TresSugar

Lubricants: Oil, Water, and Silicone Based

DearSugar — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 09:00:00 -0800

Having sex doesn't always feel as amazing as we think it should, and that's where lubricants come in handy. A few drops on either partner will make things glide along smoothly when the woman isn't creating enough of her own natural juices. There are so many different kinds to choose from and since I've already told you about glycerin and the ingredients in many lubricants that can cause yeast infections, why don't I now tell you about the differences between ones that are oil, water, and silicone based?

Click here to read more.

	Oil Based	Water Based	Silicone Based
Types and Brands	Vaseline, mineral oil, baby oil, vegetable oil, cold creams, lotions	Astroglide, KY Jelly, Probe, Wet, Liquid Silk	Eros, Wet Platinum, ID Millennium
Should be used with what type of condom	Polyurethane	Polyurethane or Latex	Polyurethane or Latex
Use with sex toys	Can be used with any toys except those made out of latex.	Can be used with toys made out of any material.	Never use with a toy made out of silicone (it'll break down the material).
Cool Facts	It beads up when in contact with water.	Instead of applying more of this lube, you can reinvigorate it by adding a little water to you or your partner's parts.	Since it doesn't break down in water, some people like to use this kind of lube when being intimate in the bath or shower.
Cleanup	Washes off with soap and water.	Rinses off easily with water.	Washes off with soap and water.

Dear's Advice: I'd stick with a water-based lubricant. It's the cheapest to buy, easiest to find (you can get it at most pharmacies and grocery stores), it can be used with all types of condoms, and it washes off easily from skin and fabric.

Source

Hump Day: Why Do I Get Dry Sometimes?

TresSugar — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:00:00 -0700

Welcome to Hump Day, TrèsSugar's sex advice column. Are you confused about sex? Do you have trouble having an orgasm? Is there something you'd like to try but you're worried it's too weird? Send your questions to TrèsSugar, and our friend Dr. Charlie Glickman from Good Vibrations will offer his sound advice!

Today's Question:

"I get really dry sometimes when my boyfriend and I are having sex. I know all about lubricants, but I'm having trouble guessing when I might need help." To read Dr. Glickman's response, read more

There are a lot of reasons why women experience fluctuations in how much they lubricate. For some, it’s just part of the menstrual cycle. Some women lubricate more at ovulation, while others say that’s when they’re driest. Lots of women also report that their vaginal lubrication changed when they got pregnant and again, some say that they became much wetter and others say that they got drier. So while we know that changes in hormones can influence it, there’s a lot of variation in how much and in what direction. It’s also worth mentioning that menopause generally reduces how much lubrication your body will produce.

Lots of medications and drugs also affect vaginal lubrication, even if it’s rarely listed on the bottle or box. For example, allergy medications are formulated to dry the mucous membranes in your sinuses, but they can do the same to the vagina. Anti-depressants, antihistamines, anxiety medications, smoking cigarettes or marijuana, and drinking alcohol can do the same. In general, if a medication or drug makes your mouth or sinuses dry, it could also reduce vaginal lubrication. Unfortunately, most doctors are unaware of these effects or they don’t feel comfortable talking to their patients about it.

I think it’s really unfortunate that we have this cultural myth that vaginal lubrication is proportional to arousal. Many women find that they can be totally turned on while being pretty dry and others might be quite wet while barely aroused. The best thing we can do is learn to separate the two things in our minds.

You say that you know about lubricants, but for the folks who don’t, here’s a little info.

There are pros and cons to the lubricants on the market, and it can take a little experimenting to find one that will work for you. You might also find that a lube that worked great for a long time isn’t working so well anymore. It’s kind of like shampoo or skin lotion - after a while, you might need to change brands as your individual chemistry changes.

Water-based lubricants can be thin and slippery, or they can be thicker gels. They rinse away really easily, making cleanup a snap, but they do dry out after a while. The glycerin-based lubes last a bit longer, but they tend to get sticky when they dry out. You can add a little water or saliva to freshen them up. While glycerin doesn’t cause yeast infections, it can make one worse if you get one for some other reason, so if you’re prone to yeast infections, avoid these lubes. The glycerin-free lubricants don’t get sticky, but they usually don’t quite last as long. They soak in like hand lotion, so adding water doesn’t work; you need to add some more.

