Guide · Kegel balls
Kegel balls are weighted balls that are inserted into the vagina and held in place by the pelvic floor muscles while you move. You insert them with a little water-based lube, much like a tampon, leave the removal cord outside and take them out by relaxing and pulling the cord gently. If you have leakage, pain or a feeling of heaviness bearing down, the right first step is a healthcare professional – not a product.
Kegel balls – also called geisha balls or Ben Wa balls – are one or two balls with a weight inside, often held together in a holder with a cord at one end. You insert them into the vagina, and when you walk, stand or move in other ways, your pelvic floor muscles respond to keep them in place. That is the whole principle: no motor, no battery, just weight and movement.
Using them is simple once you know the order. Wash the balls and your hands, put a small amount of water-based lube on the leading edge, insert the balls at a calm pace and let the cord hang outside. Move around as usual for a while. When you are done, relax and pull gently on the cord. Then clean the balls and let them dry.
What Kegel balls are not is a treatment. Some pelvic floor problems have a medical cause, and then you need an assessment from a healthcare professional before buying anything. Further down you will find which warning signs that applies to.
A Kegel ball usually consists of an outer shell and a smaller, loose weight inside. When you move, the inner weight rolls and strikes the inside of the shell. That small movement makes the muscles around the vagina contract reflexively to keep the ball in place. For its LUNA Beads, LELO describes this as movement created by weighted cores and internal grooves, transmitted through a soft outer shell.
So the difference from a vibrator is one of principle. A vibrator adds energy from a battery via a motor. A Kegel ball adds no energy at all – all the movement comes from your own motion and from gravity. That is why there are no modes, no charging time and no run time to compare, and why it is dimensions, weight and material that set the products apart.
Healthcare has a closely related product: vaginal cones. The NHS describes them as small weights that are inserted into the vagina and held in place with the pelvic floor muscles, moving on to a heavier cone once you can manage. According to the NHS they can help with stress incontinence or mixed incontinence, but some people find them uncomfortable or unpleasant to use. Kegel balls build on the same idea of a weight that is held in place, but they are sold as consumer products and should not be confused with a treatment prescribed by a healthcare professional.
The pelvic floor is the layer of muscle that supports the organs in the pelvis. The NHS describes how the pelvic floor muscles surround the bladder and urethra and control the flow of urine when you pee. The muscles can weaken, for example in connection with pregnancy and childbirth, which is why pelvic floor exercises are such common advice.
For urinary incontinence, the NHS describes a structured pelvic floor training programme that should include at least eight muscle contractions at least three times a day and last for at least three months, and says a doctor can refer you to a specialist to get started. In other words, it is the pelvic floor exercises themselves, done correctly and over time, that form the foundation – not a particular product.
Kegel balls can be a way to become more aware of the muscles, and some people find they make the exercises easier to remember. But none of the manufacturers we have reviewed publishes a training schedule, and no product replaces an assessment if you have symptoms. Think of them as a complement to pelvic floor exercises, or simply as something you use because it feels good.
The steps below follow the manufacturer's manual for LELO Beads – see our review of LELO LUNA Beads Mini – which is the most detailed set of instructions we have reviewed, and they broadly apply to all Kegel balls with a cord. Always read the manual for your particular product.
1. Clean the balls and your hands. Wash with warm water and mild soap and rinse thoroughly. Check that the cord and holder are intact.
2. Use a little water-based lube. LELO says you should lubricate the leading edge – and warns that too much lube makes the ball slippery and hard to keep in place. Less is more here.
3. Find a comfortable position. The manual suggests lying on your back or standing with one knee raised. If you find it hard to get the balls in, you can raise your pelvis so gravity helps.
4. Insert the balls calmly. Push gently but firmly, much like with a tampon – the difference being that the balls are wider. If you are using two balls in a holder, the inner ball, which LELO calls the crown ball, goes in first. The manual points out that your muscles may try to push the first ball out before the second is in; take a deep breath and relax.
5. Leave the cord outside. It should hang freely outside the vaginal opening so that you can always take the balls out.
6. Move around as usual. Walk, stand, do everyday chores. Notice which movement you feel the most. It should not hurt.
7. Remove the balls. Relax your pelvic floor and pull calmly and straight on the cord. If the balls are stuck: breathe, relax and try a different position rather than pulling harder.
8. Clean and dry. Take the parts apart if they can be separated, wash them individually and let everything dry completely before storing.
There is no manufacturer figure to rely on. LELO publishes no recommended wearing time, no maximum time and no training schedule for its LUNA Beads – neither on the product page nor in the manual. The same goes for most Kegel balls.
The cautious approach is therefore to start with short sessions, see how your body reacts and not increase until it feels comfortable. Take the balls out straight away if it hurts, chafes or feels like pressure bearing down, and wait until the symptoms have passed before using them again. Kegel balls are not designed to be worn overnight or during sex.
Many people searching for Kegel balls also end up among vibrating eggs, since both are worn inside and both are hands-free. But they do different things. The Kegel ball has no motor and relies on your muscles working to hold the weight in place. A vibrating egg has a motor and battery, delivers vibration and is controlled with a button, remote or app – it is a sex toy, not a training tool.
