What This Means
This research review, published in a Canadian family medicine journal, examined evidence on the use of personal lubricants during sexual activity and developed a practical guide for primary care clinicians. The authors searched multiple medical databases and consulted interdisciplinary sexual health experts to summarize what is known about lubricant types, their benefits, potential harms, and which patients are most likely to benefit from their use. The review found that lubricants are helpful for people who use condoms, experience vaginal dryness, have pain during sex (dyspareunia), or face other sexual difficulties, and that the harms associated with lubricant use are generally minimal.
The review identifies three main categories of lubricants — oil-based, silicone-based, and water-based — and provides guidance on which types are appropriate for different situations. For people who use condoms or who experience recurrent vaginal infections or irritation, silicone- or water-based lubricants are recommended, provided they are free of potentially harmful ingredients and fall within safe ranges of osmolality (a measure of concentration) and pH. Oil-based lubricants can degrade latex condoms and are therefore not suitable for condom users.
This research suggests that lubricant counselling is an underutilized part of sexual health care in primary care settings, largely because clinicians lack easy-to-use, evidence-based tools to guide these conversations. The paper aims to fill that gap by providing a framework that allows healthcare providers to discuss lubricant options with patients in an inclusive and informed way, potentially improving sexual well-being across a wide range of patient groups.