Silicone lubricants don’t dry out (so if you spill some on the kitchen floor, be sure to wipe it up) and are hypoallergenic. They’re also waterproof, which is a plus if you want to have sex in the shower but it can make them a bit trickier to clean up and they sometimes stain sheets. They’re also hypoallergenic and have no taste or scent.

Some people like to use oils as sexual lubricants. If you want to give them a try, use something organic and vegetable-based, such as coconut or almond oils. Mineral oils like baby oil or Vaseline actually dry the skin since the body can’t absorb them or break them down. Coconut oil is solid at room temperature, so it doesn’t go rancid. Keep almond oil in the fridge. And never use oils with latex condoms, diaphragms or cervical caps. Oils will make them dissolve: a condom will break in about 30 seconds if it comes into contact with oil.

A few tips for using lubricants. First, keep the bottle near the bed. You’ll want to be able to grab it when you need it. Second, pump bottles make it a lot easier to add more without fumbling to get the bottle open. Third, if you accidentally get too much lube out of the bottle, don’t put the extra back in. You don’t want to contaminate the bottle with anything that might be on your hand. And lastly, many lube makers offer single-use packets or small bottles. While they cost more per ounce than larger bottles, you can stick them in a pocket or purse pretty easily, not to mention your carry-on bag.

So I think that the best thing for you to do is to keep lube handy and use it when you need it. It takes about 5 seconds to apply and it’ll make sex a lot more fun. And don’t stress about whether it means anything that you sometimes need a little extra slipperiness.

Don't forget to send your questions to TrèsSugar, and our friend Dr. Charlie Glickman will offer his sound advice!

6 Reasons a Condom Might Break

DearSugar — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 09:00:00 -0700

Male condoms are one of the best forms of birth control out there because they're cheap, you can buy them anywhere, they prevent pregnancy, and they also prevent the spread of STIs, but they only work if they don't break! Below are six reasons why a condom might rip, so keep them in mind the next time you're getting busy.

The condom is past its prime. Condom wrappers have an expiration date on them, so be sure to take note.
Storage issues. Heat damages latex condoms, so they shouldn't be kept in a hot place such as a glove compartment or a wallet. Keep them in your medicine cabinet or nightstand instead.
Lack of lubrication. If there is friction while having sex, especially anal sex, not only will it cause pain and irritation to your privates, but the condom can break. So be sure to use lubricated condoms or use extra lube if you need to.

To hear the other three reasons read more.

You're using the wrong lubricant. If you're using latex condoms, oil-based lubricants can weaken the rubber and cause a tear, so use only water-based lubes.
The condom doesn't fit. If the condom is too small or too large, it can rip, so experiment with different sized condoms to get a snug fit - not too tight and not too loose.
The woman is tight. Some women's vaginal muscles are naturally tight, so to help prevent condom breakage, lubrication (and a lot of it) is a must.

Source

Americans Provided Iraqi Oil Ministry Contract Templates

LibertySugar — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:30:18 -0700

Despite previous confirmation that it would award exceptional no-bid contracts to Western oil giants, Iraq just announced that it has failed to sign the deals. Meanwhile, American officials have confirmed that the Bush Administration was directly involved in the creation of the contracts, as American advisers led by a State Department team directly advised Iraqi officials. But today, Iraq announced that it failed to finalize the deals as expected, because the oil companies "refused to offer consultancy based fees as they wanted a share of the oil."

American government lawyers and private sector consultants provided the Iraqi Oil Ministry sample contracts, and offered detailed suggestions during the drafting process. Sources told the New York Times that assistance was simply technical and legal, and that the team did not help choose which companies received the lucrative deals. Still, the close involvement raises questions of an inherent conflict of interest and about America's commitment to Iraqi sovereignty. Although Iraq says it continues to negotiate with Western oil giants, they "think there is no need to share Iraq's oil with anybody."

