Q. If a spermicidal lubricant is used during sexual relations, can it cause the man genital irritation or discomfort? A friend of mine told me that after using this type of lubricant several times, he experienced irritation and pain.
A. The most common ingredient in spermicides is nonoxynol-9. This compound acts a bit like detergent to break down surface tension. That’s why it is also used in some shaving creams as a wetting agent or in poison ivy creams to help dissolve away poison ivy resin.
Side effects include irritation of the skin, such as itching, stinging or burning. Spermicides do not provide protection against sexually transmitted diseases and may even increase the risk of transmission by irritating delicate tissues and disrupting their normal barrier function. Artificial barriers such as latex or polyurethane in male or female condoms would do a better job protecting against STDs.
