Shopping Guide: 4 Tips for Sex Toy Safety

Nontoxic sex toys can enhance intimacy while protecting your health.

As people become more intimately acquainted with their body and its capacity for pleasure, their natural curiosity becomes engaged. They begin to explore ways to enhance and build on the sensations. A 2009 study published by the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that more than 52% of women in the United States have used a vibrator.

“The study about women’s vibrator use affirms what many doctors and therapists have known for decades–that vibrator use is common,” according to Debby Herbenick, associate director of the Center of Sexual Health Promotion, “It’s linked to positive sexual function such as desire and ease of orgasm, and it’s rarely associated with any side effects.”

Obviously there are plenty of positive benefits to enhancing one’s sex life with enhancement products. Shopping for sexy toys has been made easier for those desiring a more privacy than brick-and-mortar stores provide, thanks to the internet and pleasure parties. Still, it’s not always easy to know what to look for, or perhaps more importantly, what to look out for.

4 Tips For Purchasing Nontoxic Sex Toys

1. Limit absorbency and lube it right.
   The more porous a toy is, the more places there are for bacteria to hide. Because these products can’t be sterilized, according to the Kinsey Institute, they should be used with a condom. For added protection from harmful bacteria and infections, use an all-natural, certified organic personal lubricant, such as Aloe Cadabra, with your toys.
2. Avoid phthalates.
   According to an article written by Pamela Madsen in Psychology Today, finding phthalate-free product lines, such as JimmyJane, is important. This chemical is attributed to cause everything from infertility to diabetes. While it’s been deemed toxic by the FDA and banned from children’s toys, adult toys can contain them because they fall into the “novelty item” category, which don’t get the same consideration.

Should this scare you away from buying something new to play with? Absolutely not! It just means that whatever shopping method you choose for shopping, you should be armed. Knowledge is power.

3. Choose makers carefully.
   Continually more adult toy companies are creating safe products. They take their responsibility to the consumer seriously and refuse to skimp by using cheap, potentially toxic materials many companies use to maintain lower overhead and production costs. Lelo and Leaf Vibes have great reputations for quality, phthalate-free products, and are becoming increasingly popular with both online shoppers and in-home party companies like Passion Parties.

Safe adult toys are worth the slightly higher price tag.

3. Go for nonporous.
   Nonporous materials, such as medical-grade silicone, stainless steel or Pyrex glass, provide protection from bacteria buildup. If the product is bendy, it probably contains phthalates. While they cost slightly more, nonporous products are firmer and more durable than the standard rubber dildos and vibrators. Medical-grade silicone also feels great because it warms up more rapidly. Glass toys hold both heat and cool, which makes way for a variety of play opportunities.

There are so many fabulous benefits to be had by taking a little time to research and buy the right product. Take the time to find something you like, then get to know yourself on a deeper, more intimate level. Your sexual and physical health are worth it.

Author Kitt Crescendo is an erotica author and passionate advocate of women’s personal and sexual empowerment. She loves to connect through social media and her website: theinnerwildkat.

Sources:

Journal of Sexual Medicine; Prevalence and Characteristics of Vibrator Use by Women in the United States: Results from a Nationally Representative Study
http://www.trojanprofessional.com/pdfs/JSM-Women.pdf

Science Daily: Vibrator Use Common, Linked to Sexual Health
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090629100643.htm

Kinsey Confidential: The Safety Dance: Sex Toy Safety for a New Generation
http://kinseyconfidential.org/safety-dance-sex-toy-safety-generation/

Psychology Today: Dangerous Sex Toys: What You Need to Know about Phthalates
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/shameless-woman/201108/dangerous-sex-toys-what-you-need-know-now-about-phthalates

US National Library of Medicine National Institute of Health; Pthalates and the Diets of US Children and Adolescents http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24041780

National Institutes of Health; High Plasticizer Levels in Males Linked to Delayed Pregnancy for Female Partners
http://www.nih.gov/news/health/mar2014/nichd-05.htm

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