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Ben Wa Balls & Kegel Balls

Dr. Lisa Lawless

Dr. Lisa Lawless, CEO of Holistic Wisdom
Clinical Psychotherapist: Relationship & Sexual Health Expert

Ben Wa Balls & Duotone BallsWhat Are Ben Wa & Kegel Balls?

Ben wa and kegel balls are intended to roll around inside the vagina, creating sexual arousal through vaginal and G-spot stimulation as well as causing the pelvic floor muscles (Kegel muscles) to contract and strengthen by simply holding them inside. Many contain a ball within a ball so that a subtle vibration is felt when they come into contact. Electronic vibrating versions of Kegel balls make the stimulation more intense.

Some people wear them during the day, experiencing fun at the office, grocery store, and even on dates. They can also be used during sex with a partner and enjoyed when the balls move around during penetration from a penis or dildo.

Neither ben wa balls nor Kegel balls are intended for anal use as they can easily get lost in the rectum. To learn more about how to choose an anal safe sex toy, please see our helpful guide How To Use Anal Toys.

Differences Between Ben Wa & Kegel Balls

  • Ben wa balls are typically made from various hard substances, including gold, silver, steel, plastic, glass, lucite, and any combination thereof. They are slightly larger than marbles. They are sold by the pair and are intended for vaginal insertion and the two separate balls are designed to move around and contact each other.

  • Kegel balls, also called goddess balls, duotone balls or pleasure balls, are variations of ben wa balls. They may have metal ball bearings enclosed within hollow plastic or metal balls tied together with a connector or string. They may also be solid or vibrate and some feature advanced settings that measure vaginal contraction strength. 

Examples Of Ben Wa Balls & Kegel Balls

Kegel & Ben Wa Ball Materials

Silicone, metal, or phthalate-free plastics are generally the best materials as they have more hygienic properties and textures. Porous TPE and TPR elastomers are not suitable as they can harbor bacteria which may lead to infection. For those allergic to latex, it is essential to avoid latex rubber versions. Glass balls that make contact with one another may be unsafe as they can cause cracking and chipping in the balls by bumping into one another. To learn more about sex toy materials, please see our helpful guides:

Pros & Cons Of Ben Wa & Kegel Balls

Pros

These are well-loved for those who enjoy subtle and understated sexual stimulation instead of intense and quick excitement. They are designed to teach increased sexual mindfulness through their subtle stimulation of the vagina.

Tantra enthusiasts, Taoist sex practitioners, yoga and meditation advocates, and other endorsers of spiritual sex feel that using them provides benefits by learning to enjoy life's subtler pleasures. It's also thought that the orgasms achieved from using ben wa and Kegel balls are worth the wait. They are also thought to help increase orgasmic pleasure by increasing the strength of the Kegel muscles and when used during sexual intercourse, creating additional stimulation.


Cons

Non-vibrating ben wa and Kegel balls are not appealing to some because of the subtle sensations. They are placed in the vagina like a tampon and are often marketed to provide women with multiple orgasms while doing daily activities. Be aware that laughing and sneezing can cause them to pop out.

Yoni Eggs

Unlike ben wa and Kegel balls, yoni eggs are single eggs and do not move around as much. They are often made out of natural stone, such as jade, rose quartz, black obsidian, and even amethyst. They are sought out for sexual pleasure, healing, and spiritual power. However, there has been much debate surrounding whether their natural stone materials are safe. For more information, please see our Crystal Dildos & Yoni Eggs Guide.

How To Use Ben Wa & Kegel Balls

Insert the balls into the vagina one at a time if using separate ben wa balls and both together if using Kegel balls that are connected. Use lubricant to insert them and lie down with legs toward the chest if that makes insertion more comfortable. Then stand up and move around actively. It typically takes about ten to twenty minutes before you feel their full effect. Many use these balls while cleaning the house, during their beauty routine in the morning, or during exercise to provide added stimulation during the day.


Understanding Risks

Inserting anything into the vagina (including a penis or fingers) can introduce harmful bacteria contributing to infections. Thus, properly cleaning them before and after using them is essential. Putting anything in your vagina for too long is also unhealthy and should be avoided. This includes ben wa and Kegel balls as well as menstrual cups, tampons, and any sex toy.


Retrieval

If you are concerned about retrieval, you can use Kegel balls that have a cord or string to allow you to retrieve it more easily after it is inserted.


Proper Cleaning & Storage

Disinfect your ben wa or Kegel balls after each use and store them in a cool, dry place. Please see our guide, How To Clean Sex Toys, for more helpful information.