If you want something that gives pleasure while you move, a vibrating egg is often what you are really looking for. If you want to focus on the pelvic floor, Kegel balls are the simpler choice: nothing to charge and nothing that can stop working. Read more about wearable models in the guide to remote-controlled sex toys and among the best panty vibrators.
Three things determine how Kegel balls feel: the diameter, the weight and whether they are joined in a fixed unit or sit in a holder where you can swap balls.
It is easy to assume that a smaller ball is easier to use. That is only partly true. A narrower ball is easier to insert, but it is also easier to lose, because less muscle work is needed to hold it in place. A heavier ball pulls down more and demands more of the muscles.
LELO's three sizes show the difference clearly. Mini has a 29 millimetre diameter and Classic 35 millimetres, but both contain exactly the same weights: 28 and 37 grams. Plus is also 35 millimetres but adds a third weight level of 60 grams. The manufacturer also gives its own guidance – Mini for those under 30 who have not given birth, Classic for those over 30 or who have given birth – with the caveat that these are only guidelines.
For comparison, Fun Factory specifies a fixed unit for its Smartballs Duo: 16.8 centimetres long, 3.2–3.6 centimetres in diameter and 74 grams in total. That is as much as two of LELO's heaviest Mini balls combined.
A fixed unit has no joins and is therefore easy to clean, but you cannot change the weight. A modular set lets you start with a single, light ball and move on to two or to a heavier one – but every join is a place where lube and bodily fluids can collect, which is why the parts must be taken apart every time you clean them.
Also check how the cord is attached. It is the part you use to remove the balls, and it should be made of the same material as the rest or be securely moulded in.
Kegel balls stay inside against the mucous membrane for quite a while, so the material matters even more. Silicone is non-porous and can be cleaned; hard plastic such as ABS is also non-porous as long as the surface is intact. Avoid soft, porous materials and products that smell strongly of plastic. For its LUNA Beads, LELO specifies body-safe ABS plastic and silicone and refers to the ISO 3533 standard for sex toys. Read more in the guide to safe materials in sex toys.
Use water-based lube, and only a little. Two reasons: silicone-based lube can damage the silicone surface – LELO says hand creams and silicone-based lubes can make silicone permanently sticky – and too much lube makes the balls slip out. It is one of the few occasions where the advice is to be stingy.
Ideally choose a fragrance-free lube. If you are prone to thrush or have dryness of the mucous membranes, a glycerine-free option may be worth looking at; pjur itself writes in its FAQ that glycerine and glycols can act as food for yeast. More about the differences in which lube should you choose and among the best lubes.
Clean your Kegel balls before and after every use. LELO specifies warm water and antibacterial soap, that the parts should be taken apart and washed separately, rinsed with clean warm water and dried with a lint-free cloth. Cleaning products containing alcohol, petrol or acetone must not be used, as they attack both silicone and ABS plastic.
A product being waterproof does not mean it can withstand heat. LELO prohibits extreme heat for its LUNA Beads, which rules out both boiling and the dishwasher. Store the balls dry, dust-free and separate from toys made of other materials – ideally in the pouch that comes with them. More on that in how to clean sex toys and how to store sex toys.
Kegel balls are personal. Do not share them, and replace them if the surface becomes sticky or scratched or if the cord starts to come loose.
Too much lube. The balls slip out, and it can feel as though your muscles are not up to it. Wipe off the excess and start again with less.
Silicone lube on silicone balls. It can ruin the surface for good. Choose water-based.
Starting too heavy or for too long. Your muscles need to get used to it. Stop if you feel discomfort, fatigue or pressure.
Mistaking anal beads for Kegel balls. They look similar but are made for something completely different – more on that below.
Using balls instead of seeking help. If you have symptoms, it is a healthcare professional who should decide what is needed. More general pitfalls in common mistakes with sex toys.
Anal beads are a row of balls on a shaft or a chain, with a loop or handle to pull them out with. They have no loose weight inside and are not designed to be worn while you walk. Kegel balls, for their part, are not made for anal use: they lack a handle that can withstand pulling and a base that stops them from slipping in. Never use a product anally unless it is intended for it. If you want to read about anal beads, there is the guide to anal beads and the best anal beads.
See a healthcare professional before you start using Kegel balls, or stop using them and seek help, if you have any of the following:
Urine leakage when you cough, sneeze, laugh or exercise, or frequent and sudden urges to pee. The NHS describes how a doctor can refer you to pelvic floor training with a specialist.
A feeling of heaviness, discomfort or pressure in the lower abdomen or in the vagina, or a bulge or lump in or near the vaginal opening. The NHS says this can be a sign of prolapse and that you should then see a doctor.
Pain, bleeding or unusual discharge – before, during or after use.
Pregnancy or having recently given birth. LELO's manual explicitly states that you should consult a doctor before use during pregnancy.
Kegel balls suit you if you have no symptoms but want to become more aware of your pelvic floor, want something to remind you of your pelvic floor exercises, or simply like the feeling of wearing something discreet during the day. They are also a way to try something hands-free without a motor and battery. If you see them as a discreet option, there are more ideas in discreet sex toys.
They are less suitable if you have pain during penetration, an ongoing infection or symptoms that have not yet been assessed. In that case it is better to start with a healthcare professional, and then ask them whether Kegel balls or vaginal cones could help in your particular case.
