Is Using Coconut Oil as a Lube Safe for Sex?

Coconut oil has been hailed as a totally natural and affordable miracle worker.

The alleged benefits of coconut oil are countless. Aiding gut health, fighting heart disease, boosting brain function, saving dehydrated hair and soothing dry skin are just a few of the advantages that coconut oil boasts.

However, it appears the uses of coconut oil can extend even further than the dietary and cosmetic realms…
Yep, coconut oil is also a very popular choice of lube.

Well, it makes perfect sense, doesn’t it? Coconut oil is extremely lubricating, affordable, accessible and it also kinda smells good too. Right off the bat, it appears that coconut oil is quite literally the perfect lube option to add to your sex life.

However, is it all too good to be true? Is coconut oil really safe to be using as a sexual lubricant? Let’s find out some more…

Wait, why do I even need lube?

If you’ve never experienced issues with natural lubrication during sex, you may be wondering why you should even use lube at all.

It’s a common misconception that sexual lubricants are used to ‘fix an issue’. Sure, lots of women use lube to help with vaginal dryness, and there are a plethora of reasons as to why your vagina may not produce enough moisture for comfortable intercourse. Hormones, medication, aging and plain old genetics can all be valid reasons as to why you’re feeling a little dry down there.

Anyhoo, there are loads of added benefits to using lube that have little to do with how your body naturally functions.

Firstly, adding a lubricant into your sex life can just help things run a little… smoother. Lube decreases friction in your genitals- so even if you do experience natural lubrication from your vagina, an added lubricant can help the whole experience of intercourse feel completely seamless.

Additionally… lube feels really good. It can help increase sensitivity in the vagina and the penis, as well as introducing a different sensory dynamic. Lube doesn’t just have to go on your genitals! You can rub it into different parts of your body (and your partners…) for an exciting, slippery session.

So, whether you need to use lube or not is kind of beside the point. You may well want to try it out just for the fun of it!

So, is coconut oil safe to us as a lube?

As we mentioned earlier, it is easy to see why people enjoy using coconut oil as a lube for sex. It’s affordable and easy to purchase, and it’s totally natural- free from any chemicals or artificial fragrances that are present in many sexual lubricant products. As a result, coconut oil may be the perfection option for those with allergies or skin sensitivities.

However, the questions remains… is it safe?

Well, a 2014 scientific study concluded that coconut oil is completely safe to be used as a moisturiser on your skin. However, there is yet to be any solid information about how safe it is when used internally, as a sexual lubricant.

Sherry Ross, a women’s health physician in Santa Monica, claims that there aren’t really any risks to using coconut oil as a sexual lubricant.

Dr. Ross explains that coconut oil’s consistency makes it a perfect option for lube. It’s usually thicker, smoother and often lasts longer than silicone and water-based lubes. Being a completely natural product, there appears to be very few risks when using coconut oil inside the vagina or on the penis.

However, it’s not all good news I’m afraid, folks.

Firstly, whilst there is no evidence to say that using coconut oil as a lube is dangerous… there isn’t any evidence to say it is safe to be used as lube. As a result, caution should always be taken when using it.

In addition, coconut oil should never be used when using latex condoms. Like any oil-based lube, coconut oil could damage the condom and decrease its efficiency. This can leave you and your partner at risk of an unwanted pregnancy or exposed to an STD. So, in short, always use a water-based lube when using condoms.

On a similar note, you should also be careful using coconut oil with any kind of plastic… Yep, we’re talking about toys here.

Oil, in general, has been known to dissolve plastic over time. However, this only really happens over extended periods of time… so if you want to use coconut oil on your silicone dildo, chances are you’ll be fine. However, caution should always be taken over non-silicon plastic toys. In these cases, it may just be best to use a condom and a water-based lube. But, you do you!

Also, if you’re prone to yeast infections, then you may want to stay away from using coconut oil as a lube. Being a natural product, coconut oil has a high pH. Using the oil inside your vagina could potentially disturb your natural pH balances, causing an infection.

However, it is really important to note that there isn’t any scientific evidence to suggest that coconut oil will disrupt your pH. The vagina is incredibly complex, and no two women are the same. If you want to try out coconut oil as a lube, just proceed with caution if you feel your vagina is sensitive to pH changes.

Finally, It kind of goes without saying but… if you have a coconut allergy, you should really steer clear of using coconut oil as a lube. Sorry!

So, should I? Or shouldn’t I?

The final take-home regarding if you should use coconut oil as a lube for sex is… well, completely up to you!

If you’ve read this and have been using coconut oil as a lube for years with zero problems, then great! If you haven’t tried it before and you really want to, the hopefully this guide has given you a little more information to help you on your way.

In all, is coconut oil safe to be used as a sexual lubricant? Yes, it more than likely is totally safe. But I guess we’ll have to wait on the scientists to confirm that one for us!

The final take-home regarding if you should use coconut oil as a lube for sex is… well, completely up to you!

If you’ve read this and have been using coconut oil as a lube for years with zero problems, then great! If you haven’t tried it before and you really want to, then hopefully this guide has given you a little more information to help you on your way.

In all, is coconut oil safe to be used as a sexual lubricant? Yes, it more than likely is totally safe. But I guess we’ll have to wait on the scientists to confirm that one for us!