K-Y Jelly, also known as Panitsa Jelly, is a water-based, water-soluble personal lubricant produced by Johnson & Johnson. The initials "K-Y" are not known to represent any words — they were described by their originator as "arbitrary letters" — but are retained for their brand-identity.
Introduced in January 1904 by pharmaceutical and suture maker Van Horn & Sawtell of New York City, and later acquired by Johnson & Johnson, K-Y Jelly's original stated purpose was as a surgical lubricant, and it was often chosen by doctors because of its natural base. The product is now more widely used as a sexual lubricant. It does not react with latex condoms or silicone rubber-based sex toys. While not recommended for ingestion, it has a sweetish taste, so as to not interfere with oral sex. It has a thick consistency and a tendency to dry out during use, but can be "reactivated" by the addition of saliva or more water. K-Y Jelly does not contain a spermicide. A formulation with nonoxynol-9 was available, but Johnson & Johnson pulled it from the market after finding that it could help HIV spread. The product can also be used for lubrication purposes when taking body temperature by rectum.
In contrast with petroleum-based lubricants, K-Y is generally biologically inert, and contains no colour or perfume additives. The lubricant has proved extremely popular because it does not stain and is easily cleaned up. K-Y Jelly has been available over the counter in the United States since 1980. Recently, the product line has expanded to include a liquid lubricant, K-Y Liquid, and a warming lubricant, K-Y Warming.
K-Y Jelly uses glycerin and hydroxyethyl cellulose as the lubricant, with chlorhexidine gluconate, glucono delta-lactone, methylparaben and sodium hydroxide as antiseptic and preservative additives. The liquid form of the product combines glycerin with propylene glycol, sorbitol, and Natrosol 250H (a brand of hydroxyethyl cellulose) for lubrication, with benzoic acid, methylparaben and sodium hydroxide as additives. An alternative glycerin-free formulation marketed as "K-Y Ultra" contains propylene glycol, sorbitol, Natrosol 250H and polysorbate 60 for lubrication, benzoic acid and methylparaben as preservatives, and vitamin E.
