Why Not To Use Oil as a Personal Lubricant

Oil might seem enticing to use as a lubricant. It is slick, thin, slippery and easily obtained. However, you should never use anything as a personal lubricant that isn't designed as a personal lubricant.

Oils are not recommended for use as a personal lubricant. Despite there being oil-based lubricants still available on the market (mostly for male masturbation purposes), I cannot recommend the use of them and they certainly should not be used for sexual intercourse. Many still believe that oils are safe to use for male masturbation, but basically, I can only say that if you do choose to use them, use them at your own risk.

After doing some reading into oils and oil-based lubricants, here are the reasons why anything oil-based should not be used as a personal lubricant. The following is true for petrolium-based products too (like vaseline).

Oil-based products (and petrolium-based products) are not safe to use with latex. They break down condoms, dams, other latex safer-sex products, latex sex toys and latex gloves.

A major problem (yet also it's positive characteristic) with oils and oil-based lubricants (including olive oil and baby oil) is that it stays on the skin for ages and does not wash away easily. I always find washing oils away a bit of a struggle, and must be even more problematic when it is on sensative areas or difficult to get to areas like the vagina, penis or rectum.

The problem is not so much it does not wash away, but rather what happens if it is not washed off thoroughly. Baterial and fungal infections can occur, since the skin has no way to breathe from the thin coating left, clogging up the pores. A problem particularly on sensitive skin like the groin, armpits, underneath of breasts and other areas that don't get a lot of area regularly.

This is something that is important to remember when using an oil for massage - and that includes massage specific oils. Be sure to wash any oils off the skin with warm soapy water after a massage or slippery play. But don't scrub the skin too hard or use harsh soaps to get it off, as this may damage the skin.

Using them in the vagina or anus can cause bacterial problems and other infections or irritations. For this reason it is very important not to use oil-based products for sexual intercourse.

A common misconception is that baby oil is safe to use since it is used on sensative baby's skin. However, many baby oils are scented and the perfumes are likely to upset the balance in the vagina (and sometimes the anus), leading to a yeast infection. There have also been reports of both men and women suffering extreme sensitivity or even pain after using baby oil as a lubricant, which can last anywhere between a few hours and a week afterwards. For these reasons, baby oils are not reccomended for sexual intercourse or masturbation purposes.

Using a water-based or silicone-based lubricant is often better and far safer to use than oils and oil-based lubricants.