Vaginal Dilators

Not only are the Intimate Rose vaginal dilators more comfortable and easier to use, but they are also the only FDA registered vaginal silicone dilator you can buy and are used in the official Academy of Pelvic Health training courses.

What is a Vaginal Dilator?

A vaginal dilator is a cylinder or tube-shaped medical device made from silicone or plastic that’s used to stretch your vaginal tissues gently and progressively with different sizes.

It's designed to help in the treatment of numerous medical conditions and pelvic pain disorders in women by helping to train both the body and the brain to tolerate pain free penetration.

If you suffer from vaginismus, vaginal atrophy, experience pain during sexual activity and sexual intercourse, or have other medical conditions, vaginal dilation therapy is a viable treatment option. It can not only help patients treat the underlying condition of vaginismus and allow for pain free penetration but can help improve overall sexual health.

How to Use a Vaginal Dilator

To begin dilator therapy with Intimate Rose Vaginal Dilators, we put together an 8-step guide below and before you start with care or any program it's important to ensure you have the right sizes.

Finding the Right Size

When it comes to finding the right sizes to begin pelvic physical therapy training with a vaginal dilator set, you may want to consult physical therapists first and most importantly, listen to your body. However, as a guide, when you can comfortably use a vaginal dilator in multiple positions and with movement, you are ready to move on to the next size. Position changes with the trainer in allow for variation in pelvic floor muscle, pelvic organ, and vaginal canal position.

1. Wash the vaginal dilator with warm water and soap.
   
2. Designate a place in your home that is safe and can help you get comfortable for your vaginal dilator practice preferably a place that is quiet and calming.
   
3. Use a generous amount of lubricant that is water based on the medical dilator and the canal opening. The use of a water based lubricant is important to preserve the medical grade silicone.
   
4. Select a size that looks appropriate for your condition or that a health care provider has suggested you get.
   
5. Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and feet planted. Many patients may prefer to lie on their side instead; if that is the case, be sure to have your knees bent and the top leg supported by a folded pillow between your knees.
   
6. Begin your training by taking a breath in and allowing your belly to expand, followed by exhaling and allowing your belly to slowly fall. The act of slowly exhaling can naturally open the vagina if need be. Women should repeat the deep breathing pattern and continue to do so steadily and deliberately. Gently bring the trainer to the vaginal opening and carefully insert it on an exhale. If you have any issues with the end of the dilator or need additional grip, our dilator handle can help.
   
7. Keep the vaginal dilator inserted in the vagina and repeat the slow, deep breathing cycle for 15 minutes or the length of time recommended by your healthcare provider.
   
8. If you experience discomfort, visual imagery is helpful for relaxing the pelvic floor muscles around the opening of the vagina. There are many images that may work. Pick the one that is best for you: "imagine that the vagina is like a rose, blooming outward," "imagine that the vagina is like an umbrella and expanding,"

By practicing using vaginal dilators in different positions such as laying on your back, hands and knees, during deep squat exercises, and lying on your side, your organs shift around the canal and the device and allow for gentle mobilization of the tissue.

Patients can also compress the dilators gently into the walls of the vagina. To do this, you need to imagine that the opening of the vagina is a clock, and gently move the dilator in a slow circular method pausing at each “hour” of the clock to gently press the dilator into the wall of the vagina.

Pelvic Pain Conditions Silicone Dilators Can Help With

Your medical professional or care provider may have a unique training program for you outside of the recommendations made here. Always contact a professional before starting a new vaginal dilator training program.

Training and Proper Techniques

A training plan should be set by a medical professional and consist of using a dilator for 15 to 20 minutes daily 5 to 7 times per week. During that time, it is important to breath calmly.

Maintaining a steady breathing pattern by inhaling through the nose and out through mouth helps to relax the pelvic floor muscles to allow for optimal results. This pattern aids in reducing discomfort during a vaginal training session.

During the vaginal training session, it is important to keep actual physical pain to a minimum. If use of a vaginal dilator becomes painful, consider taking a break for two minutes and trying again, or going down a dilator size until your body is ready to progress to the next size.

Where to Buy the Best Vaginal Dilator

There are a number of different types of vaginal dilators for women's health and those suffering from forms of pelvic floor dysfunction that are available to purchase including magnetic, plastic, and silicone. We recommend that you use a silicone vaginal dilator set based on comfort levels and because sets allow you to progress through a larger range of sizes.

For more information how vaginal dilator therapy is able is able improve pain and sex life, please visit our additional materials below or feel free to browse our award winning product collection of dilators as well as large, medium and small sets.

Additional Materials

Medically Reviewed & Updated: June 27, 2022