Pap Smear / Cervical Screening Tests - Carbomer Free gynAecology Lubricant
Astroglide Personal Lubricants have been approved by Hologic ®, the manufacturers of the ThinPrep® Pap Smear Cervical Screening Test Kits.
Every Astroglide product is free of carbomers and carbopol polymers, which are prone to interfere with cervical screening tests according to Hologic.
Therefore when applied correctly, using Astroglide Personal Lubricant will not interfere with Pap Smear Cervical Screening Test Samples. See below for speculum application instructions.
Astroglide gynaecology lubricant is available in 2.5 ml sachets, 74ml and 148ml bottles and Doctors, Clinics, Hospitals and Medical Centres can contact Astroglide Australia for further details and wholesale pricing.
Phone: 02 4369 6526 or 02 9968 2539
QML Pathology Fact Sheet Laverty Pathology Fact Sheet Hologic Thin Prep Fact Sheet
Carbomers are thickening agents that help control viscosity and the flow of cosmetic products such as personal lubricants.
Carbomers are not harmful to your health but can interfere with ThinPrep Papsmear Tests. The use of Carbomer-containing lubricants significantly reduces specimen adequacy (insufficient cellularity or cell-count). Paps tests cannot be interpreted for disease if there is an inadequate cellularity. To prepare specimens for testing, the test vial of collected sample is passed through a semipermeable filter to transfer the cells to a glass slide. It is believed that products containing Carbomers adhere to and clog the filter, thereby blocking the transfer of cells to the glass slide.
Carbomers have a low toxic and low irritation potential, but what does this research mean in the personal lubricant industry? Personal Lubricant products that “lasts for several days,” most likely contain Carbomers and should not be used in the weeks leading up to a Paps exam. Also, GP’s and gynaecologists should not use personal lubricants containing Carbomers during Pap exams to collect specimens.
Astroglide Personal Lubricant products do NOT use Carbomers.
Personal Lubricant products do not list carbomers on their ingredient lists, so it is impossible to tell, unless you test them in a lab.
Source Links: https://www.jabfm.org/content/24/2/181
http://www.dorevitch.com.au/Portals/0/DP0729%20Use%20of%20Lubricants%20with%20ThinPrep.pdf
Colonoscopy / Gastroscopy
Astroglide's water based personal lubricants are also recommended for Colonoscopy and Gastroscopy procedures as they do not fog the camera. It is also used by Colon Hydrotherapists.
It is available in 4ml sachets, 74ml bottles and 148ml bottles and Doctors, Clinics, Hospitals and Medical Centres can contact Astroglide for further details and wholesale pricing.
Phone: 02 4369 6526 or 02 9968 2539
