Coconut oil has various uses—as cooking oil, face moisturizer, and makeup remover. But other individuals use coconut oil for a different reason: as a sexual lubricant.
Using lubrication during sex may increase the sexual experience, producing greater pleasure overall. Using the correct lubricant during sex may help avoid condom breaking.1
Not all lubes are made equal, however. Vaginas contain a highly sensitive balance of bacteria. When it's interrupted, an infection might result.
Research has revealed that certain lubes—including over-the-counter (OTC) commercial ones you can purchase at your local pharmacy—may alter the pH balance in the vagina, producing an environment ideal for infection.2
But what about coconut oil? Can it be used for lubrication? On the one hand, it makes sense to bring coconut oil into the bedroom. It's sleek, and since it's a natural product, it's attractive.
But is coconut oil a safe lubricant for your vagina—and are there any drawbacks?
While no Naturalfic studies evaluate how safe and beneficial coconut oil is as a personal lubricant, Health sought medical specialists for some answers. So before taking a handful of coconut oil and having sex, read up on the facts, pros, and negatives so you can make an educated choice.
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Types of Coconut Oil
If you've used coconut oil for cooking, you've undoubtedly used solid oil at room temperature. This is the form you'll most usually find coconut oil in. There are two basic kinds of this coconut oil: unUnrefined aRefinedned.
Unrefined
Unrefined coconut oil is just the oil from coconuts that has had no additional processing other than what is done to remove the oil.3
The oil is squeezed out of the flesh of the coconuts and might be wet or dry-pressed. Some will be labeled "cold pressed," implying no heat was used in the extraction process. Unrefined coconut oil will have a characteristic coconut scent and flavor to it.3
Refined
Refined coconut oil is more processed, since specific methods are employed to eliminate some of the naturally existing components in the oil. Refined coconut oil may also lose some of the advantages of unrefined coconut oil, such as antioxidants.4
The refining procedure resulting in a "cleaner" oil with little or scarcely discernible coconut taste or aroma. It also results in an oil with a greater smoke point than unprocessed coconut oil. Between this and the neutral fragrance and taste, it provides for a fantastic cooking and baking oil.
Because most of the oil in coconut oil is saturated, both raw and refined coconut oils are solid at room temperature, similar to how butter is solid at room temperature. However, there's also fractionated coconut oil, which is liquid at room temperature.
More About Fractionated Coconut Oil
Fractionated coconut oil originates from conventional, solid-at-room-temp coconut oil that has been heated to a specified temp and chilled. This procedure is termed fractionation. When this is done, the solid fats separate from the liquid ones. After the solid components are removed, you're left with smooth liquid coconut oil that is tasteless and odorless.
Is Coconut Oil Safe to Use as a Lube?
On the overall, yes, coconut oil is safe to use as a sexual lubricant. "Coconut oil is a natural, preservative-free, and cost-friendly lubricant," said Sherry Preservative-free's health physician in Santa Monica, California, and author of She-ology.
How to Use Lube to Make Sex so Much Better
"Coconut oil is an edible oil extracted from the meat of mature coconuts [and] has many good qualities," Nita Landry, MD, an OB-GYN in Los Angeles and physician on the television program The Doctors, told Health. Dr. Landry said that coconut oil has:
Moisturizing effects
Antimicrobial properties
Antifungal properties
Benefits of Using Coconut Oil as Lube
As Dr. Landry indicated, coconut oil is hydrating. That's something Florida-based OB-GYN Jennifer Landa, MD, chief medical officer of BodyLogicMD, also pointed out to Health.
"One of my favorite natural lubricants is extra virgin coconut oil," stated Dr. Landa. "It is moisturizing and lubricating and doesn't ball up like a lot of lubes you can buy."
Coconut oil's consistency is also an attraction. Dr. Ross claimed it's thicker and longer-lasting than silicone- and water-based artificial lubricants. At the same time, it won't grow clumpy as other lubricants may, stated Dr. Ross.
Downsides of Using Coconut Oil as Lube
There are a few reasons not to use coconut oil as lubricant.
Coconut Oil Can Degrade Latex Condoms
While lubes are regularly used with condoms, coconut oil should not be used with latex condoms. Like other oil-based lubricants—artificial or natural—coconut oil might possibly harm the latex in the condom.
"Coconut oil cannot be used with latex condoms because it can break down the latex and cause the condom to break," warned Dr. Landry. Only water- and silicone-based lubricants may be used with latex condoms without risking breaking, said Dr. Landry.
The only time it's safe to use coconut oil with a condom is if the condom is constructed from polyurethane, which won't deteriorate, said Dr. Ross.
Coconut Oil Can Possibly Cause Infection
Coconut oil as a lubricant also isn't a smart idea if you're prone to vaginal infections, such as yeast infections. It's not entirely obvious why certain individuals are more infection-prone, but if you are, you may want to play it cautious.
"Because coconut oil is antibacterial and antifungal, it has the potential to disrupt the pH balance in your vagina and cause a yeast infection," said Dr. Landry.
And although most natural, plant-based oils may be used safely as a lubricant, "some of these oil-based lubes can be messier, harder to wash off, and stain clothing and sheets," added Dr. Ross.
Ironically, however, when combined with an equal quantity of baking soda, coconut oil may be used as a stain remover (simply apply it to the spot, let it stay for five minutes, then wash it away). 3
Coconut Oil Might Cause an Allergic Reaction
Any time you apply a product to your skin, whether it's all-natural or not, there is a potential of having a sensitivity to it—or in extreme circumstances, an allergic response. This may also be the case with coconut.5
So before using it, try it out by putting a little quantity of coconut oil on your inner forearm and wait a few minutes to see if there's any reaction.
5 Causes for Vaginal Allergic Reactions
What Kind of Coconut Oil Should I Use?
"Partially hydrogenated and [some] refined coconut oils contain additives that can be irritating or even leave the skin dryer than before," noted Dr. Landry.
With that in mind, Dr. Landry noted that you should "keep to virgin, unrefined, [cold-pressed] coconut oil when it comes to lubricant as well as any other purpose. This oil is produced from the fruit of fresh coconuts without utilizing high heat or chemicals."
Other Qualities to Consider When Using Coconut Oil as Lube
Whether you're using solid or fractionated coconut oil, Dr. Ross urged examining the label, noting that pure coconut oil will be:
Natural
Preservative-free
Fragrance-free
"Look at the ingredient list on the bottle to make sure the only item listed is coconut oil," said Dr. Ross.
For coconut oil in solid form, be sure you use a clean spoon to scoop it out. Sticking filthy hands into the oil could enhance the odds of converting the jar of coconut oil into a bacterial or yeasty petri dish.
It also helps if you've let the oil to soften at room temperature before applying it to the vagina. If it's too firm, let it to warm up in your hands before applying it.
Additionally, go easy on how much coconut oil you use during a sex session. While, in general, it makes for a safe motion lotion, too much is not always a good thing for your vagina.
"If you are going to try coconut oil [as a] lube, be sure to only use a small amount," warned Dr. Landry. "An excess buildup of oil in the vagina can be a breeding ground for unwanted bacteria or yeast."
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A Quick Review
If you're thinking about using coconut oil as a lubricant, it may be safe. Coconut oil, in general, is nourishing and thicker than other lubricants manufactured with water or silicone.
However, there are some downsides to using coconut oil as a lubricant, such its ability to rupture latex condoms and create infections or allergic responses. If you use coconut oil as lubricant, you should stick to an unrefined, natural, preservative-free, and fragrance-free variety.