I got thrush after using the Smart Balls just once, could I be having a reaction to the material?

Question

Late last year I purchased the SmartBalls beginners pack. When I first used the Smart Balls I got thrush after just one use. In case it was a coincidence, I waited until just recently, tried again, and have the feelings of thrush appearing again. Could it be I am sensitive to what Smart Balls are made of. Such a shame if so because I really need Smartballs for my weak bladder problems. Hope you can help.

Pelvic Floor Answers

I am sorry to hear you are having issues using the Smart Balls. It is possible that you have an allergy to the medical grade silicone, this is rare but not unheard of. There are number of tests you could try to see if you can identify what might be causing the thrush as it could be something else.

• Firstly when you wash the SmartBalls I recommend only using hot water in case you are reacting to a soap or detergent remaining on the ball. The Uno is made from non porous silicone and does not absorb any body fluids so is safe to clean just with water.
• Are you using enough lube on the Uno and the string, as if there is friction this might irritate the vaginal wall.
• How long have you been wearing the balls for? We suggest starting for 10-30 minutes and adding a few minutes each time you use them, if you are sensitive, you could try every other day to begin with and wearing them for short periods while your body adjusts.
• If you are not allergic to latex, you could pop the uno in a condom-with lube on the outside of it, to see if you have a reaction.
• It is possible that you are having a reaction to the hypo-allergenic lube, again this is rare but perhaps a little more likely than reacting to the silicone. You could try a different brand, perhaps something you have use before where you have not had a reaction.
• Also we recommend making sure you are drinking plenty of water as this helps maintain a healthy bladder and is one of the important elements to eliminating thrush.

If you are able to try out these suggestions, ideally one at a time so you can identify what the trigger is. Please come back to me with your results and we can make further recommendations of these suggestions above do not resolve the issue.