Chemicals in Feminine Hygiene Products and Lubricants
Chemicals in Feminine Hygiene Products and Lubricants
Like Cone, Dezzutti studies how microbicides might prevent STI transmission, and during the course of her work she discovered many personal lubricants damage human vaginal cells. "A lot of the aqueous-based lubricants are hyperosmolar, [which means] they tend to pull water out of your cells, and that causes the cells to shrink and shrivel," she explains. "When we looked at human tissue, the cervical epithelium fractured off, and the rectal mucosa came off as well."
Lubricants have a range of osmolalities (i.e., concentrations of solutes). Dezzutti found that lubricants with osmolalities close to extracellular body fluid had the least effect on cell viability. "The products we found safest in our paper were silicone-based lubricants … and the lubricant for the Female Condom®," says Dezzutti. "Two water-based ones we found that were safe were Pre-seed [Fertility-Friendly lubricant] and Good Clean Love." Dezzutti suspects that vaginal and rectal epithelial damage caused by hyperosmolar lubricants may increase transmission rates of STIs, a suspicion supported by a small body of research.
Lubricants containing highly osmolar glycerin have also been linked to bacterial vaginosis and changes in the vaginal flora. "A rise in vaginal pH typically indicates an overgrowth of gram-negative bacteria," says Dezzutti. "Normally you have lactobacilli, but instead [with this overgrowth] you find E. coli and Gardnerella. It's similar to the effects of using antibiotics." However, another study found no obvious damage to the vaginal flora of rhesus monkeys from the use of K-Y Warming gel, despite the product's high glycerin content.
Cone has reported evidence that glycerin, glycerol monolaurate, polyethylene glycol, and propylene glycol—all used as excipients, or bulking agents, in lubricants—increased the transmission of genital herpes infections in the mouse vagina. Cone and colleagues wrote, "Although excipients are often called 'inactive ingredients' and are widely considered to be benign, these ingredients do have activities and toxicities." They further wrote that none of the excipients used in personal lubricants or other vaginal products have been tested specifically to see if they increase susceptibility to STIs via mucous membranes.
(Enlarge Image)
A study of the vaginal microbiomes of nearly 400 healthy women identified five major groups of microbial communities (groups I–V) that appeared in different proportions by ethnicity. Groups I, II, III, and V were dominated by Lactobacillus species, which are thought to play important protective roles in vaginal health. Group IV included a diversity of anaerobic species such as Prevotella and Gardnerella. Compared with white and Asian women, Hispanic and black women tended to have more group IV communities and higher vaginal pH values. The authors suggest that genetics and hygiene behaviors are just two factors that could account for the differences in microbiomes between ethnic groups. Reproduced with permission from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Lubricants and STI Transmission
Like Cone, Dezzutti studies how microbicides might prevent STI transmission, and during the course of her work she discovered many personal lubricants damage human vaginal cells. "A lot of the aqueous-based lubricants are hyperosmolar, [which means] they tend to pull water out of your cells, and that causes the cells to shrink and shrivel," she explains. "When we looked at human tissue, the cervical epithelium fractured off, and the rectal mucosa came off as well."
Lubricants have a range of osmolalities (i.e., concentrations of solutes). Dezzutti found that lubricants with osmolalities close to extracellular body fluid had the least effect on cell viability. "The products we found safest in our paper were silicone-based lubricants … and the lubricant for the Female Condom®," says Dezzutti. "Two water-based ones we found that were safe were Pre-seed [Fertility-Friendly lubricant] and Good Clean Love." Dezzutti suspects that vaginal and rectal epithelial damage caused by hyperosmolar lubricants may increase transmission rates of STIs, a suspicion supported by a small body of research.
Lubricants containing highly osmolar glycerin have also been linked to bacterial vaginosis and changes in the vaginal flora. "A rise in vaginal pH typically indicates an overgrowth of gram-negative bacteria," says Dezzutti. "Normally you have lactobacilli, but instead [with this overgrowth] you find E. coli and Gardnerella. It's similar to the effects of using antibiotics." However, another study found no obvious damage to the vaginal flora of rhesus monkeys from the use of K-Y Warming gel, despite the product's high glycerin content.
Cone has reported evidence that glycerin, glycerol monolaurate, polyethylene glycol, and propylene glycol—all used as excipients, or bulking agents, in lubricants—increased the transmission of genital herpes infections in the mouse vagina. Cone and colleagues wrote, "Although excipients are often called 'inactive ingredients' and are widely considered to be benign, these ingredients do have activities and toxicities." They further wrote that none of the excipients used in personal lubricants or other vaginal products have been tested specifically to see if they increase susceptibility to STIs via mucous membranes.
(Enlarge Image)
A study of the vaginal microbiomes of nearly 400 healthy women identified five major groups of microbial communities (groups I–V) that appeared in different proportions by ethnicity. Groups I, II, III, and V were dominated by Lactobacillus species, which are thought to play important protective roles in vaginal health. Group IV included a diversity of anaerobic species such as Prevotella and Gardnerella. Compared with white and Asian women, Hispanic and black women tended to have more group IV communities and higher vaginal pH values. The authors suggest that genetics and hygiene behaviors are just two factors that could account for the differences in microbiomes between ethnic groups. Reproduced with permission from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
