Speculum without KY

Has anyone had a Dr. Use a speculum without any KY lube?

While I think that most references say that a water based lube can be used and will not / should not affect a Pap smear, I think that in reality almost every real life scenario that I've seen a doctor does not use any lubricant when the speculum is inserted for the PAP smear.

Yes, every time I've had a speculum exam it has been done without KY being applied to it or me. The doctor does however run it under warm water to both warm it some (not overly effective, it still feels cold) and to lubricate it for easier insertion.

Aren't most women too dry to get a speculum into their vagina without some lube?

if it's not used then is finger insertion also without lube?

Aren't most women too dry to get a speculum into their vagina without some lube?

if it's not used then is finger insertion also without lube?

That's why they run it under water, to ease the insertion. And while the water does provide some lubrication, it's not really that slick and probably one of the reasons why so many women find the speculum to be uncomfortable and say how much they dislike the speculum exam.

The finger insertion, or bimanual exam, is done with KY or some other water based lubrication. Or at least it always has been when I've been examined.

Lube was used on my GF's specs at her visits. Just a tiny tab on the finger and rubbed on the blades.

As jill2doctor has correctly stated during a PAP it is not advisable to use lube on the speculum due to the possibility of potential contamination of the smear and as she said some medical professional are taught to run it under lukewarm water prior to it being used. However the use of water based lube during clinical studies have shown to not interfere or contaminate the sample. It more down to the skill of the person obtaining the sample.

However it should be noted that the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (formerly NCCLS) have suggested that lukewarm water be used to lubricate and warm the speculum. They have evaluated a variety of popular lubricants and found that those containing an ingredient known as “carbomers” or “carbopol polymers” are prone to interfere with popular liquid based Pap tests. Since ingredients within the lubricants may not be listed, we do not recommend the use of lubricants when collecting a specimen.

If a lubricant must be used due to patient discomfort or other circumstances, it should be applied sparingly on the outer portion of the speculum with great care to avoid the tip as stated by SpecSteve in the case of his girlfriend's speculum exam.

The following lists the names of lubricants that do not contain the interfering substance, they include KY Jelly,Surgilube, Astroglide and Crystelle.

As jill2doctor stated "And while the water does provide some lubrication, it's not really that slick and probably one of the reasons why so many women find the speculum to be uncomfortable and say how much they dislike the speculum exam." its the most probable reason why speculum exams are uncomfortable along with choosing too large a speculum or opening it to much.

I have never seen the doctor use any lube on the speculum when my wife gets examined. He goes slow and parts her lips so it slides right in without pinching, it never looks like he has any problem. My wife is usually wet once you get to her entrance so I am sure it helps. The drawer that the doctor gets the speculum out of from under the table has a warmer in it, I see the on light lit and the "Hot" caution label next to it. I agree, I have heard that it could effect the results of the PAP smear so they should not use any lube except warm water if needed. Now when it gets to the bi-manual part...that is another story! She always says she gets slimed with too much lube and it is dripping out of her the rest of the day.

There are actually dozens of clinical controlled studies on this subject going back for years, all with consistent results. Based on blind tests the idea that gel on the speculum corrupts the cytology specimen is a bunch of bunk and has been proven untrue. As far as painful insertion - post menopause gel does reduce perceived pain...pre menopause there is no static difference. Bottom line is that this all boils down to what doctors are taught vs what is often reality. It's the same argument that you must insert the speculum at an angle and then turn once past the introitus. Another example of believing something because you heard it somewhere...so it must be true. I thought the same thing myself until I learned that you can easily insert the speculum directly with no trouble at all.

I like to be realistic when I play so I tend to use warm water only for the speculum exam and a two finger glob of gel for the internal. The best thing you can do in play, same as a real life exam...is to make sure she is positioned correctly on the table, that you have the stirrups adjusted to what works best for her anatomy, and that you determine cervix position first. For the internal making sure you have your arm at the correct angle and that you think about leverage which lets you insert deep enough to get up behind the cervix and feel the uterus and adnexa much more thoroughly than if you just blindly try to reach only her cervix.

I am a purist playdoc meaning I like to be as real as possible but any playdoc with experience examining girls knows the first pinch of the speculum means she's bitchin' off the table and gone (I don't strap my patients to the table - that's not purist). As a result, I apply GENEROUS amounts of lube to the speculum to the point it is DRIPPING when it goes in. Makes no difference whether vagina is wet from self lubrication or not. I take no chances especially if she's a gyn-O-virgin. Simple wide latitudinal spread of the labia with thumb and middle finger of one gloved hand and straight insertion of speculum with other hand into introitus pressing up and it slips before she even realizes it, let alone voice any objection. I try and slide the upper valve pressed against the pubococus (sp) and cervix also so she gets intense stimulation also and that keeps her mind on something else ha ha. Forget the adage to insert speculum oblique and then rotate into position once inserted--that is purely to avoid accidentally stimulating the patient. Like I care!

