woman holding a pink jade yoni egg

What Are Yoni Eggs? Here’s Why They’ve Got Everyone Talking

You may have read about them in magazines, seen adverts for them online, or simply heard about them from your girlfriends. Yes, yoni eggs — also known as jade eggs — are the next big thing, but are they really worth all the hype? These brand new wellness products are everywhere at the moment. However, for every site claiming that they work miracles, there’s another publication saying that they could be downright dangerous. So, what should you believe?

Within this guide, we’re going to look at some of the main yoni egg reviews and how to use yoni eggs in the safest possible way. The topic can be a confusing one and there’s a great deal of misinformation out there. If you’re not sure where to start, you’ve come to the right place. We’re going to look at the facts, research, and underlying problems with them. Here’s everything that you need to know and why they’ve got people talking.

What Are Yoni Eggs / Jade Eggs?

Three green and gold jade yoni eggs  with strings on a red background
If you struggle with an overactive bladder, using a yoni egg could help.

If you haven’t heard of this particular health trend yet, you may be wondering one thing: What are yoni eggs? The products are also called jade eggs and love eggs. To use them, you need to insert them into your vagina and then do Kegel or pelvic floor exercises. The idea is that you grip onto the eggs during these movements. They are made out of stones, such as jade, and polished so that they have a shiny exterior. They supposedly originated as ancient Chinese tools used by royalty for a number of health-centric reasons.[1]

Despite these claims, often made on yoni egg e-commerce sites, there is no evidence that these eggs were used in ancient times at all. In fact, the heritage of the eggs and where they originated from is quite unclear. What we do know, though, is that the products have started to become popular as a pelvic floor exercise tool. That means that many women have chosen to try the eggs and associated exercises for themselves.

Did you know that Goop (Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle brand) had to pay a $145,000 settlement after making “unsubstantiated” claims about jade eggs?[2]

Yoni eggs’ popularity

So, what caused these vaginal objects to become an overnight sensation in the health and wellness community? Well, the answer could be very simple. Goop
— Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle company — started promoting the jade eggs. The company claimed that the eggs could “increase chi, orgasms, vaginal muscle tone, hormonal balance, and feminine energy in general,” reports The Cut.[3] However, these claims were not scientifically backed.

Goop pink yoni egg on a cotton string pouch with the Goop logo

Image credit: Goop

Goop’s “unsubstantiated” claims

Goop actually got into legal trouble thanks to “unsubstantiated” claims about the Gwyneth Paltrow jade egg. The company had to pay a $145,000 settlement in the state of California, as reported by The New York Times.[4] However, a representative from the company stated that the settlement didn’t indicate any liability on the behalf of the business. Despite this statement, the lawsuit casts doubt on the yoni egg benefits.

The Possible Benefits of Using Them

Despite the overriding controversy, there could be some plausible yoni egg benefits. Since they’re are relatively new, it’s worth noting that there is not a lot of research into them. The studies that have been done focus on Kegel exercises and pelvic floor training. Right now, there’s nothing to say that using them will help to improve these forms of training. Keeping that in mind, let’s take a look at four of the alleged advantages to yoni egg exercises and any research into the area.

1. Reduce an overactive bladder

Black yoni egg on blue satin pouch

If you struggle with an overactive bladder, trying some Kegel exercises or using a yoni egg could be the answer. This problem is not uncommon. Around 17% of women suffer from an overactive bladder.[5] The medical problem can mean that you need to use the bathroom frequently or have unpleasant leakages throughout the day. If that sounds familiar to you, the sooner you approach the issue and do something about it, the better.

Trying some yoni egg exercises may help you to strengthen your muscles and, as a direct result, reduce the effects of your overactive bladder. The reason is that you can use the jade eggs as part of your Kegel exercises to ensure that you’re activating the correct muscle groups. Research from the Porto Biomedical Journal found that pelvic floor muscles training (PFMT) was an effective way of treating urinary incontinence in older women; .[6] Adding some of these simple exercises to your everyday routine may make all the difference.

