Soft body-friendly silicone. A unique lubricant channel. Clinically trusted. Designed for real women, managing real conditions.
No one chooses to need a dilator. But when you do, the quality of what you use matters enormously — especially when you are already managing pain, discomfort, or the physical and emotional impact of a health condition. The Kegel8 Silicone Vaginal Dilators are designed with that in mind: soft, body-friendly, and built around the needs of real women, with over 20 years of pelvic health expertise behind every detail.
What Is a Vaginal Dilator?
A vaginal dilator is a smooth, gently shaped instrument used to gradually stretch the vaginal canal when it has become narrowed, tight, or uncomfortable. Dilator therapy is used to ease pain during penetration, support recovery after surgery or cancer treatment, and help manage a range of conditions affecting the vagina and pelvic floor.
Choosing the right dilator is important — the material, the softness, and the design will directly affect how comfortable and effective your therapy is. With Kegel8, you are choosing a product trusted by pelvic health professionals and backed by two decades of experience in women's pelvic health.
What Makes the Kegel8 Vaginal Dilators Different?
Soft, Body-Friendly Silicone
Our dilators are made from platinum-cured medical-grade silicone — soft, smooth and malleable, not hard and unyielding. That softness matters when you are working with tissue that is sensitive, healing, or in discomfort. The silicone yields gently to the body's natural contours rather than resisting them, making each session as comfortable as possible and helping your body relax into the therapy rather than tense against it.
A Unique Lubricant Channel — Only from Kegel8
The Kegel8 Silicone Vaginal Dilators feature a unique built-in lubricant channel — a design innovation that sets them apart from every other dilator on the market. The channel allows you to:
- Apply lubricant directly and evenly along the dilator for smooth, comfortable insertion
- Use the channel to deliver prescription creams or topical treatments — such as oestrogen cream — directly to the vaginal wall where they are needed most
- Incorporate hormone gels or topical oestrogen as part of a GSM management plan, making the dilator a dual-purpose therapeutic tool
This is particularly valuable for women managing Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM) — where thinning, drying and inflammation of vaginal tissue makes penetration painful and dilator therapy more challenging without adequate lubrication and hormone support.
Sit Comfortably During Your Session
Because the silicone is so soft, you can sit comfortably in a chair or on the sofa during your therapy session — no need to lie still on a bed. Relax, watch television, or simply unwind. A more relaxed body responds better to dilator therapy, and the freedom to choose your position makes it far easier to maintain a consistent routine.
Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM)
GSM is one of the most underdiagnosed and undertreated conditions affecting women during perimenopause and menopause. It is caused by declining oestrogen levels, which lead to thinning, drying and inflammation of the vaginal walls, the vulva, and the urethra. Symptoms include:
- Vaginal dryness, itching and burning
- Pain or discomfort during sex
- Urinary symptoms including urgency, frequency and recurrent infections
- Vaginal tightening or narrowing over time
Left unmanaged, GSM can significantly affect quality of life and intimate relationships. Dilator therapy, particularly when combined with topical oestrogen or hormone gel delivered via the Kegel8 lubricant channel, is a clinically recommended approach to maintaining vaginal flexibility, comfort and tissue health.
You do not have to simply accept these changes as an inevitable part of ageing. Kegel8 dilators, used consistently, can make a real and lasting difference.
Who Can Benefit?
If you have been recommended dilator therapy for any of the following conditions, the Kegel8 Silicone Vaginal Dilators are an excellent place to start — and a product you can trust.
Vaginal Stenosis
Vaginal stenosis — the narrowing or shortening of the vaginal canal — is one of the most common reasons women are prescribed dilator therapy. It can be caused by radiotherapy to the pelvic area, surgery, or prolonged hormonal changes. Without regular dilation, scar tissue can cause the vaginal walls to adhere and narrow further. The Kegel8 dilators gently stretch and maintain the vaginal canal, helping to prevent further narrowing and restore comfort and function.
Supporting research: Vaginal stenosis and dilator use after pelvic brachytherapy → Read the study
Vaginismus and Pelvic Pain
Vaginismus — involuntary tightening of the vaginal muscles — can make penetration painful or impossible, and has a profound impact on relationships and self-confidence. Dilator therapy is a well-established treatment approach, helping to gradually retrain the muscles to relax and accept increasing sizes with comfort. The softness of Kegel8 silicone is particularly valuable here, as hard plastic dilators can feel threatening and provoke further muscle contraction. Our soft silicone feels gentle and non-threatening, helping both body and mind to relax.
Cancer Treatment — Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy
Pelvic radiotherapy for gynaecological, colorectal or bladder cancers can cause significant changes to vaginal tissue — including stenosis, dryness, scarring and loss of elasticity. Dilator therapy is routinely recommended by oncology teams as a way to maintain vaginal health during and after treatment. The Kegel8 lubricant channel makes it easy to apply prescribed creams or gels as part of each session, and the soft silicone is gentle on tissue that may be particularly sensitive following treatment.
Clinical evidence: Clinical and Psychological Outcomes of the Use of Vaginal Dilators After Gynaecological Brachytherapy: a Randomized Clinical Trial → Read the study
Further reading: Association Between the Regular Use of Vaginal Dilators and Vaginal Morbidity in Cervical Cancer Survivors (EMBRACE-I Study, 2024) → Read the study
Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM) and Menopause
Declining oestrogen during perimenopause and menopause causes physical changes that can make dilator therapy both necessary and more challenging. The Kegel8 lubricant channel — designed to deliver topical oestrogen or hormone gel directly to the vaginal wall — is a uniquely practical solution for women managing GSM.
