While the cream you describe would be fine with the dilators themselves, we doctors recommend against using oils in the vagina. Oils tend to promote the growth of bacteria and break down or weaken tissues. Lubricants especially made for vaginal use are worth the investment.
If you're using silicone dilators, use water-based lubricants with them. Silicone lubricants on silicone products (dilators or vibrators) will cause the surface to degrade over time.
Dr. Barb DePree, M.D., has been a gynecologist and women’s health provider for almost 30 years and a menopause care specialist for the past ten.
2 comments
That may be true for olive oil but what about coconut oil? I heard that coconut oil was different due to different weight, pH, etc. (ps. It works very well for me!!)
Coconut oil has had some recent popularity, but the jury is still out really on the safety of it, and just by being an oil there is an increased likelihood of trapping bacteria making some women at risk for infection. The premenopausal woman can probably put nearly anything in her vagina and get away with it (OK, so maybe not anything), but this all changes for the menopausal woman. If it works for you, I’d say stick with it.