# Why would absorbent polymers be used in 'personal lubricant'? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 28, 2016, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-absorbent-polymers-be-used-in-personal-lubricant/747365 "2016-02-28T05:24:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dstarfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dstarfire/32/5762_2.png) [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2016, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-absorbent-polymers-be-used-in-personal-lubricant/747365/1 "2016-02-28T05:24:02Z")
Looked up sodium polyacrylate on wikipedia today, wondering what it’s purpose is in athlete’s foot spray. According to the article, it’s an absorbent polymer often used in diapers, as a thickening agent, and in personal lubricant. Now, the diaper and thickening agent parts make sense (I’m thinking it acts kind of like a sort of fast-setting gelatin). However, the lube part makes no sense at all. I think the last thing you’d want to add is something that absorbs and locks away moisture (a natural lubricant). ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2016, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-absorbent-polymers-be-used-in-personal-lubricant/747365/2 "2016-02-28T05:39:32Z")
You do NOT want personal lubricant to dry out under certain uses. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2016, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-absorbent-polymers-be-used-in-personal-lubricant/747365/3 "2016-02-28T05:43:09Z")
It’s a thickener, as you said. I’d guess it’s used in water based lubricants to make them thicker. It’s not that they’re using so much that they’re turning the lube to jello, but just enough so you’re not dealing with a tube of watery mess running all over the place. ---
**Author:** ![Nefario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/59ef9b/32.png) [@Nefario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nefario)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2016, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-absorbent-polymers-be-used-in-personal-lubricant/747365/4 "2016-02-28T11:02:13Z")
Because they’re soft and slimy. Soft contact lenses are also a water absorbent polymer. A material similar to water activated [Grow-Bugs](http://www.amazon.com/48-Assorted-Grow-An-Insect-Toy-Figures/dp/B003ACFRZ8)🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2016, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-absorbent-polymers-be-used-in-personal-lubricant/747365/5 "2016-02-28T17:58:15Z")
> [@Nefario](#): > > Because they’re soft and slimy. Yup. Polymer coagulants for use in water streams at least are the slimiest, stickiest substances you will find and incredibly tenacious to boot. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2016, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-absorbent-polymers-be-used-in-personal-lubricant/747365/6 "2016-02-28T22:34:24Z")
Many of the slimes and gels found in nature are the same sort of thing - for example as produced by gastropods, [hagfish](http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/hagfish-slime-biomaterial-future), etc. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2016, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-absorbent-polymers-be-used-in-personal-lubricant/747365/7 "2016-02-29T03:14:06Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > It’s a thickener, as you said. I’d guess it’s used in water based lubricants to make them thicker. It’s not that they’re using so much that they’re turning the lube to jello, but just enough so you’re not dealing with a tube of watery mess running all over the place. Water-based lubricants are available in a lot of different viscosities and textures, from nearly-as-thin-as-water to thick gel. That particular ingredient doesn’t sound familiar, though. A quick look at several brands of high end lube (and a couple low end ones) didn’t turn it up, so I’m guessing it’s no longer all that common or may have a different name its listed under as an ingredient. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2016, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-absorbent-polymers-be-used-in-personal-lubricant/747365/8 "2016-02-29T13:13:49Z")
> [@dstarfire](#): > > However, the lube part makes no sense at all. I think the last thing you’d want to add is something that absorbs and locks away moisture (a natural lubricant). There’s a limit to how much water these polymers can absorb. Straight out of the bottle, it’s already saturated, so it’s not going to absorb any addition water from your body. It would be a different matter if you took the polymer in powdered form and poured a bunch of it into the orifice of your choice. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2016, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-absorbent-polymers-be-used-in-personal-lubricant/747365/9 "2016-02-29T15:09:13Z")
> [@typoink](#): > > A quick look at several brands of high end lube (and a couple low end ones) Online, or just what you have on hand? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2016, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-absorbent-polymers-be-used-in-personal-lubricant/747365/10 "2016-02-29T15:45:50Z")
Zing! ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2016, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-absorbent-polymers-be-used-in-personal-lubricant/747365/11 "2016-02-29T21:14:01Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Online, or just what you have on hand? 😃 Both! I work in a high-end sex shop.