Reasons for this preference vary. In Zaire, a wet or large vagina may be considered to be the result of a curse or bad luck. Both men and women have expressed preference for vaginal dryness and tightness during intercourse. Hence, lubrication is not considered an essential element in pleasurable sexual intercourse. A small number of studies have assessed whether the use of vaginal drying agents enhances the risk of HIV infection.
Inconclusive evidence supports the existence of such a relationship.
14 Other researchers have focused on the physical effects of intravaginal substances. In Zaire, eight commercial sex workers recruited through the Kananga Department of Public Health were examined both prior to and after their insertion of drying agents. Among the seven women who used leaves as a drying agent, only one was left with an intact vaginal mucosa. All other women had vaginal inflammation that resembled a localized chemical burn or an allergic reaction. Although this study demonstrated that drying agents affected the epithelium of the vagina, the hypothesis that the practice may be associated with an increased risk of HIV infection was not tested, most likely due to the small sample size involved.