retrieved 2008-12-07^

Efficacy of the simultaneous use of condoms and spermicides. Fam Plann Perspect, 1991^

Personal lubricant

WorldBrand briefing

Cultural and Regulatory Context

Market and Usage Significance

Evolution of Formulations

Types

By composition

Water-based

Oil-based

Silicone-based

Water-based

Oil-based

Silicone-based

By usage

Vaginal lubricants

Anal-specific

Vaginal lubricants

Anal-specific

Organic or natural

Specialty lubricants

Other

Uses

Sexual activity

Masturbation

Masturbation

Medicine

Risks

See also

External links

References