Oh, the wide, wild world of lubes! So many types, flavors, and sensations, but where to begin? From a problem-solver to a pleasure-provider, there’s no doubt that the right sexual lubricant can improve your sexual experience, enhance arousal, and invite heightened satisfaction to your sex life. But, with so many to choose from, it's so easy to get lost trying to select the right one.
Since the balance of our delicate vagina environment can be easy to disrupt, several companies are introducing to the market new, safe alternatives for each type of body and situation in hopes to revolutionize how people shop for lubricants. Hidden among these choices, we find lubes that haven’t been designed with a truly safe formula to keep your vaginal tissue healthy. So if you’ve bought an over-the-counter lube, we encourage you to check its list of ingredients before using. There is a possibility are that its ingredients are disrupting your vagina’s natural flora, leading to infections you may already be prone to
If you’re reading this, then perhaps you already know how uncomfortable and miserable Urinary Tract Infections can be. Sadly, you are not alone in this experience. Unfortunately one out of three vulva owners suffers from this recurrent condition. Although these numbers are alarming, there are ways of beating the statistics and preventing them, starting by choosing the best lube for UTIs.
If you're trying to reduce your chances of getting a UTI, we encourage you to read on. Ahead, you will learn how to pick the perfect lube that suits your needs so you can fully enjoy intimacy free from discomfort. We assure you next time, you’ll be dripping pure silky love.
What Are Urinary Tract Infections?
According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, “UTIs are common infections that happen when bacteria, often from the skin or rectum, enter the urethra and infect the urinary tract."
If you’ve ever had a UTI, you know that its signs can be excruciating and upsetting. When one experiences a UTI, the lining of the bladder and urethra turns red and sore, causing pain, pressure, or cramping in the groin, lower abdomen and lower back.
Commonly, there is a feeling of an urgent need to urinate frequently, but only a few drops are excreted, experiencing an intense burning sensation. You may notice an unpleasant odor emitting from your urine or a reddish color.
People with vaginas are more likely to develop a UTI than those with penises due to their urethra being shorter and closer to the vaginal opening. A UTI can spread from your bladder to your kidneys if not treated correctly, causing severe complications. In this case, the common symptoms are fever, chills, lower back pain, pain in the side of your back, nausea, and vomiting. If you think you have an infection, it’s essential to seek medical treatment and follow your healthcare provider’s advice right away.
If you get two or more UTIs within six months, or three in a year, this is called a "recurrent UTI" or "recurrent cystitis." Many factors can make you more prone to urinary tract infections, such as vaginal dryness after menopause, having kidney stones, and being sexually active.
Sex and UTI
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) come up a lot when talking about sexual health since Vaginal penetration is the number one cause of urinary tract infections in people with vaginas. Factors that can lead toward a UTI is to combine a shorter urethra, sexual activity, and a good mix of bacteria from the skin around your urinary and vaginal opening.
Vaginal dryness may also put you at higher risk for UTIs. If you find yourself a little bit on the drier side during sexual intercourse, irritation and friction may help bacteria grow. Sex may physically push bacteria into the urethra, where they migrate into the bladder and spread around the urinary tract, causing an infection. Studies also indicate that vaginal penetration can irritate the urethra, leading to bladder infections.
If you are prone to UTIs, it is advisable to clean away as much bacteria as possible before sexual activity by taking a shower or washing the genital and anal region with an approved soap and warm water. Also, urinating before and after sex can prevent bacteria growth in the bladder. Nevertheless, we have a sexier solution for you that perhaps you haven't previously considered: Sexual Lubricants.
The Fine Line Between Problem-Solver to Trouble-Maker
How can my lube prevent UTI from appearing? The answer is that it will indirectly. The right lube can avoid skin irritation and trauma to the vulvar area of the vagina, preventing certain kinds of infections, such as UTIs and Yeast Infections. On the other hand, some companies have not designed lubricants that are truly safe and healthy for vaginal tissue, but share shelf space with those that are. Unfortunately, choosing the “wrong” lube could be trigger a UTI, especially if you are UTI-prone.
The key is to ensure you're using the best lube and ingredients for the UTI prone. Some ingredients in the lubricants could also be harmful to healthy and helpful Lactobacillus bacteria naturally present in your vagina.
Avoid when possible potential harmful ingredients, such as petroleum-based oils or mineral-based oils. This is crucial since those can cause vaginal inflammation and break the balance between the organisms that constitute your vaginal flora. When this happens, it can make your vagina a more favorable environment for other pathogenic bacteria to thrive, such as E. coli, the causative agent of 90% of all UTIs.
If you want something natural, using coconut, avocado, or olive oil, is an excellent way to go, but only if you're having safe, unprotected sex. Since these natural oils can break down latex, they’re not compatible with some condoms. Additionally, some condoms are covered with a lubricant that might disrupt vaginal flora, increasing the possibility of getting a UTI. In fact, most condom manufacturers recommend that you use additional personal lube since it improves safety and enhances the experience.
For these several reasons, it is important to educate yourself and learn more about which types of lubes are best for you and what ingredients you should avoid to prevent irritation and dryness.