My wife's doctor never uses KY with the speculum. Sometimes water, but that is to cool the speculum if it is too warm from the warming tray.

Most of the pelvic exams I have witnessed involved the doctor using lube on the speculum blades. However, once my wife was examined by a PA and he used no lube at all. She was so wet, I think he decided there was no need to lube up the speculum. It slid right in.

For play exams, I've found that the patient is usually aroused sufficiently once the time comes for the speculum to be inserted that lube is not necessary, though I usually use either water or KY anyway, just to be on the safe side.

For play exams, I often find it necessary for no additional lubricant at all. In real life, the exams I have witnessed over here have used a small amount of lubricant on the speculum to aid insertion.

I have a different take on it: I like to give the patient unique experiences. I make the patient lubricate the speculum with her saliva, by licking it prior to insertion. And I make the patient clean the speculum after insertion, by licking her vaginal secretions off. I have found that this method puts the patient in the proper mindset for the recto-vaginal examination to follow. My exams tend to be more on the erotic/embarrassing side than most... 😉

I am surprised at how many play docs have stated that they use no additional lubricant, you must enjoy causing discomfort or don't leave the speculum in for more than a few seconds

Most ladies I examine are more than wet enough to not need any additional lubricant, but as I would hope any good play doc knows, once the speculum is in the area between the vaginal wall and speculum blade ceases to continue to remain wet or even moist, so a speculum left in place for any time will stick to the vagina like a cigarete paper to a dry lip, and you know what damage that can do!

Additional lubrication is essential unless your intention is to cause discomfort when removing the speculum

I'm still in shock reading all these accounts from play docs who claim to use none

In a real smear test the speculum is in and out in a few seconds and that causes enough discomfort with just water for lubrication

Time to learn more about the female anatomy guys! and gals - avoid a play doc who doesn't use lubrication

My impression is that the original poster was referring to a real doctor doing a real exam.

For real exams, the MD my SO saw would or would not use lube depending on what she was in for. If she was in for a pap smear she would ot use lube. If she wanted to make just a quick visual check for something like a UTI or yeast, she would use lube.

In my play exams, it depends. I totally agree that if you leave the speculum in for an extend amount of time it will tend to "stick" so I tend to use a good lube if I am going to leave it in for a while.

Doctors tend to use KY or a surgical lube, I use a sex lube. While both are water soluble I have found the sex lubes stay liquid longer.

Every time that I had my gyn use a speculum, I thought she used some lube. Maybe was not concentrating on it going in and trying to think of something else as a diversion.

For fertility treatments, no lubrication is used since it will affect the sperm or embryo.

Yes I need it lubricated I am a petite. I do get wet but it still hurts me

Our doctor has indicated that lubricant (artificial) can influence the cytology within the vagina. She uses only water to lubricate the speculum while taking smears. She does use lubricant while doing the bi-manual and rectal exam.

I get really aroused seeing the speculum on the counter before the doctor comes in. By the time he inserts it I'm usually pretty wet and it glides in. I always hope he will leave it in longer than he does. I also always wonder if he enjoys what he sees.

I speculate that use of a speculum without lubrication would be uncomfortable for the receiver.

My doctor never uses lube, only hot water. She takes her time and it never hurts when she inserts the speculum, though. I just feel wide open but I guess it's the point.

She uses plenty of lube for bimanual and rectal exam, though.

I've never seen my wife's doctor put lubricant on the speculum, presumably for the obvious reason of possible pap interference as others have mentioned. That said, I have seen him run warm water over it first. After opening her vaginal lips with his fingers and pressing down on her vaginal wall slightly he had little trouble sliding it in without additional lube.

Her radiology oncologist always lubes the speculum. Her gyn never does.

Though I know it is standard practice for the speculum to be inserted lubricated only with water for a Pap test, it is hard for me to imagine it not being uncomfortable for the patient unless she is lubricating naturally. I would love to hear more from the ladies on this subject.

I never use lubricant during the speculum part of the exam for the reasons already stated. I run it under warm water and insert it still wet. I turn it sideways as I insert it and only rotate to the viewing position when it is inserted. Then I open it being careful not to touch the cervix. I also gently insert a finger into the vagina to open it before inserting it. I don't think it causes any pain and I've never had any complaints. (Of course it's not happening to me.) Real pain is caused by manipulating the cervix. This is why heavily endowed males may need a "spacing" washer to prevent banging the cervix during intercourse.

^^^^ Sometimes we DO like the cervix banged during intercourse. It makes us say Uuhhhhhh!!! when you hit us the right way!