Dyspareunia (Painful Sex)
Painful sex has many causes — from hormonal changes and pelvic floor tension to post-surgical changes and psychological factors. Whatever the cause, dilator therapy helps to gradually build comfort and confidence, allowing the muscles and tissue to adapt safely over time.
Vulvar Pain Conditions
Conditions such as vulvodynia and vestibulodynia involve chronic vulvar pain that can make any form of penetration extremely difficult. Dilator therapy, progressed gradually and with appropriate lubrication, is part of many physiotherapy-led treatment programmes for these conditions.
Post-Surgical Recovery
Following pelvic surgery — including hysterectomy, prolapse repair, or reconstructive surgery — vaginal tissue may be tight, scarred or swollen. Regular dilator use helps maintain flexibility, prevents scar tissue from restricting the vaginal canal, and supports a comfortable recovery.
Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) Syndrome
MRKH is a congenital condition in which the vagina and uterus are underdeveloped or absent. Dilator therapy is the first-line treatment for creating and maintaining vaginal depth and comfort. This is deeply personal therapy that requires patience, the right support, and equipment you can completely trust. Kegel8 dilators offer the softness, graduated sizing and clinical quality that make this journey as manageable as possible.
Patient information: Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust — Vaginal Dilators and MRKH → Read the leaflet
How to Use the Kegel8 Vaginal Dilators
For full guidance please refer to the Instructions for Use leaflet included with your dilators. Here is a brief overview:
- Find a comfortable position — reclining with knees slightly apart works well for most people.
- Start with the smallest dilator. Fill the lubricant channel with Kegel8 Dilator Gel — a water-based, body-friendly gel developed specifically for comfortable dilator therapy — or your prescribed topical cream.
- Gently insert the dilator to a point where you feel comfortable. Never force. Breathe slowly and allow the muscles to relax around it.
- Once inserted comfortably, you can gently move the dilator side to side for 5–10 minutes.
- When you can insert a dilator so that the base sits flush with the vaginal opening without discomfort, progress to the next size. This gradual progression retrains the muscles and gently keeps the vaginal canal open and flexible.
- Use your dilator for 5–20 minutes, 5–6 days per week. Consistency is key to getting results.
- After each session, clean your dilator with warm water and mild soap or Kegel8 Antibacterial Cleaning Spray. Allow to dry completely before storing.
Always follow the guidance of your healthcare professional or pelvic health physiotherapist.
Product Features
- Soft, platinum-cured medical-grade silicone — gentle, malleable and body-friendly
- Unique built-in lubricant channel — for gel, prescription creams or topical oestrogen
- Sit comfortably during therapy — no need to lie down
- Graduated sizing — progress at your own pace with confidence
- Body-safe, non-toxic, phthalate-free, latex-free and hypoallergenic
- Easy to clean — non-porous silicone, warm water and soap or antibacterial spray
- Recommended by pelvic floor physiotherapists and oncology teams
- Designed by Kegel8 — the UK's leading pelvic health brand, trusted for over 20 years
VAT Relief — You May Be Entitled to Buy This Product VAT-Free
Important: VAT Exemption Available
If you are a UK resident purchasing this product for your own personal use to manage a qualifying chronic condition or disability, you may be entitled to purchase this product free of VAT under HMRC Group 12 (Drugs, Medicines, and Aids for the Handicapped).
You qualify for VAT relief if you have a long-term illness or disability, including neurological conditions, chronic pain, arthritis, mobility impairments, diabetes, or incontinence.
How to claim: Select 'Buy VAT Free' at checkout and state the reason for your claim in the box provided. You self-certify that you meet the qualifying criteria — no medical proof is required. It is a criminal offence to make a false declaration.
For full details of VAT relief eligibility, visit HMRC VAT Notice 701/7 →
Why Choose Kegel8?
Kegel8 has been the UK's most trusted pelvic health brand for over 20 years. We understand that using a dilator can feel daunting — particularly when you are already managing pain, recovering from treatment, or navigating the emotional impact of a condition that affects such an intimate part of your life. Our products are developed in consultation with pelvic floor physiotherapists, gynaecologists, oncology nurses and continence specialists — so every design decision is grounded in clinical evidence and real patient experience.
The Kegel8 Silicone Vaginal Dilators are not a generic medical device. They are a thoughtfully designed, clinically supported therapeutic tool — with the unique lubricant channel, the body-friendly softness, and the graduated sizing that gives you the best possible chance of consistent, comfortable, effective therapy.
You deserve the very best. Choose Kegel8.
Clinical References
- Clinical and Psychological Outcomes of the Use of Vaginal Dilators After Gynaecological Brachytherapy: a Randomized Clinical Trial
- Kirchheiner K, Zaharie A, Smet S et al. — Association Between the Regular Use of Vaginal Dilators and/or Sexual Activity and Vaginal Morbidity in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer Survivors: An EMBRACE-I Study Report. International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics, 2024; 121, 452–464
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust — Vaginal Dilators and MRKH: Patient Information Leaflet
