My “PJ Party” Recap

I just had the most fantastic weekend at the Annual Conference for Young Women Affected by Breast Cancer in Dallas, Texas. The Young Survival Coalition, Living Beyond Breast Cancer and Susan G. Komen for the Cure work together to provide a weekend of educational events and networking for young women all over the country (and world) touched by breast cancer. There were over 800 survivors, family, friends and health care professionals at this conference and it gave me a wonderful opportunity to share my love for Pure Romance with a group of women who so deserve to have a little fun!

I was honored to be asked for the fourth time to host a PJ Party for the survivors at the Conference. Over 300 women packed into a conference room and spent a couple hours with me laughing, giggling and talking about our favorite subject – our intimate lives! I am always blown away by the warmth and friendship I feel from these wonderful women each year and look forward to our time together. I feel so blessed to be able to call many of these courageous, strong and vivacious women my friends.

It was for these women that I developed the Pure Romance Vaginal Dilator Set – a medical device that is designed to gently stretch out the vaginal tissue over time. Our dilator set is soft, smooth, comes in six different sizes and is made of silicone.

Women use vaginal dilators for a number of reasons. Certain medical conditions, treatments (such as for cancer), and surgeries can narrow the vagina, decrease the elasticity of the vagina, or cause genital pain. Using dilators can help make sexual intercourse more comfortable. Some women may need to use dilators to help stretch the vagina to make it easier for health care professionals to examine the vagina and cervix as part of on-going medical care.

It is important to remember to first talk with a health care provider before using a dilator set. If a woman is experiencing pain during penetration, she should talk to her health care provider about her treatment options, which includes the use of a vaginal dilator set. A health care provider may recommend that a woman use vaginal dilators for other reasons as well.
To use a dilator set, it is best to find a private place where you feel comfortable and relaxed. For some women, the bath or shower works well; other women prefer their bedroom. You can use a dilator alone or with a partner. Choose a comfortable position, such as lying down on your back with your knees slightly apart and bent, or while sitting on your bed or sofa. Gently insert the dilator into the vagina (it is recommended to use with a water-based lubricant) and leave in for the amount of time recommended by your health care provider. To remove, slowly rotate clockwise or counterclockwise.

Frequency of use will be determined by you and your health care provider, based on your needs and your health. Sometimes women use vaginal dilators once a week or longer; other health care providers recommend using three or more times a week. Sometimes women are asked to use dilators over a period of weeks or months; other times it is necessary to use dilators with some regularity for the rest of a woman’s life.
I feel strongly about providing these women (and all women struggling with painful penetration) a safe place to get the products they need to improve their sexual health, because by understanding their sexual health I believe it can have a positive impact on their recovery and quality of life.