Dry sex is the sexual practice of having

sexual intercourse Sexual intercourse (or coitus or copulation) is a sexual activity typically involving the insertion and thrusting of the penis into the vagina for sexual pleasure or reproduction.Sexual intercourse most commonly means penile–vaginal penetrat ...

without

vaginal lubrication Vaginal lubrication is a naturally produced fluid that lubricates a vagina. Vaginal lubrication is always present, but production increases significantly near ovulation and during sexual arousal in anticipation of sexual intercourse. Vaginal dr ...

. Vaginal lubrication can be removed by using herbal aphrodisiacs, household detergents, antiseptics, by wiping out the vagina, or by placing leaves in the vagina besides other methods.International Family Planning Perspectives, Volume 24, Number 2, June 1998
Vaginal Drying Agents and HIV Transmission
by Karen E. Kun. Dry sex is associated with increased health risks. Removing or preventing vaginal lubrication through practices associated with dry sex increases friction during intercourse, which may be perceived as increased vaginal tightness, and enhanced sexual pleasure for the male partner. Some men who insist on dry sex regard "wet" women as

unchaste Chastity, also known as purity, is a virtue related to temperance. Someone who is ''chaste'' refrains either from sexual activity considered immoral or any sexual activity, according to their state of life. In some contexts, for example when mak ...

. Dry sex can be painful for women and men. Dry sex is common in

Sub-Saharan Africa Sub-Saharan Africa is, geographically, the area and regions of the continent of Africa that lies south of the Sahara. These include West Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, and Southern Africa. Geopolitically, in addition to the List of sov ...

and it has also been reported in

Suriname Suriname (; srn, Sranankondre or ), officially the Republic of Suriname ( nl, Republiek Suriname , srn, Ripolik fu Sranan), is a country on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north ...

among Afro-Surinamese women.

Health risks

The practice has been linked to the high incidence of HIV/AIDS infection in South Africa. The practice is regarded as increasing the risk of transmitting

sexually transmitted disease Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), also referred to as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and the older term venereal diseases, are infections that are spread by sexual activity, especially vaginal intercourse, anal sex, and oral ...

s (STDs) for both partners, including HIV in a number of ways. Increased friction during intercourse can cause lacerations in vaginal tissue. Drying the vagina also removes the natural antiseptic

lactobacilli The ''Lactobacillaceae'' are a family of lactic acid bacteria. It is the only family in the lactic acid bacteria which includes homofermentative and heterofermentative organisms; in the ''Lactobacillaceae,'' the pathway used for hexose fermentati ...

which combat sexually transmitted diseases. Furthermore, dry sex increases the risk that a

condom A condom is a sheath-shaped barrier device used during sexual intercourse to reduce the probability of pregnancy or a sexually transmitted infection (STI). There are both male and female condoms. With proper use—and use at every act of in ...

will break because of the increased friction. It may also result in vaginal inflammation and/or traumatic lesions which in turn may increase the transmission of STDs in other ways.

References

External links

* *{{cite journal , doi=10.1016/0277-9536(95)00081-X , vauthors=Civic D, Wilson D , title=Dry sex in Zimbabwe and implications for condom use , journal=Soc Sci Med , volume=42 , issue=1 , pages=91–8 , date=January 1996 , pmid=8745110 Sexuality in Africa Sexual health HIV/AIDS in Africa Sexual acts