Even if the US only provided technical direction, does a perception of inappropriate intrusion threaten America's credibility in the region? Does this inflame suspicions that the US went to war for oil?

Source

Front Page: Cancer Director Warns of Cell Phones, House Passes Housing Relief, Libya Cuts Off Swiss Oil

CitizenSugar — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:59:01 -0700

Cancer Director Warns of Cell Phones:
The director of a leading US cancer research institute just sent a memo to thousands of his staff cautioning of possible higher risks from cell phone use. He said waiting for definitive studies was folly and that action should be taken now. Children should use cell phones only in emergencies, and adults need to keep the phone away from the head. The warning is based on early findings from not yet published data.

House Passes Housing Relief:
The House approved help for the US housing market, including protection for two of the largest mortgage finance companies. It includes a bold plan to help hundreds of thousands of struggling consumers avoid foreclosure by refinancing their mortgages with more affordable government-insured loans. Bush has said he will sign the bill once it passes the Senate, perhaps by Saturday.
Libya Cuts Off Swiss Oil:
Libya says it has stopped oil shipments to Switzerland to protest the brief arrest of leader Muammar Gaddafi's son. The country has threatened further punishment if the Swiss don't apologize. The Swiss police held Hannibal Gaddafi for two days after he and his pregnant wife allegedly assaulted Swiss officers. The move could prove costly for both parties as Switzerland gets half of its oil from Libya, and Libya has a huge oil refinery in Switzerland.

Source

Palin Shows Guilt-By-Association Attacks Often Hypocritical

LibertySugar — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:01:00 -0700

Sarah Palin has been painting Barack Obama as unpatriotic lately, bringing up Obama's acquaintance with William Ayers, a current college professor and former member of the Weather Underground, a radical organization that wanted to end the Vietnam War through acts of domestic terrorism when Obama was eight-years-old.

But the McCain/Palin ticket has dubious associations of its own. One example: Palin's connection to the separatist Alaskan Independence Party, founded by Joe Volgar who died buying explosives and said while alive: "The fires of hell are frozen glaciers compared to my hatred for the American government." Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. wrote about the apparent hypocrisy yesterday:

If McCarthy-era guilt-by-association is once again a valid political consideration, Palin, it would seem, has more to lose than Obama. Palin, it could be argued, following her own logic, thinks so little of America's perfection that she continues to "pal around" with a man -her husband, actually - who only recently terminated his seven-year membership in the Alaskan Independence Party. Putting plunder above patriotism, the members of this treasonous cabal aim to break our country into pieces and walk away with Alaska's rich federal oil fields and one-fifth of America's land base - an area three-fourths the size of the Civil War Confederacy. AIP's charter commits the party "to the ultimate independence of Alaska," from the United States which it refers to as "the colonial bureaucracy in Washington." It proclaims Alaska's 1959 induction as a state "as illegal and in violation of the United Nations charter and international law."

To find out about Palin's ties, as recent as this year, read more.

Palin attended the AIP's 1993 convention, which called for a draft succession constitution. She also attended in 2000, gave the keynote in 2006, and greeted the convention via video this year.

Based on this information, RFK, Jr. continued his repudiation of the Ayers line of attack arguing: "So when Palin accuses Barack of 'not seeing the same America as you and me,' maybe she is referring to an America without Alaska. In any case, isn't it time the media start giving equal time to Palin's buddy list of anti-American bombers and other radical associates."

The boomerang effect of Palin's criticisms are reminiscent of McCain's attempt to tie Obama to the mortgage giants, while 26 of McCain's advisers or fundraisers, including his campaign chair, have financial ties. If voters want to know about Obama's strained ties to Ayers, will they care more about Palin's connection to Alaska radicals?

Does Soap Make Good Lubrication?

DearSugar — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:00:00 -0800

Sex in the shower or bath is definitely safe, but it's not exactly the most comfortable way to get it on, especially for a woman. The water washes away any natural lubrication she might have, so you'll have to use a lube in a tube.