2. Strengthen pelvic floor

Golden yellow yoni egg on white lower

Worried that your pelvic muscle has become weaker over time? You’re likely not alone. According to the Royal Women’s Hospital, some of the most common causes of a weak pelvic floor include childbirth, heavy lifting, excessive coughing, hormone changes, and aging.[7] With that in mind, as you get older, there’s every chance that you start to notice some minor changes in this area. Luckily, there is something that you can do about the problem to slow it down or even prevent it entirely.

Do you want stronger pelvic floor muscles? These muscle groups need to be worked if you hope to strengthen them. They are like any other muscle in your body — the less you use them, the weaker they will ultimately be. One of the biggest advantages of using jade eggs is the fact that they can help you with this issue. If you use these pieces of equipment during a pelvic floor training routine, you should be able to get more out of the training than you would otherwise be able to.

3. Improve sexual pleasure

Woman holding a pink yoni egg in her palm

Only around 50% of women usually experience orgasms during sex, according to recent statistics.[8] What’s more, research suggests that women are not likely to increase their chances of having an orgasm by masturbating more frequently.[9] However, there is some evidence to suggest that training your pelvic floor muscles — by using yoni eggs, for example — could help you to enjoy the experience of sex in a deeper way.

Using pelvic floor exercises can actually improve the experience of sex, according to information from the National Health Service (NHS).[10] The reason is that a stronger pelvic floor may increase sensitivity during sex, which could lead to better or even more intense orgasms. Taking the time to engage in some pelvic strengthening exercises could completely revamp and revitalize the way in which you experience sexual intercourse.

Did you know only around 50% of women usually have an orgasm during sex?[11]

4. Relaxation and meditation

Woman holding up a yoni egg to the sun

One of the other alleged yoni egg benefits is meditation and relaxation. Many women use these eggs as a part of their day-to-day relaxation regime. If you look on YouTube, you can find a range of guided techniques that you can use to get started with this practice. Since research suggests that meditation can help you keep your focus as you age as well as relieving your stress levels, including it in your routine could be a positive move.[12]

The latest trend is using jade eggs as a part of this practice. However, it’s important to realize that there is no relevant research into whether yoni egg exercises actually improve meditation in any way. With that in mind, there’s nothing to say that you should be using yoni eggs during your regular meditation sessions.

Disadvantages of Yoni Eggs

While there could be some possible benefits to this health trend, you should also consider the disadvantages here. The surge of popularity of yoni egg exercises has come with a large side helping of controversy too. So, before you rush out and buy your first jade egg, you may want to think about how they will affect your general health.

1. Cleanliness problems

Close up of hand holding a pink yoni egg

Needless to say, if you want to use yoni eggs on a regular basis, you will also need to clean them well. However, no matter how careful you are in this respect, you could find that the eggs are dangerous to your health. Jen Gunter, MD, a San Francisco-based ob-gyn told CNN that since the jade eggs are usually “porous”, cleaning and sterilizing them can be quite difficult.[13] That could mean that the eggs carry harmful bacteria.

In that case, each time you insert the jade eggs into your vagina, you could find that you’re introducing bacteria into the area too. This bacteria could lead to a variety of health concerns and problems including toxic shock syndrome or bacterial vaginosis. Of course, you can do your best to keep the yoni eggs clean, however, it may be hard to avoid this issue.

2. Pelvic pain

Woman holding a black yoni egg up to her chest

Of course, there’s a chance that the misuse of yoni eggs could lead to further problems. In a blog post on her own website, Dr Gunter also stated that doing Kegel exercises incorrectly could lead to pelvic pain or pain during sex.[14]

She recommends that women wanting to strengthen their pelvic floor muscles through exercise use medical-grade silicone or plastic weights, rather than jade eggs. If you’re worried about this issue, it could be worth talking to your doctor before you start using this object at all.

3. Pregnancy dangers

Woman holding a pink yoni egg with her finger and thumb

If you are pregnant, you should not be using yoni eggs or jade eggs. Inserting a foreign object, such as these pieces of equipment, into your vagina could be harmful.

While there is no current research to back up the idea that yoni eggs could be dangerous to your unborn child, this warning is stated on the Yoni Egg main site.[15] If you are expecting a child, you should speak to your doctor if you would like to gain a deeper insight into why you should not be using the eggs right now. Getting a professional’s opinion will help you understand what you can and can’t do during your pregnancy.

