Berman isis - vaginal exerciser by Cal Exotics - review by Tuesday

Isis is a lightweight pelvic floor exerciser intended for beginners or those with weak pelvic floor muscles. The packaging states that it is small and easy to use. It is intended to be appealing to look at and "comfortable for women who experience pain with intimacy." I assume this means it's smooth and small so if you have problems with your vaginal opening tightening too much that you won't find this product to be irritating or too large.

Squeezing against something hard like Isis can increase the rate of pelvic floor muscle strengthening.

Strong pelvic floor muscles help prevent incontinence and lead to stronger orgasms.

Isis is made of lucite, a safe, phthalate free, non-porous material. It is completely hard with a smooth surface.

There is no texture that could cause discomfort.

Isis is six inches long with a circumference of only three inches. It is very lightweight.

It consists of a ball in the center and two long cylindrically shaped parts on each side of the ball.

There is no seam anywhere on the product.

As you turn it around in your hand you can see that its not perfectly circular. The cross section appears to be slightly variable along its entire length. I would love to know how Isis was made that the final product has no seam.

Here is Isis lined up with other vaginal exercise products. From left to right, Energie, Juno, Isis, Kegelcisor, Kegelcisor Enhansor. It is not quite as dark as it appears in this photo but it is definitely pink color, not colorless as it appears on this site.



I actually have two Isis units. If I only had the first one I received, I would be writing that it has an oval cross section. But the second Isis clearly has a cylindrical cross section and is also a bit shorter than the first one. So not only are there non-uniformities within each unit, they vary from one Isis to another. However, I don't believe these variations make a difference in Isis' effectiveness.

The instructions on the package state:

Use internally. Insert gradually over time and use according to your comfort level. To strengthen pc muscles, insert Isis as far as comfortable and squeeze your vaginal muscles around it. You may use it lying down, and eventually try to use your muscles to hold it while standing up.

That second sentence is so awkward. What she means is that you can insert it just up to the center ball or you can insert it so the ball is inside you too if you prefer.

I applaud her for admitting that the product is to be used internally, as so many sex toy products caution against that.

Here is Dr Berman's explanation of how to use it, from Dr Oz's "How to get your best orgasm after 40" show(transcript)

"It is made of silicon, very light. You basically insert it into the vagina, maybe start lying down, squeezing around, it, gives you something to squeeze against. Eventually, you stand up supporting it, you know, with your fingers, hopefully, eventually getting to the point where you can squeeze enough to hold it in yourself. It is a training device, basically."

It would seem that you are meant to use Isis if you're just starting out with kegel exercises and move on to other, heavier products as your muscles strengthen.

I found that when I insert it and stand up without trying to squeeze at all, Isis stays in place fairly well. Very slowly it begins slipping downward. If I continued to stand without squeezing, after several minutes it would have fallen out. Squeezing just a tiny bit holds it in place.

If find that its more enjoyable to use it lying down, letting it act as something hard to squeeze against.

Lucite is an easy care product. Simply wash with soap and water then towel dry.

No storage pouch is included, but none is needed with this product. Its fairly durable.

Any lubricant is safe to use with Isis.

Isis comes in a clear, clamshell package with a glossy instruction sheet inside. If you want a container to store Isis in, it might work for you to use this package. It is an easy package to open and close.

Even though this is intended as a beginner product, it is better than any ball type vaginal exerciser in my opinion. I don't feel like there's significant difference when squeezing with or without a ball exerciser inside, but barbell exercisers can feel like you're working harder and accomplishing more than squeezing without an exerciser.

The most important thing to know is that in order to make noticeable pelvic floor strength gains, you must squeeze with all your might for as long as you can hold that maximum intensity, then relax completely and repeat. If you do this while reading or watching TV or while anything else distracts your mind, you will find that you're not squeezing as hard. You will not make nearly as much progress.

I try to adhere to a schedule of repeating this sequence twice a day: ten 30-second squeezes, with 15 seconds of relaxation between each squeeze.

My problem with ball style vaginal exercisers is that I believe women insert them then go about their daily routine thinking that a few squeezes here and there as they remember that the balls are inside them are benefiting them. In reality, little benefit is realized from quick light squeezes as you're doing something else. Bodybuilders do not pack on muscle with quick squeezes throughout the day. They focus only on the exercise they are working on and give all their attention and strength to that exercise.

What is also incredibly helpful for pelvic floor strengthening, is to have a product like the kegel timing app I installed on my phone to time your pelvic floor squeezes for you so you can concentrate on your kegel exercises.

One final caution: If you use this while standing up, be careful to do so over a carpeted or other soft surface. Lucite products can break when dropped.