What about soap, you might ask? Sure it's easy to use, clean, inexpensive, and it happens to be right there, but is it a good idea to lather up your parts before sex? If you've ever tried this, I'm sure you know that answer is no. Soap can seem innocent and gentle enough, but when rubbed on your sensitive membranes, it can cause painful irritation, burning, and redness. Sex plus soap equals ouch.

To find out what to use instead, read more

Oil-based lubricants are a good choice since they don't wash off easily in water, but if you're using a latex condom, oil-based lubes are out of the question. You can try using a water-based lube if you maneuver your bodies so water isn't gushing down on your parts, but silicone-based lubricants are the best choice for water play, since they don't break down in water and you can use them with all types of condoms. Just so you know, silicone-based lubes are usually more expensive, but if you can't live without lovemaking sessions in the shower, it will be well worth the money!

Source

Iran's Ahmadinejad: We Don't Want Confrontation With Anyone

LibertySugar — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:45:36 -0700

Anti-Ahmadinejad rallies outside the UN today turned into anti-Obama rallies critical of the senator's support of talks with Iran. Meanwhile, NPR opened a dialogue of its own with the Iranian president. Here are some highlights from Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's interview with the station, during which he says Iran seeks no confrontation.

On Iran's stated plans to enrich uranium for energy, not for a bomb:
The people of the world, the majority actually, support our stand. One hundred eighteen member states of NAM have declared their commitment to our program and supported it. The Non-Aligned Movement. And 57 member states of the OIC, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, too have supported our position. . . . You are speaking of only three or four countries, led by the United States and with a couple of their European friends, and we don't care about them, because they don't represent the whole world.
On whether international confrontation is in Iran's interest:
We do not have any confrontation with anyone. We seek relations based on respect and justice. . . . Why is it that the US administration and two or three groups that follow it allow themselves to speak for the world?
On the American elections:
I ask you, can anyone in fact become a president without the support of either of the two parties here in the United States? . . . Are 300 million people here in America members of either of the two parties? No, not necessarily. People have no other choices here. You only have two choices. In Iran, at least, we have eight. Who is more free? Who has more confidence in its people?

To find out how Iran's president addresses his statements toward Israel, freedoms in Iran, and how he thinks the US and Iran can move forward, read more.

On whether rhetoric about wiping Israel off the map plays into the hands of Bush:
You are aware that 55 years ago, the US government overthrew the national government of Iran. . . . For over 25 years under the dictatorship, hundreds of thousands of our people went to prison . . . whilst our oil was being looted by American companies. Our people were demeaned. Our independence was harmed. Until the Iranian people rose [in] a popular and democratic event to create the Islamic revolution. . . . While America was there, we had no elections in our country. . . . The eight years of war between Saddam [Hussein] and our country were actually supported directly by the United States. From day one, our people were - sanctions were imposed on our people. So who exactly is the provocateur? Who is the one who seeks war?
On whether the US and Iran can move forward:
Well, yes. Of course, we've never entered the US and caused problems for the people here, but the American government has done that to us. So our first proposal is that they have to stop doing that.
On what Iran could do:
I sent a letter to Mr. Bush. That was a very good opening. I even said that I am prepared to talk at the United Nations with them. We responded positively to the request made by US government to extend a hand of cooperation in a joint security commission involved in upholding a security force for Iraq.
On freedoms in Iran:
There's a lot of freedom in Iran. The example is our interview with you. Can you ask your own president these questions? Can you really so freely meet with him so easily? Never.

After reading Ahmadinejad's interview, would you like US leaders sit down with him?
Source

The How-To Lounge: Prevent Condoms From Breaking

DearSugar — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 08:00:00 -0700

Condoms are a pretty popular form of birth control because they help prevent you from getting STIs and from getting preggers. This is true when they are used properly, and when they don't break. I recommend using latex condoms, or polyurethane ones if you have a latex allergy. It's also important to know that Natural Lamb condoms don't protect against STIs, but will protect you against pregnancy.