Lubricant

Use lubricant when inserting ben wa or Kegel balls by putting the lubricant on your vaginal opening as well as the ben wa or Kegel balls. See our Lubricant Guide for more information on what is compatible with different sex toy materials, or use water-based lubricants that are safe to use with all sex toys.


Avoiding Pelvic Floor Strain

Proper pelvic floor training requires the contracting and relaxing of the Kegel muscles. If you continuously contract the pelvic floor muscles for too long by using ben wa and Kegel balls, you may inadvertently be causing too much tension in them. Thus, you should limit using them for about 20 minutes at a time, and do not sleep with them inside you.

Symptoms With Pelvic Floor Tension:

  • Constipation
  • Pelvic region pain
  • Pain during vaginal penetration
  • Pelvic floor muscle spasms
  • Lower back and abdominal pain


Using Them While Sitting

Insert the ben wa or Kegel balls into your vagina, and while sitting down, squeeze your legs together. After the balls have been inserted and your legs are pressed together, start rocking back and forth for added stimulation.


Using Ben Wa Balls During Sex

Kegel balls are not typically used during sex because there is often not much room for them, and they do not move around as ben wa balls do. Thus, most people use small ben wa balls for added sexual stimulation. When using them during vaginal penetration with a penis or dildo, they will bump into one another like billiard balls and create an increased sensation.


Using Kegel & Ben Wa Balls With A Vibrator

When you use them with a vibrator on the clitoris, the clitoral structure and pelvic floor muscles will contract, creating increased G-spot pleasure when they are inside. When you insert a vibrating dildo or penis with a vibrating ring, they will contact the balls and cause them to vibrate, causing much more intense stimulation.

G-spot And Clitoris Diagram

Kegel Exercise

Ben wa and Kegel balls can provide an excellent health benefit of strengthening your pubococcygeus (PC or Kegel) muscles, which gives you a more desirable grip during intercourse and helps control your bladder and prevent incontinence as you age.

To find your Kegel muscles, stop the flow next time you urinate. The muscles you tighten to do this are your Kegel muscles. To strengthen your Kegel muscles using ben wa balls or Kegel balls, use them for about 15 minutes a day. In addition, repeatedly pushing and pulling Kegel balls through your vagina will give your vagina a good workout. You can also place one Kegel ball in the vagina while letting another ball hang out.

To learn more about how to maximize Kegel muscle strengthening, please see our guides:

Challenges Keeping Them In

If your Kegel muscles are not strong, you have recently given birth or played with very large sex toys; you may find it challenging to hold ben wa balls inside your vagina. Thus, using Kegel balls may be a better option. However, if you want to use them, using ben wa materials made of a more grippy material such as silicone may be helpful as metal and hard plastics may slip out more easily. If you have vaginal prolapse issues, please see our guide: Vaginal Prolapse Help.

Difficulty Getting Them Out

  • Ben wa balls are typically what will be more difficult to remove as they are smaller and separate with no pull cord to remove them easily. Part of the reason for adding lubrication is to prevent difficulty in removing them. When vaginal walls are not well lubricated, the balls may have more difficulty coming out.

  • Another major factor in removing them is to relax so that all your vaginal muscles relax. Some of your vaginal muscles are involuntary, so it can be challenging to remove them if you are tense.

  • Try a couple of deep breaths, then gently bear down as if having a bowel movement. If needed, insert additional lubricant, and they should slide right out.

  • If you have a partner, you can have them sweep their middle finger (with trimmed fingernails) around the outer circle of your cervix. Your partner may feel them and be able to pull them out. If you can get a flashlight and spread yourself open, sometimes you can see them.

  • You can also try douching or using the stream of a tub faucet or removable showerhead to flush them out or get them lower and more easily reached. Do not use high pressure water as it can push them further inside the vagina and could be medically dangerous.

  • See a gynecologist if you can't find one or both balls. You don't want them to stay lodged in your vagina as they can cause potential health problems if they remain inside you.

Preventing Embarrassment

Kegel and ben wa balls made of metal will set off metal detectors, and because they are so slick, they may slide out at inopportune moments. We recommend using connected Kegel balls in these scenarios or using ben wa balls with common sense and at home to avoid public embarrassment.

Are They Right For You?

This comes down to your sexual pleasure preferences. There's no right or wrong answer. If you purchase them, be prepared to spend some time perfecting your technique and understand that they are not meant to be used for quick orgasms like G-spot sex toys, vibrators, or air pulse stimulators (clitoral suction vibrators) can provide.

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