I found this article very informative. It answers all of the standard questions about using a Silicone based Lubricant. SILICONE LUBRICANT: A VOTE FOR A SAFER ALTERNATIVE BY: METIS BLACK, OWNER & CEO, TANTUS SILICONE FROM:AVN ADULT NOVELTY BUSINESS JAN 2006 VOL.2 NO.1 I have a passion for the adult industry. I think we do the public a real service by making and selling products that improve people’s lives. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the manufacturing and marketing of personal lubricants. I’m sure we all remember clearly when personal lube choices were limited. It was a choice then between KY Jelly and Crisco, neither of which was especially effective, to say the least. Since then, lubes have come a long way. Last year, when I checked one distributor’s stock of lubricant, I ended up walking three very long aisles, completely packed on both sides with lubes of all kinds. Not all lubes are created equal, however. After researching such mainstay ingredients of most water-based lubricants as glycerin, parabens and propylene glycol ( at least one of which irritates almost everyone), I came to realize the complexity of making good lubricant. By definition, a good lubricant stays slick and slippery for extended encounters; and, it works with the body and doesn’t affect the body negatively, in the form of irritations or allergic reactions. SILICONE SCORES The simplicity of silicone’s three ingredients won me over: Dimethicone, Dimethiconol, and Cyclomethicone. Silicone lubricant, in my opinion, is the smartest, safest option on the market. There are no topical body reactions to pure silicone lube. There are no irritations, no allergens, and no microbes that can attach to the molecules and grow bacteria. It has been around for 20 years in the form of lubrication on pre-lubricated condoms. Still, there remain more than a few misconceptions about these products. I would like to offer here some answers to questions I hear almost daily. CHECKING COMPATIBILITY Aren’t silicone lubricants and silicone toys incompatible? Well, yes and no. Depending on the grade of the silicone lubricant and the grade of silicone used in the toys, there is a chance the lubricant will bond to the toy, creating a gummy mess. But this can be avoided. Tantus, for example, uses platinum-grade silicone, so we rarely have a problem with any lubricant. That said, I still recommend that people do patch tests on the bottom flange of their dildo to make certain there will be no reaction. The bonding, if it’s going to occur, is an immediate chemical reaction - and it’s impossible to clean a toy to which lube has bonded. We use personal lubricants in vaginal and anal orifices, which are equipped to rid the body of waste by natural method. I’m often tempted to ask the critics of silicone lube whether they douche or perform an enema after using water-based lubricant. If the answer is no, they are counting on their body’s ability to rid itself of water-based lube in the same way it rids itself of silicone lube! LEAKY LUBE But how can silicone be safe, some might ask, when leaking silicone breast implants reportedly can be fatal? Let me explain what happens regarding implants. Theoretically, silicone breast implants should be safe because the silicone gel encapsulated in the breast form is inert. Even when leaking, they shouldn’t interfere with any of the body’s chemistry. The problem is that loose silicone in the blood, while inert is still a foreign body. It isn’t absorbed into the blood like saline. White blood cells recognize the silicone and try to fight what they see as an invader. If the silicone adheres to a bone, the white blood cells attack the bone. Silicone lubricant, however, never enters the bloodstream. No matter which orifice it enters from, it moves into the digestive tract and is protected by skin, even if a little is swallowed. As a matter of fact, many common gel capsules you might buy at the pharmacy are packed with silicone lubricant. Since silicone lubricant is so thin, is it safe for anal use? Silicone molecules have a spherical shape. There microscopic spheres roll over each other like ball bearings. The lubrication is perfect for anal use - it’s just very different from water-based ingredients or fatty oils. And, using silicone lubricants anally reduces the need for reapplication. QUALITY IS KEY There’s a wide price variation among silicone lubes, which leads one to question whether all silicone lubes are the same. Health-wise ----as long as there are no additives -- the answer is yes. But the viscosity, or thickness, of silicone lubricant changes from product to product. Dimethicone, for example, is much denser than Dimethiconol or Cyclomethicone. It’s also more expensive as a raw ingredient. Silicone lubricants are more expensive than others due to the cost of these special liquids. But premium-grade silicones, such as ID Velvet and Eros Pjur have a more velvety finish than other, less expensive silicones. Try a “rub test” between your thumb and forefinger; you will feel the subtleties. You can feel them even more in use with toys or partners. As something of a connoisseur, I love, and much prefer, the richness of the premium lubes. Our business is about improving people’s quality of life, giving the public products to make their experiences safer and more satisfying. In my view, describing lubes as a “novelty” is a misnomer. Really, lubes are not a novelty but an “essential.” And silicone lubricants, in my considered opinion, not only raise the bar of intimacy products, they provide the benchmark. ***Some Other Helpful information about Silicone from the same source.*** HYPO-ALLERGENIC Silicone lubricants without additives are the only hypoallergenic lubes for those with chemical sensitivities. FERTILITY While lubricants aren’t sold as spermicidal, most water-soluble lubes do kill small amounts of sperm. For a couple attempting to conceive, silicone lubricant is safe for use during sex. That’s why fertility clinics use silicone lubricants. MOISTURE To make menopausal and post-menopausal women feel sexier and more comfortable at all times, a daily application of silicone lube acts as a genital moisturizer. HARDWARE LONGEVITY The o-ring seal around your waterproof vibrator will last longer with a little silicone lubricant to keep the rubber from drying out and cracking. Ditto with your dildo harness o-ring or rubber cock ring. ENDURANCE Because it doesn’t get absorbed into the skin or get gummy, a little lasts an extra-long time, making it a much more practical purchase.