Here is a simple trick. Make sure you're well lubricated before any sexual interaction, whether it be with a partner, with a toy, or by your lonesome. Using a water-based lube, like GoLove, can be a real lifesaver. This luxurious CBD lubricant has a unique blend of body-safe ingredients, natural soothers, and skin-nourishing hyaluronic serum that prevents friction, trauma, and irritation.
It contains 200mg of therapeutic, USA-grown organic CBD, a non-psychoactive compound taken from cannabis and hemp which research has discovered to solve various medical conditions.
Research suggests that CBD works to lessen the inflammation and pain we suffer during UTI. Thanks to its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, GoLove is the best lube for UTI prone. This lube eases swelling and discomfort while helping fight the bacteria that has infiltrated the body, even if it is a drug-resistant bacteria due to CBD’s antibacterial quality. Nevertheless, more studies are being completed to validate CBD’s effectiveness and impact on UTI.
Best Lube For Preventing UTI
When it comes to the best lube for UTI prone, you can find multiple options to choose from:
Water-based Lubricants:
These are the best lubes for avoiding UTI since they mimic the natural lubrication while keeping your vaginal flora intact. Safe with condoms and your toys, water-based lubes are usually enhanced with natural ingredients that soothe your skin and help to prevent UTIs. However, these kinds of lubes dry out very quickly, but you can promptly reactivate them with a little bit of water or saliva, and get back down to business.
1-Sutil Luxe Botanical Lubricant: This is an ecorotic® water-based, long-lasting lube option with moisturizing, hydrating, and soothing qualities to enhance intimacy at any sensual experience. Sutil is not aloe vera-based; it includes botanicals such as lotus root, which give it a slight taste. It is a great partner with all barrier methods during safer sex play and just as good with your favorite silicone toys.
2-Lora DiCarlo Fluid Aqua Lubricant: In playtime pleasure, Fluid Aqua is your perfect partner. This super-slick, vegan, water-based lubricant is glycerin and parabens-free to give you more glide for extended periods. Featuring a silky smooth texture, Fluid Aqua provides a cushiony texture and superior slickness without lessening the feeling of friction during intimate play. What’s best is that it is great for making anal sex more comfortable and safe for use with silicone or any other of your sensual objects.
3-Slippery Kitty Au Naturel Lubricant: Silky smooth and never tacky, the Slippery Kitty Lubricant is a natural, long-lasting water-based lubricant enriched with Vitamin E and Aloe, perfect for a sensitive vaginal environment. Recommended by Cosmopolitan May 2017, Slippery Kitty’s pH balanced, hypoallergenic formula developed by America’s Pleasure Coach, Dr. Sadie Allison, adds more slippery glide to your ride, no matter what kind of sex play you prefer. This latex-friendly lube is female body-safe, without those harsh parabens and irritating glycerine found in other brands. Just drizzle on a few drops of Slippery Kitty and feel how it heightens your senses and invites arousal.
4-Hathor Aphrodisia Lubricant Pure: This is a vegan, water-based lubricant balanced with Horny Goat Weed, a botanical emollient with a long history of use in traditional Eastern medicine for its passionate powers. It has also been attributed to alleviating vaginal dryness, treat low libido and erectile dysfunction. Its all-natural, slightly sweet, thick gel formula is perfect for people with sensitivities and works wonderfully for anal as well. It’s chemical-free, containing no colors, fragrances, glycerin, or parabens, making it one of the best lubes for UTI prone.
5-Good Clean Love Bionude Personal Lubricant: This unflavored and unscented,100% Isotonic, pH-balanced lubricant mimics natural feminine moisture to enhance your pleasure. Safe for couples trying to conceive (TTC), BioNude is scientifically formulated free of parabens, petrochemicals, or glycerin for women with sensitive vaginal ecosystems.
Oils and oil-based lube for UTI prone
Oil-based lubes, like Coconut Oil, can double for a sexy and fun massage oil, but have their pros and cons.
These are safe to use for people engaging in sex without a barrier method of contraception. Since Oil-based lubricants increase the chances of a ripped or torn condom, they’re not suitable for practicing safe sex using condoms.
Recent studies have revealed that coconut oil offers anti-inflammatory properties and 90% and 80% antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, respectively.
If you’re seeking the best lube to help prevent UTI for males and females,Coconu can be a solution. Its long-lasting, oil-based formula will stimulate your senses for deeply satisfying sexual experiences, while its organic ingredients provide real, natural health benefits.
This USDA-certified organic lube formula, designed to protect and moisturize dry or sensitive vaginal and anal tissues, is 100% edible and doesn't contain any alcohol, petroleum, parabens, gluten, fragrances, or dyes.
Bottom Line
Vaginal exposure to lubricants can also have toxic side effects long after their use, posing a considerable risk to reproductive health. For this reason, it’s essential to pay attention to any reactions or symptoms after lubricant use.
If you notice irritation, try switching brands because you may be experiencing unnecessary discomfort and irritation due to the wrong choice of lube, leading to unwanted yeast infections and UTIs. Moreover, adding best practices like washing your vagina pre coitus, urinating before and after sex, and using the proper lubricant can make a real difference, especially for the UTI-prone.
Finally, if despite all that UTI comes knocking again, we advise consulting your medical provider to consult what further actions are needed.