What to wear while dilating with the glass dilators?

[Heather34]

Hi ladies. I just wrote a post now in reply to Karla’s post about dilating while out and think this is a good topic to post here – what to wear while dilating with the glass dilators. In her post, she wrote that she was wearing jeans and boy shorts underneath while dilating. I, too, have always worn tight boy shorts while using the glass dilators. While they are incredibly comfortable, when I first started using them, I noticed that they would slip out / fall out if I didn’t wear these tight boy shorts for support. Do you have any other suggestions for future patients reading this on what to wear while dilating?

[Nakitalab]

Thank you Heather. I’m going to run out and get some bike shorts before I leave for NH on Monday. Do you have any other advice for me regarding the procedure?

[salvarez91]

I loved putting the surgical gauze underneath the dilator, it was so thick there was no way the dilator was slipping out! I used to get them at rite aid, but then started using maxi pads, and now toilet paper..ha. They all help 🙂

[Heather34]

@salvarez, these are excellent suggestions to wear while dilating.

@nakita, one additional thing that may be helpful is to bring a travel pillow. In a prior post, one forum member asked if she should bring a cushion or pillow to sit on following the procedure. These were the replies from the other forum members:

“I brought a travel neck pillow to sit on after the procedure. I only used it in the car the first day or two. I was pretty good to go after that. I definitely suggest some type of pillow just in case. The more organized and at ease you are before the surgery the less worry you’ll have afterwards.”

“I did bring a neck pillow also however I really didn’t need it. I use it more now at home then I did in the office. I have trouble sitting with the dilators in so I just sit on the pillow and it makes it so much better!!!
Just relax and know that when you leave there your life will be changed forever!!!!”

“The office gave great advice to buy one of those airplane neck pillows to sit with. On the first day you’ll have to go back to your room with the dilator in and the neck pillow will help the commute back to the hotel. It helps because it raises you up off of the seat but has the hole for the dilator.”

[Dr. Pacik]

When buying cycling shorts buy the less expensive ones without too much padding. There will be some drainage from the lubes and dilation which gets into the thick padding of expensive shorts. Bring along enough pads to soak up the drainage. There is a drug store two blocks from the office where you can get extra supplies. Snug fitting elastic panties also work to hold the dilators in place.

[Allie]

I bought and am using spanks! They are awesome and my dilators have not slipped at all! 🙂

[Heather34]

Hi gals. This is an excellent topic to bring back for the newbies. The new glass dilators are EXCELLENT and very comfortable but it’s important to wear tight fitting panties with them as to prevent them from slipping out. Other ideas include:

“bike shorts (inexpensive ones w/o excess padding), surgical gauze, pads, and spanks”

For the veterans, what else have you used while dilating with the glass dilators to prevent them from falling out? Do you have any further recommendations for future patients?

[Vashalla]

One thing I’m looking forward to trying with the glass dilators is panties with a cloth menstrual pad and one or two pad inserts, like they sell at lunapads.com and gladrags.com. Seems like it would offer a lot of stability and absorbency, and also be comfortable. Has anyone tried that, and did it work?

[Heather34]

Hi Vashalla. I’ve never tried this but I googled the site for lunapads.com and what an awesome idea. Once you try, please let us know what you think and if you would recommend these to future patients. I also think you will find that the glass dilators are very, very comfortable. I’m not sure which dilators you used in the past? I was one of the gals who originally purchased dilators from vag.com and they were the hard plastic white ones – uggghhhh! What is different about the pure romance ones is they are silicone (soft and flexible) material as well as colored and they have a handle which makes insertion and removal much, much easier. And, I’ve found the glass ones to be even more comfortable and shorter in length than pure romance, which makes it easier to go out and do errands/shopping with and they also have handles as well.

[Vashalla]

I’ve been using the pure romance dilators, though I can’t imagine being very active with one of those in. I’m kind of excited to see how the glass ones work out since people here have been saying that you can actually go around doing stuff with them in. That’s been a huge impediment to me dilating, because when I have done it, I really couldn’t do anything else other than play my gameboy, watch TV or read a book while lying in bed. It was pretty time consuming and didn’t allow me a whole lot of time for all the other things I want/need to do. The glass part makes me somewhat nervous, but I’m sure they’re very well constructed and perfectly safe with proper use. Once I try this out, I’ll definitely let everyone know if it worked well.

[Heather34]

Hi Vashalla. The glass dilators are so great and I can’t wait to hear what you think of them. First of all, they are much shorter in length than the pure romance ones which makes it easier to walk around and do things. The handle also doesn’t rub up against your thighs like the pure romance one does with walking. They are also incredibly durable and don’t break if dropped. They also slide in faster than pure romance and, again, feel more comfortable once inside as they are shorter in length. The only thing, as I’ve written, is to just make sure you wear the tight fitting panties and/or the pads you mentioned with them as they do fall out very easily. Let us know. :):):)

[Janet Pacik]

Hi Everyone, We are very happy to be to supply these glass dilators that are custom made for Dr. Pacik according to his specifications. We have put together some guidelines in the care of these glass dilators and I thought I would share them with you as so many people are interested in these glass dilators:

These dilators are made with medical-grade tempered Borosilicate (Pyrex) glass, which is known for its superior durability as well as chemical and heat resistance qualities. Although they are highly resistant to breakage, routine care should be taken when washing and storing your dilators. If these dilators are dropped and do break, they fracture into large pieces rather than shattering into small pieces. While more resistant to thermal shock (sudden changes in temperature) than other types of glass, borosilicate glass can still break when subject to rapid or uneven temperature variations.

• A case is enclosed for storage. It is recommended that you use this case, as it will protect your dilators when not in use. Avoid anything that can scratch the dilators.
• When cleaning your dilators, it is recommended that your sink be lined with a facecloth to avoid any accidents due to them slipping out of your hand. A facecloth will help to “cushion” the fall lowering the risk of them breaking or cracking.
• Hot water can be used to clean your dilators but it is recommended that you avoid any strong shifts in water temperature. Do not go from a very hot water wash to cold water for rinsing. Keeping the water temperature constant will reduce the chance of breaking or cracking.
• To dry your dilators we recommended that you place them on a towel. This will allow the moisture to be absorbed while providing a “slip-proof surface”. Although tapered at the end, there is still the possibility that they can roll.
•

These dilators are not guaranteed against breakage. Replacements are available at a fee.

[Vashalla]

I’m on Day 4 of dilating now, and using the cloth menstrual pads to hold the dilator in has been a success. So far, I’ve only put one insert in the pad, but I can always add a second insert if I ever need more support. I also like them because the cloth doesn’t irritate or dry out my skin like synthetic menstrual pads and other synthetic materials do. Haven’t been able to move around much with the #5 glass dilator in yet, but maybe I just need to get used to how it feels and be a little less squeamish about moving around with it in.

[Heather34]

This is a great review Vashalla and excellent, excellent progress with the glass dilators! You are only on Day 4 and doing TREMENDOUS!!!! I think the more you get used to the feeling of #5, the more you will be able to move about freely with it (and even go shopping). LOL. I remember one of the gals posting in the past about being at a bookstore while dilating. Can’t wait to read more of your posts and keep up the great work!!!

[Vashalla]

Thanks! Before I started the daily dilation program this week, I was already pretty comfortable with the #4 dilator, so I guess I kind of had a head start. My case of vaginismus isn’t very severe, comparatively speaking, but I knew I really needed to start working with a professional on a daily dilation schedule to make any further progress. I’m just not motivated enough otherwise, because of my low libido.