Hot tubs and Jacuzzi’s, along with pools, showers, and bathtubs can all be a great way to add variety into your sex. The hot tub can create a sexually inviting atmosphere you get to see your partner half-naked (or fully naked!) and wet. Hot tubs have warm, relaxing jets and bubbles, and the water allows for novel positioning. They can be an amazing place to engage in mutual masturbation and other foreplay. However, when it comes to having sex, we would like to recommend that you move yourselves to dryer ground such as the bed, floor, table, chair, grass, kitchen sink or almost anywhere other than the hot tub. Why? There are a few reasons:
Sex in water is NOT safer sex.
Hot tubs, Jacuzzi’s, pools, showers, and bathtubs can lead to uncomfortable and possibly painful sex. When a woman becomes sexually aroused her vaginal walls secrete lubrication that decreases friction and allows for the easy insertion of a penis, dildo, or any other foreign object into the vagina. This lubrication protects the vaginal wall from high amounts of sexual friction. However, if a woman is submerged in water, this natural lubrication may get washed away. Without lubrication, sexual friction can cause irritation and micro tears to the vaginal walls. The lack of natural or artificial lubrication can also be problematic with underwater anal sex.
Sex in a hot tub, Jacuzzi or pool can lead to infections. During sexual activity, water can get forced into the vagina or anus. This water may be teeming with microbes which can lead to an infection. Sometimes residential (and commercial) hot tubs, pools and Jacuzzis are not chlorinated adequately, increasing the amount of bacteria they contain and the likelihood of an infection. Even if the water in a hot tub has a chlorine level maintained in accordance to government standards, there is still a risk of infection if the water is forced into the vagina or anus. Exposing a vagina to chlorine may disrupt healthy native bacteria and change the natural pH (acidity) in the vagina leading to a yeast infection.
Condoms may not work as well in a pool, hot tub, shower or Jacuzzi increasing the risk of pregnancy and STD’s. Jacuzzi’s, hot tubs, baths are sometimes quite hot and heat causes condoms to deteriorate slightly, increasing the likelihood that they will break. For this reason, we also advise that you do not store condoms in places where they will experience a lot of heat such as your wallet, glove compartment or anywhere else that gets hot. Hot tubs compound the heat problem by having large amounts of chlorine. Chlorine may further breaks down the condom increasing the chance of breakage. Another reason for your rubber to fail with underwater sex is that condoms may also be prone to slipping off in water. During sex, water can be forced between the condom and the penis causing it to slip more easily.
With all that said we would like to remind you that any condom is better than no condom at all! If you do choose to engage in hot-tub sex, remember to use a condom, and try to make sure it doesn’t slide off!
On another contraceptive note, if spermicide is inserted into the vagina as a supplement to other birth control methods, the water may simply wash it away. This can significantly decrease the effectiveness of spermicides.
Lastly, we would like to dispel a common myth that hot tub sex is “safe sex”. An incorrect urban myth claims the heat from a hot tub kills sperm, making conception impossible. This is NOT TRUE! Being in a hot tub for more than 30 minutes does slightly lower sperm count, but there are tens of millions of sperm in one ejaculation. Hence even if the heat reduces the sperm count a tiny bit there is still a large number of healthy, active sperm that can cause a pregnancy.
Also, we would like to emphasize that hot water per se does nothing to protect you from bacteria or viruses that spread STI’s. In fact, because the vagina is less lubricated all those tiny micro-tears discussed earlier open up a direct path for infections, and consequently may increase the risk of contracting an STI.
We would like to finish by stressing that there are plenty of fun places or ways to have new amazing sex and we encourage you to try them if you wish! We want to make sure that you have the best, mind-blowing experience possible while being both exciting and safe.
--The Sexperts
References:
Alice. (2000). “Is safer sex possible in a swimming pool or hot tub?” Go Ask Alice!. Trustees of Columbia University. November 2000. Columbia University. Available from: 1/18/06.
Wales, Jimmy. (2006) “Chlorine” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. January 2006. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Available from: 1/18/06.
[un-named] (2004) “Pre-Conception Health for Men” American Pregnancy Association. Reproductive Educators. June 2005. Available from: 1/18/06. http://www.americanpregnancy.org/gettingpregnant/menpreconception.htm.
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The Hidden Dangers of Hot Tubbing