Oil acidity (for people who want to get really technical):

Some of the confusion about oils and pH might come from the fact
that natural oils have an “acidity” value.

For instance, the acidity of virgin olive oil is less than 2%, while
extra virgin olive oils are less than 0.8%. But what does that mean if
it has nothing to do with pH?

Well, natural fats (both vegetable and animal) are mostly made up of
molecules called triglycerides. And each triglyceride is a sexy little
bundle of three fatty acids. While fatty acids are bundled up, they’re
not “acidic.” If you’d like an analogy, try picturing a triglyceride as
a package of three sharp darts (fatty acids) with their pointy ends all
safely stored away. When fatty acids are unbundled, their acidity is
unleashed and the oil starts tasting more and more sour.

So the acidity of oil is a measurement of what percent of fatty acids

are free-floating instead of bundled up as a triglyceride. The lower
the acidity, the higher the quality of oil. This is also why old or
overheated oils begin to taste rancid — the triglycerides break down
and the acidity of the oil increases.
So... maybe a more important question is: “Will coconut oil change
the pH of my vagina?  Even if you use a low quality coconut oil that
measures “high in acidity,” it probably won’t immediately change
your vaginal pH, because the fatty acids found in coconut oil are not
very soluble in water. (Again, oil and water don’t mix.)

Now, coconut oil could impact your vaginal pH if it kills off the

good bacteria. But does coconut oil do that?

Coconut oil is anti-bacterial” — NOPE

This is another topic that both sides get wrong. People often
summon the antibacterial properties of lauric acid (a component in
coconut oil) to claim that coconut oil will either kill off good
bacteria or fight against bad bacteria. Here’s the logical progression
that sounds right, but is missing a key point:
 Lauric acid (a fatty acid) is antibacterial  — numerous experiments
have confirmed this finding.
 Coconut oil is ~50% lauric acid.
 Therefore coconut oil is antibacterial. Right? Absolutely not!
The missing key point has to do with what we already discussed
about oil virginity. To rephrase: If you’re using a higher quality
virgin oil, all those antibacterial fatty acids will be safely bound up
in triglycerides where they won’t be harming any bacteria.
That’s why published studies on this topic generally report the same
thing: Although lauric acid by itself inhibits bacteria, virgin coconut
oil is completely harmless to a broad variety of bacteria.
 Side note about oil pulling: Many people find that swishing coconut
oil in their mouths for 10-20 minutes a day helps improve their oral health
— reducing plaque and gingivitis. But don’t listen to those claiming it kills
mouth bacteria. Research suggests that, instead of being antibacterial, plant
oils help break up (emulsify) plaque.

“Coconut oil is antifungal” — POSSIBLY

First off, just to be clear: Antibacterial and antifungal are very
different things. For instance, if you have BV (bacterial vaginosis),
your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic, whereas if you have a yeast
infection, you’ll need to use an antifungal. Different things.
Not only is lauric acid antifungal, but research suggests that virgin
coconut oil could also be antifungal. If that proves true, then either
yeast is more susceptible than bacteria to the low concentrations of
free lauric acid in virgin coconut oil, or other components of coconut
oil are also antifungal.
More anecdotal evidence backing this claim is the large number of
women who testify that coconut oil cures their yeast infections.
Although we don’t advise this remedy (there are probably more
effective options), it is a widespread natural alternative.

“Coconut oil can change your vaginal flora”

— UNTESTED
Although fresh, virgin coconut oil probably won’t kill off the
bacteria in your vagina, we can’t say for sure whether or not it will
feed other microbes. Coconut oil stays fresh for months at room
temperature, and bacteria or molds that eat it are uncommon and
grow very, very slowly. That said, each of us has a unique vaginal
flora, and you may have drawn the short straw.
 Just as you and I differ in our ability to digest foods (because we
have different gut microbes), our vaginas are different in their ability
to handle what we put in them. Nobody can say for sure what
coconut oil will do to your flora — it hasn’t been tested, and you
will have a highly individual experience.
However, every lubricant (including saliva!) could potentially affect
your microbes. Bacterial communities keep vaginas healthy, and just
like finding the best diet for your unique gut bacteria, you’ll want to
sample around before choosing the best lube for your vag. That said,
coconut oil’s widespread use as a natural remedy for yeast infections
is proof that coconut oil could help sway the flora in a good
direction — even if it might also move some women’s in the wrong
direction.

“Don’t use coconut oil with latex condoms” — TRUE!

One last important point: You shouldn’t use coconut oil with latex
condoms, but that’s not coconut oil’s fault. It has to do with the
chemical properties of oil in general — whether that’s a natural
plant-based or synthetic petroleum-based oil.
How bad is it? Scientists tested this question in the lab by soaking
condoms in different lubricants and then inflating them while
counting how long it takes for them to burst. Without lubrication,
condoms last about a minute. What destroys condoms? Baby oil was
the worst of the bunch, popping the condom after only 11 seconds.
But other mineral oils and vegetable oils also weakened the
condoms.
Scientists also tested this question in the bedroom by instructing
hundreds of couples to have sex a dozen times using different
combinations of condoms and lubes. This experiment found that oil-
based lubricants increase breakage - although it was not statistically
significant. Overall, the evidence is pretty strong that oil and latex
don’t mix.
But for those of us who aren’t chained to condoms, coconut oil could
be the perfect all-natural and preservative-free sex lube.
A few research-based condom tips:
 Yeast infection treatments and vaginal moisturizers can also weaken
condoms — use backup methods whenever you’re applying these to your
vagina and the package doesn’t say “condom-safe.”
 Water-based lubricants decrease the breakage rate of “aged”
condoms. So if you’re digging at the bottom of your drawer for an old
condom, make sure to lather on the water-based lube!

When to skip the coconut oil

Latex condoms: Yes we just said this, but seriously, latex condoms
and oil DO NOT MIX. If you’re choosing between the two,
condoms take priority over coconut oil. And when using condoms,
beware that oil on your vulva or even in the opposite hole might
compromise the protection. Silicone-based lubricants are a great
option if you dislike the stickiness of water-based lubes.
Plastic sex toys: Not all toys are oil-compatible. Pure silicone toys
(even the wiggly ones) should be all right, but keep oil away from
mystery plastic toys. In fact, you should probably keep mystery
plastics out of your body. But if you absolutely crave skin-soft toys,
they’re safest when paired with a condom and water-based lube. In
general, the softer the plastic, the quicker that oil will destroy it.
Coconut allergy: This is probably intuitive, but if you have an
allergic reaction when eating coconuts, you should skip trying out
coconut oil as lube. Another highly recommended natural lubricant
is olive oil - try that instead!

Coconut Oil as a Lube: Tips for First-Timers

 Before bringing it to the bedroom, first test coconut oil on the
sensitive skin of your inner forearm. Two days later, try a little in — and
around — your vagina. If all goes well, it’s time to have some fun!
 Use only unexpired, high quality coconut oil as lubricant. If it’s
discolored or tastes sour, it’s time to get a new jar.
 Keep coconut oil fresh and contamination-free by using small
containers. Don’t get it wet and avoid finger-dipping.
 You might want to lay out a towel to protect your sheets from oil
spots. But if you end up with oil on your bedding or underwear, don’t worry
- it’ll come off in the washing machine with hot water and detergent. You
can also pre-treat with baking soda to soak up the oil before washing.