A Step-By-Step Guide About How to Use Yoni Eggs

Now that you’re well-informed on all the issues surrounding them, let’s move onto the issue of how to use yoni eggs. This trend has become extremely popular and you may be wondering what the steps are when you try it. There’s a lot of advice out there on how to use yoni eggs, but let’s take a quick look at the basic steps here. This guide is merely to illustrate how people could use the eggs. We are not recommending that you follow it.

Woman with manicured nails holding a pink yoni egg between her legs
When it comes to yoni eggs, it’s not a one-size-fits-all situation.

Step One: Choose your size

When it comes to yoni eggs, it’s not a one-size-fits-all situation. Before you get started, you need to figure out which size is right for you. Most sites tend to sell three different sizes of egg — small, medium, and large. You could say that there is an egg size to suit every single body shape out there. There are many guides online that describe how women should go about choosing the size that is right for them and their vaginas.

As a basic rule, larger eggs are meant for beginners and older women. On the other hand, some sites advise that every woman starts with a medium egg. As you get more advanced, you can graduate to using a smaller jade egg. When you’re choosing the right one for you, make sure that you do your research. The size you choose will likely depend on your body type, age, and skill level. Talk to an expert and get advice.

Step Two: Sanitize the yoni egg

When you have invested in one that’s is right for you, you can move onto the next step. Start thinking about cleanliness. Of course, you should sanitize the egg before inserting it in your vagina. When you first get the egg, don’t make the mistake of thinking that it is already sanitized. It is usually not the case.

Boil some water and set it down to cool, before adding either vinegar, alcohol, organic soap, or tea tree oil, according to the egg care guide on the OONA site.[16] The site claims that warming up the egg (with your hands and body heat) and then putting it into this solution for 12-15 minutes will help to clean it. After that, you need to run the egg under some cold water to rinse it thoroughly.

Woman holding a black yoni egg in front of her tummy

Step Three: Insert the yoni egg

When you have sterilized the yoni egg, it’s time to get started with the exercises. You’ll first need to insert the egg into your vagina. It’s important that you’re relaxed and that you relax your pelvic muscles. When you’re inserting the product into your vagina, make sure that the larger end of the egg is leading the way.[17] If at any point the you feel uncomfortable or the yoni egg causes you pain, you have to take it out. It is crucial that you listen to their body. The moment something feels wrong, you have to stop what you’re doing.

Step Four: Try a pelvic exercise

One of the most common types of yoni egg exercises are Kegels. When you first get started, these moves might be a the best way to get to grips with the practice. You should make sure that you’re isolating the right muscle here – when you contract their pelvic floor, your butt, thighs, and legs should remain perfectly still. You need to contract your pelvic muscle and hold for five seconds before releasing.

Woman holding up a pink yoni egg to a mirror

Step Five: Remove the egg

When you have finished your yoni egg exercises, the next step is to remove the egg. Your hands should be clean before you do so. You need to relax your pelvic muscles and gently reach into your vagina to take hold of the egg. The next step is to pull the egg down and out of your vagina. The key to getting this right is to keep the pelvic muscles relaxed at all times. If you clench these muscles, you will find that removing the yoni egg is uncomfortable or even painful.

Step Six: Clean the egg

When you’re finished with the yoni egg, you need to make sure that you clean it correctly. You should use hot water and vinegar, organic soap, or tea tree oil to clean the egg products, according to the OONA site.[18] The page also recommends that you regularly clean your egg, either using soap and organic water. It should go without saying that keeping the yoni egg as clean as possible is a top priority. As we have previously mentioned, these pieces of equipment can carry bacteria.

What Are Yoni Eggs?

Conclusion

Now that you’ve read our guide, you should be entirely clued up when it comes to yoni eggs and how to use them. While the exercise products are quite popular, you should be aware of the fact that they can be dangerous in certain circumstances.

Since the release of the products, experts have come out to state that they may cause pain, problems with your vaginal health, and even infections. For that reason, we are by no means promoting the use of yoni eggs, jade eggs, or any other type of love egg. Should you choose to use these products, though, you need to ensure that you speak to a medical professional and ensure the eggs are clean and sanitized first.

What Are Yoni Eggs infographic

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References

Scientific References: