coconut oil question

[demonic-force13.livejournal.com]

Hello everyone.
Someone here mentioned using coconut oil as lube, so I started looking around. I figured anything was better than the lube I was using, because it had glycerin in it.
I ordered some off Amazon(not organic or anything because I'm broke)and it said 100% coconut oil. But when it came in the mail and I read the back, it says external use only. Does coconut oil have to be organic and extra virgin if I'm going to use it as lube? Why else would there be a disclaimer on the back?
Sorry if I sound all paranoid, I've had some bad experiences with lube.

Posted via m.livejournal.com.

Comments

[isee23s.livejournal.com]

That strikes me as odd mainly because coconut oil is a food. One doesn't normally use a food externally, y'know? Was it marketed as a food or as something else? That's curious.

[demonic-force13.livejournal.com]

It's Cococare 100% coconut oil. It says it's ideal for use on hair and skin only

[gryphonwing.livejournal.com]

Ah. It's really just a matter of marketing then. In this particular case, the seller isn't licensed to sell it as a food.

It could be "not food-grade," but I'm not sure that's really a concern with coconut oil. :)

Anyway, according to the fascinating people who do this sort of thing, vaginal use is considered "external." Weird huh?

[svexsal.livejournal.com]

As a massage therapy student, I've learned that Coconut and other oils make excellent massage oils. Coconut makes an excellent base/carrier oil for essential oils to be added to it and can be purchased at the grocery store.

[sarry777.livejournal.com]

Coconut oil is used as the base of a number of hair and body care products, too! I have not tried it personally, but I hear it is really great for the skin. It IS food so it strikes me as odd that it would say this as well, though.... that's a very valid point.

[sanditar.livejournal.com]

I think so, I'm checking mine and it does not say external use only but the one I have is organic and virgin. Usually a virgin oil is get by the simplest process that's why is safe for any use: internal or external.
Check these for more info http://www.live-the-organic-life.com/virgin-coconut-oil.html

[nickelshoe.livejournal.com]

External use only means not to eat it. In this case, it probably means they haven't gone through the health inspections that would be required to market it as a food oil. Perhaps if you share a link to the product, someone might have had an experience with that particular oil.

[futurenurselady.livejournal.com]

"Edible Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is used across industries and hair and skin care is one of them. It is very important to know that edible coconut oil is different from the oil used for skin and hair and hence it should be bought carefully. Edible coconut oil are available in different types- Refined grade/unrefined grade. One may choose any of these for day to day cooking."

It looks like you bought an inedible coconut oil.

Maybe get an edible type intended for cooking to use as lube instead of a beauty care item.

[isee23s.livejournal.com]

I always get mine at the grocery store, I was unaware (though not surprised) to hear that there are other types that might not be safe (or at least haven't gotten the certification) for food use. I think the OP may want to be careful, then, or call a customer service number and find out anything about whether or not it's edible?

[gryphonwing.livejournal.com]

If the person doesn't want to eat it its edibility isn't really in question.

I'd be shocked if it wasn't basically just a licensing/inspection issue.

[drownophelia.livejournal.com]

this.

[isee23s.livejournal.com]

I tried to reply to this in my email, but I'm not sure where it went. Oops. If you get an email saying basically this, I'm sorry.

Anyway yes. I was just trying to speak to the OP's apparent serious caution regarding lubricants, and thought maybe edibility would provide some measure of confidence. I realize there's no literal connection, I was just thinking as someone who gets very anxious about things like this.

But probably a licensing/inspection issue, yes.

[knittinggoddess.livejournal.com]

Maybe I'm as worried as the OP, but I'd rather not put something that's specifically not intended to be food on my vagina. (Lube is an obvious exception.) I'd worry about contaminants introduced during the processing, such as the wet and RBD processes described on the wikipedia page. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_oil)

But I might be overprotective of my vagina, what with the issues it's had in the last several years.

OP, are you able and willing to email or call the company and ask about its processing? That might allay some fears. Because yeah, it's still entirely possible that they choose not to undergo the testing required for food-grade, but follow procedures and materials to make a basically edible product.

[sarry777.livejournal.com]

I do not know an awful lot about the properties of coconut oil, but I have to wonder about the sugar content since I have heard about the link between sugar and yeast infections. Personally, I'd be afraid of using it (I tend to be an overly paranoid person) but I've seen online that there are MANY people who use it and call it the best lubricant that they've tried! Unfortunately, I have not found many studies done on this but I have read a number of opinions about coconut oil as a personal lubricant. After looking it up, I've found that there are both critics of coconut oil and proponents.

Here are some interesting things I've found that may help you:

"I am an RN for 36 yrs, who has worked Obstetrics/Gyn, and the only problem I could foresee with the coconut oil is that it does contain some natural sugars indigenous to the coconut, therefore you would be "feeding" the yeast, setting you up for a yeast infection, which is why some people are complaining of this"
(source: http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2008/06/09/coconut-oil-for-2/)

"Coconut oil can also be used for localized treatment of jock itch and yeast infections."
"Be sure not to buy coconut oil that has been hydrogenated. This destroys the beneficial attributes of coconut oil and makes it high in dangerous trans-fatty acids. The best kind of coconut oil is organic virgin coconut oil, which is closest to its natural state and will provide the most health benefits."
(source: http://www.naturalnews.com/025199.html)

There's a little bit of discussion about it in an older post on this community, too! http://vaginapagina.livejournal.com/19449889.html

Also, if you are a user of latex condoms, remember that some oils can break down latex. I looked up the effects on coconut oil on latex as well, and it seems like people debate over it's effect on latex and there have not been many studies on the subject.

Since I've never used it, I cannot give you first hand experience, but I hope this helps some!

[sarry777.livejournal.com]

Also, to the OP, if price of virgin coconut oil is an issue, you can always enter contests for it! I know that may sound crazy, but I'm obsessed with giveaways and the company Tropical Traditions does them on blogs VERY often for their coconut oil. I actually just won a pint of their Gold-Label Virgin Coconut Oil (it's certified organic and not mass produced, too) myself but haven't received it yet :) Just do a search for coconut oil giveaway on google!