So how can you prevent the dreaded "condom breaking" nightmare? Here are some very important tips to keep in mind:

When the guy puts the condom on, he must make sure to leave some space at the top (the tip) so there's room for the semen he ejaculates. If you don't, pressure can build up and cause the condom to break.
Friction is a bad thing when it comes to sex - it feels bad and can put too much pressure on the condom. Make sure that the woman is lubricated, either naturally (it happens when the woman is aroused), or with the help of a personal lubricant. Just so you know, oil-based lubes (like baby oil or Vaseline) can break the down the latex, so onlly water-based lubricants (like Astroglide or ones made byKY) should be used with latex condoms. Oil-based lubes are however safe to use with plyurethane condoms like Avanti brand, since they are made out of non-latex material. You could also try using lubricated condoms.
2 condoms are NOT better than 1. "Double Bagging" as it's called can actually cause more friction, which can cause rippage.
Always use a new condom each time you have sex. The package should be opened carefully, men- don't use your teeth- and the condom should be slowly unrolled all the way down the shaft of his penis.

Want to know some other important tips? Then read more

When you're done having sex, one of you should hold onto the open end of the condom (the rim) as the guy pulls his penis out of the vagina. One common problem is when the guy pulls out and the condom remain inside the woman - semen could, and most likely will, accidentally fall out. It's imperative that the used condom is taken off in a way that keeps all the semen inside, then throw it out!
Condoms slipping off inside the woman can be a problem too, so be sure he is wearing the correct size - if it's too big it will fall off and if it's too tight it could rip. Also keep in mind that if the guy loses his erection while inside the woman, the condom can become loose and slip off.
Never use a condom that has expired. Never use a damaged condom or one that looks discolored, dry, or shriveled up.

These are things every girl should know to keep herself STI and pregnant free!

Source

Condoms: Male vs. Female

DearSugar — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:00:00 -0800

Condoms are an amazing invention, aren't they? Not only are they effective at helping you not get pregnant, but also they help prevent you from contracting an STI. Male condoms have been around much longer than female condoms so I think they definitely get used more, but isn't it great that there's another option available that allows women can be in control too? A woman can now use the female condom to protect herself from disease and motherhood, and no longer has to rely on the guy to use a condom.

Want to see how these two compare? Then read more

	Male	Female
What they're made of	Latex, polyurethane, or lamb intestines	Polyurethane (great for people who have a latex sensitivity)
Price	Latex condoms cost $5 for a 12-pack Polyurethane condoms cost about $7 for a 6-pack Natural Lamb condoms costs about $8 for a 12-pack	$10 for a 5-pack
Efficacy against preventing pregnancy	85 percent effective	75 percent effective
Do they prevent STIs?	Condoms made out of latex and polyurethane do, but natural lamb condoms don't.	Yes
Lubricants	You can use only water-based lubes on latex male condoms, but you can use both water- and oil-based lubes on ones made out of polyurethane or lamb intestine.	You can use both oil- and water-based lubricants
Availability	Easy to find at pharmacies, grocery stores, and some bathrooms and doctor's offices for free.	They're not usually found at stores. You may need to get them from your doctor or order them online.
When can it be used?	It must be placed on the penis immediately before intercourse, when the man has an erection.	It can be inserted up to 8 hours before intercourse.
Use	They can break or slip off, but using the right size condom should help solve this problem.	It may make noise while you're having sex, but using extra lubricant can help.
Comfort and ease	It's easy to put on and it fits snugly around the penis when erect, so it stays put while you're having sex.	Some people complain that it's difficult to insert the inner rim, and that the outer rim doesn't stay put while you're having sex. Some also say that it moves around while they have sex, so it's really noticeable and distracting.
Removal	After sex, hold the outer rim as the man pulls his penis out of the woman. Then the condom can be easily slid off and thrown away.	After sex, gently tug on the outer rim and pull the condom out of the woman.

I know people who absolutely love the female condom, and I know people who absolutely despise it, but the same goes for male condoms. That's why it's great that there are so many birth control options out there to fit people's needs and preferences.

Source