Can you use baby oil as a lubricant during sexual intercourse or masturbation?
Being water-resistant, the petroleum-based mineral oil softens skin by creating a barrier and preventing moisture loss.
Its slippery quality, fragrant scent, and reasonable price make it an alluring option during sex.
However, baby oil should not be used as lube during intercourse as the risks outweigh the benefits.
Why You Cannot Use Baby Oil as Lube?
The possible risks of using baby oil to enhance sexual experience when applied to the private parts include damage to condoms and other barrier methods, skin irritation in the private areas, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and risk of pregnancy.
Let’s explore the risks of using baby oil as a lubricant during sexual acts in further detail.
Possible Risks of Using Baby Oil as a Sexual Lubricant
Although baby oil is widely used to moisturize skin, it doesn’t mean it is safe to use it as a lubricant on your private areas.
Lubricants are an excellent way to enhance sexual pleasure by reducing friction and pain.
They can be applied to the vagina and vulva, the penis, a sex toy, or the anus before sex.
In the heat of the moment, it may seem like an easy solution to reach for household products, such as petroleum jelly (Vaseline), cooking oils, dairy, butter, shortening, face creams, and body lotions.
However, only products strictly intended as sex lubes are safe to use during sexual activities.
Otherwise, you run the risk of
- Damaging barrier methods – condoms, diaphragms, cervical caps, or dental dams
- Skin irritation in the private areas – the vulva or anus
- Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
- Increased chance of pregnancy
- Injury
- Damaged linen and clothing
Read more:
Risks of Using Baby Oil as a Sexual Lubricant Explained
Baby oil is water-insoluble. Therefore, it is difficult to wash out. Even if you use soap and water, removing it completely often requires some scrubbing.
As a skin softener, baby oil is perfectly safe. However, using it as a lubricant in your private parts poses some risks you need to be aware of.
Let’s take a look.
It Weakens Barrier Methods
Whether using condoms – male or female, diaphragms, cervical caps, or dental dams, if they are latex-based, baby oil can break them down.
As a byproduct of the crude oil refining process, baby oil is a petroleum-based mineral oil.
According to a study published in the journal Contraception, “sixty seconds’ exposure of commercial latex condoms to mineral oil…caused approximately 90% decrease in the strength of the condoms.”
Even using baby oil during foreplay or masturbation before engaging in sexual activity without cleaning up thoroughly can damage the condom or other barrier method.
A weakened barrier method of any kind can lead to unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Baby oil can also damage latex, silicone, rubber, or plastic sex toys, leaving you with an awful mess instead of a pleasurable experience.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that only water- or silicone-based lubricants be used during sex.
It Causes Skin Irritation
Due to its water-repelling qualities, baby oil can create a barrier on the skin.
The skin around the vulva and the anus is quite sensitive to chemicals and moisture, which often leads to skin irritation, especially if microorganisms become trapped beneath the barrier.
This can cause anything from itching, burning, rashes, soreness, and pus secretion.
Additionally, because baby oil is difficult to wash off, scrubbing may be necessary, which further irritates the delicate skin of your private parts.
It Can Lead to Injury
The goal of sex lube is to increase sexual enjoyment by increasing the body’s moisture, mainly in the private areas.
However, the slippery nature of baby oil can lead to penis injury if those involved become overly enthusiastic during sex.
An Increased Risk of Pregnancy
There are several ways in which baby oil can lead to an increased risk of pregnancy.
The nature of baby oil means that it can adversely interact with latex-based sexual barriers.
A damaged condom or diaphragm cannot protect from sperm penetration, potentially resulting in an unwanted pregnancy.
Additionally, because baby oil is so slippery, the condom may also slip off during sex, hence removing the necessary protection to prevent an unplanned pregnancy.
It Can Cause Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
Using baby oil as a lubricant can lead to a higher incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
According to a 2013 study published in Obstetrics & Gynecology, scientists discovered that petroleum-based lubricants are twice as likely to develop bacterial vaginosis, while those who used oils were at greater risk of developing a vaginal yeast infection.
Individuals prone to yeast infections should avoid any oil-based lubricant, including baby oil.
Which Oil Can Be Used as a Lubricant?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, the following oils are safe to use as lube, especially if you are experiencing vulvar irritation:
- Coconut Oil
- Hempseed Oil
- Grape Seed Oil
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Sunflower Oil
- Vitamin E Oil
Natural oils are thick; some can easily wash off, while others cannot.
Just as with baby oil, natural oils can create a barrier on the skin, trapping microbes between irritated skin and the oil barrier, leading to further complications.
Therefore, keep this in mind when selecting a natural oil, as it could potentially lead to further irritation of the private area.
Also, never use ANY type of oil along with a latex condom or other type of latex barrier method, as it will cause damage, rendering the protection ineffective.
FAQ’s
1. Can baby oil cause urinary tract infections (UTIs)?
Lubricants, including oil-based lubes and baby oil, do not directly cause urinary tract infections (UTIs), since the main cause of the infection is bacteria, primarily E. coli found in the anus, that enter the urethra.
However, being petroleum-based, baby oil contains chemicals that can irritate the urinary tract, making it easier for bacteria to enter and become trapped in the urinary tract, indirectly causing the right conditions for a UTI.
Additionally, sexual activity in itself and the friction caused by it can also irritate the urethra, potentially leading to a UTI.
2. Can baby oil cause yeast infections?
Yes, using baby oil as a lubricant can lead to a higher incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which include vaginal yeast infections.
3. Does baby oil kill sperm?
According to a study published in the journal Fertility and Sterility, researchers found that “baby oils showed no deleterious effect and may be considered sperm-friendly coital lubricants.”
However, any type of lubrication, including baby oil, may reduce the ability of sperm to move freely toward the egg.
Sources
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2535978
https://www.cdc.gov/condom-use/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/condomeffectiveness/docs/male-condom-use-508.pdf
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23635677
https://www.webmd.com/women/what-is-bacterial-vaginosis
https://www.webmd.com/women/understanding-vaginal-yeast-infection-basics
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-can-i-use-instead-of-lube
https://www.ehg.health/uti-vs-sti/#:~:text=A%20UTI%2C%20or%20urinary%20tract,lead%20to%20more%20serious%20complications.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24462060
https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/trying-to-get-pregnant-select-a-lubricant-that-is-most-helpful-for-sperm
