Yoni eggs are polished, egg-shaped stones designed to be inserted into the vagina, typically marketed for pelvic floor strengthening and sexual wellness. If you’ve decided to try one, the process involves choosing the right size, learning proper insertion and removal, and following strict hygiene practices. However, there are real medical concerns worth understanding before you start, because the way yoni eggs work conflicts with how pelvic floor training is actually supposed to function.
What Yoni Eggs Are Supposed to Do
The idea behind a yoni egg is simple: you insert the weighted stone, and your pelvic floor muscles contract to hold it in place. Proponents claim this strengthens those muscles over time, similar to how Kegel exercises work. Some sellers also attribute spiritual and emotional benefits to certain stones like jade or rose quartz.
The problem is that effective pelvic floor training requires a cycle of contracting, releasing, and fully relaxing the muscles. Holding a yoni egg inside your body means you’re clenching continuously without that release phase. According to Cleveland Clinic gynecologist Dr. Kshettry, this sustained tension can actually lead to painful muscle spasms in the pelvic floor, a condition called hypertonicity. So while you might feel like you’re exercising those muscles, you could be creating tightness and pain rather than strength.
Choosing a Size
Yoni eggs come in three standard sizes: large (roughly 35 × 50 mm), medium (30 × 43 mm), and small (25 × 35 mm). The sizing logic is counterintuitive. Larger eggs are easier to feel and grip, making them the starting point for most people. Smaller eggs require more muscle control and dexterity, so they’re considered more advanced.
Most people start with a medium egg. If you’ve given birth, gone through menopause, or are unsure, a set of all three sizes lets you begin with the large egg and work down. If you already experience tightness or tension in your pelvic floor, a small egg may be more appropriate, but in that case, a yoni egg practice might not be a good fit at all since it promotes further clenching.
Drilled vs. Undrilled Eggs
Some yoni eggs have a small hole drilled through them so you can thread a retrieval string, similar to a tampon string. This makes removal much easier, especially for beginners. Undrilled eggs have no hole and rely on gravity and bearing down for removal.
The tradeoff is hygiene. A drilled hole creates a small channel where bacteria can accumulate and become difficult to clean thoroughly. If you use a drilled egg, you’ll need to clean inside the hole after every use with an interdental brush or a piece of clean string. Undrilled eggs are easier to sanitize on the surface but harder to remove.
Material and Porosity Concerns
Most yoni eggs are made from jade, rose quartz, or obsidian. One important factor that sellers rarely emphasize: jade is semi-porous, meaning bacteria can penetrate the surface and remain there even after washing. Quartz and similar minerals are less porous than jade but still not completely nonporous. This makes them fundamentally different from medical-grade silicone sex toys, which can be fully sterilized.
Because no stone material can be completely sanitized, there’s an inherent infection risk with any yoni egg. Each use introduces the stone to your vaginal microbiome, and residual bacteria from a previous session could potentially cause irritation or infection over time.
How to Insert a Yoni Egg
If you choose to use a yoni egg, here’s the step-by-step process:
- Get comfortable. Lie down, squat, or sit in a position where your pelvic muscles can relax. Take several deep breaths before you begin.
- Orient the egg correctly. The larger, rounded end points upward (toward your body). The narrower, pointed end faces downward.
- Use lubrication. Apply water or a water-based lubricant to the egg and around the vaginal opening. This is especially important if you’re new to the practice.
- Insert slowly. Gently twist and turn the egg as you guide it in. If needed, use one hand to part the labia while inserting the egg with the other. Let your body draw it in rather than forcing it.
The egg should sit comfortably inside the vaginal canal. If it feels painful or you can’t relax enough to insert it, stop. Forcing insertion can cause micro-tears in the vaginal tissue.
How Long to Wear It
Start with just a few minutes during your first sessions, then gradually work up to 5 or 10 minutes. Avoid leaving a yoni egg in for long periods, and never sleep with one inserted. Extended wear increases the risk of muscle fatigue, spasms, and bacterial buildup. The vagina is a warm, moist environment, and the longer a porous stone sits inside it, the greater the chance of disrupting your natural bacterial balance.
How to Remove a Yoni Egg
Squat or kneel on the ground. Squatting shortens the vaginal canal, making removal easier.
For drilled eggs with a string attached, simply pull the string the way you’d remove a tampon. For undrilled eggs, gently bear down as if you’re having a bowel movement. The combination of gravity, the egg’s weight, and natural vaginal lubrication will usually push it out. A gentle cough can also help by increasing abdominal pressure, though be ready to catch the egg because it can come out quickly.
If the egg doesn’t come out right away, don’t panic. You can insert your index or middle finger, hook it over the top of the egg, and scoop it downward. Other options: take a warm bath to fully relax your muscles and try again, apply water-based lubricant to the vaginal opening, or simply wait. As your focus shifts away from the egg and your pelvic muscles fatigue, it will often slide out on its own.
Cleaning Your Yoni Egg
Clean your egg before and after every use. Rinse it under warm water (never boiling, which can crack the stone) and wash with a mild, unscented soap. Lather the soap in your hands first rather than applying it directly to the egg, then gently rub the entire surface with your fingertips.
Skip anything fragranced, antibacterial, or chemical-based. These products leave residue that can disrupt your vaginal microbiome during the next session, leading to dryness, itching, or irritation. Never use abrasive scrubbers like steel wool, because even fine scratches on the stone’s surface create tiny crevices where bacteria can hide.
If your egg is drilled, clean inside the hole with an interdental brush or a piece of clean string. After washing, let the egg air-dry completely before storing it in a clean, breathable pouch. A sealed container or plastic bag traps moisture and encourages bacterial growth.
Safer Alternatives for Pelvic Floor Health
If your goal is genuinely to strengthen your pelvic floor, standard Kegel exercises accomplish the same thing without the infection risk or the problem of sustained clenching. The proper technique involves squeezing your pelvic floor muscles for a few seconds, then fully releasing and relaxing for an equal amount of time. You can do this without any device.
If you prefer a weighted tool, medical-grade silicone Kegel balls are designed specifically for pelvic floor training. They’re nonporous, fully washable, and created with vaginal safety in mind. For anyone dealing with pelvic floor dysfunction, incontinence, or pain, a pelvic floor physical therapist can design a program tailored to your specific needs, which is far more effective than any egg or weighted device used on its own.