Sex Toy Safety 101: Sexy Fun for Everyone!
When you're thinking about using a sex toy, sex toy safety might not be the first thing on your mind (and that's OK!). If you're looking to explore your sexuality, enhance your dynamic between your partner(s), or just looking for something new. Regardless of what piqued your interest in sex toys, know that there are tons of ways to have lots of fun with sex toys and stay safe!
Hi, I'm Sadia, a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner here to answer your sex toy safety and pleasure concerns. In honor of National Sex Toy Day, I'll provide you with four essential tips on finding a sex toy that works for you and four critical tips on sex toy safety! From finding reputable products worth purchasing to disinfecting toys before and after use to prevent sexual health infections and issues. If you're curious about sex toys, this article is definitely for you!
First, Let's Find that Sex Toy!
Finding a sex toy to use can be a little overwhelming, especially in the age of Google and social media. Scrolling through sex toy stores online and mainstream adult entertainment shows, you are exposed to so many options for sex toys.
Here are four simple steps to finding the #1 sex toy best for you:
1. Get to know your body. Ask yourself why do you want to use a sex toy? What are some things you want to explore with a sex toy? Is this toy going to be for oral sensation, vaginal penetration, anal temptation, or not anywhere near your holes? I would also recommend looking at your anatomy with a mirror (if possible) or looking at a diagram of your vulva, labia, and clitoris to learn about your anatomy!
By learning more about your body, you are learning more about yourself. By learning more about yourself, you are empowering yourself with self-knowledge. Self-knowledge can increase your self-confidence and give you the boost you need to vocalize your desires and passions with your partner(s), making sex so much more fun for you!
2. Do your sex toy research. There are sex toys that vibrate, adjust in length, are fixed in shape, give off a specific temperature, and so much more! So many options can make it hard to choose, so add toys that pique your interest to your favorites (or make a spreadsheet if you're really into it!). Rushing into using a new device can confuse sex toy safety, sex toy use, and sex toy pleasure. Like your body, take your time getting to know your options to select a comfortable one that is appealing to you.
3. Get reputable sex toys from reputable places. Now that you've done a bit of homework with your body and your interests, it's time actually to buy a sex toy – YAY! I would highly recommend buying a sex toy, especially anything inserted into your body, from a well-known adult toy store, such as Adam & Eve, PinkCherry, Like a Kitten, or LoveSense. These stores have several positive reviews and have been in the sex toy industry for years. Google "adult toy store" to find some in your area and check out the toys in person before purchasing if you can do so!
4. Read that materials label and price tag. Tying into my previous point, you are getting what you pay for by purchasing sex toys from an established retailer. Sex toys are made of many materials, such as glass, silicone, synthetic fibers, and more. And yes, sex toys can be pricey!
Trust me, I know it is so tempting to buy a sex toy on sale for 50% off from a non-adult retailer when you're broke and want to enjoy yourself. I completely understand! I also know that those toys often do not list the material or fiber content, leading to an allergic reaction or skin sensitivity during use. When it comes to sex toy safety and pleasure, you got to know what you're using on your body.
Knowing this, I highly recommend purchasing a non-porous sex toy, such as 100% silicone, glass, or hard plastic, since these materials do not harbor bacteria. Porous means having holes, and non-porous sex toys do not have those minute holes inside them that harbor bacteria. Lower-quality sex toys tend to be porous, meaning they are often made of lower-quality materials, which are not as safe to use or as easy to clean; therefore, they're not recommended!
You Found It! Now Here's the Real Sex Toy Safety 101
You did it! You found a sex toy! That is amazing! You can now creatively explore sexual sensations that you couldn't possibly explore before owning a sex toy.
Here are my four tips for having the best sex toy safety practices:
1. Clean your sex toy before and after each use, including in between sex acts. Cleaning a sex toy is essential since it may go in your body, and the body is very sensitive! To prevent an infection or skin irritation, I highly recommend cleaning a sex toy before use and in between sex acts. For instance, if you use a dildo inserted into your anus and then inserted into your vagina, you want to clean it before putting it in your vagina. Your anus has bacteria that are unaccustomed to your vagina. If you are going to insert bacteria from your anus into your vagina, that will lead to new bacteria in your vagina.
This can lead to vaginal irritation, bacterial vaginosis, a urinary tract infection, a yeast infection, or pain – no fun at all! Excellent sex toy safety means cleaning each sex toy (between each sex act and between each partner) with warm soap and water for about a minute before use and about ten minutes after use making sure to remove any leftover fluids. By washing a sex toy with soap and water and letting them air dry, you are keeping your toys clean, reducing the risk of infection, and preserving the life of your toy. You can also place your toys in the dishwasher on a regular spin or boil them in water for a few minutes if you genuinely want to disinfect them!
2. Sex toy safety can vary depending on the material and shape. For instance, if you are using a silicone-based toy, do not use silicone-based lube, as the lube will cause the toy to break down over time! Instead, use a water or oil-based lube with silicone-based toys. Another instance of sex toy safety is with Glass. Glass is sharp, so be mindful of using a lubricant or slippery surface when using a glass sex toy! Also, if you are going to insert something inside of your vagina or anus, make sure it has a flared base or handle at the end so that you can pull out that toy safely. When in doubt about a toy's safety, read the instruction manual, contact the manufacturer, or ask your women's healthcare provider.
3. Make sure everyone's on the same page. If you're sharing a sex toy with others, discuss sex toy safety. Discuss a routine for cleaning and disinfecting a sex toy to reduce the risk of infection!
4. Finding a sex toy cleaner can be enjoyable! While most sex toys can be cleaned with warm soap and water, there are cleaners specifically made and sold for disinfecting sex toys. The best sex toy cleaning standard is still warm soap and water, but if for any reason that is not an option, there are several sex toy cleaning wipes, foaming cleansers, and sprays on the market now! Individuals that are immunocompromised, have a history of genital infections or want an extra layer of sex toy safety, have no fear – sex toy cleaners are here!
Like with sex toys, I would recommend finding a sex toy cleaner from a reputable sexual health store, an adult store in your area, or somewhere with several reviews on a product, so you know you're getting your money's worth!
Consistency in sterilization and safely storing a sex toy is key to maintaining it for an extended period! Communication of your wants and desires in and out of the bedroom can only strengthen a relationship; therefore, when exploring sex toys for sexual pleasure or to spice up your sex life with a partner(s), be sure to communicate verbally, best sex toy practices, what works well for your body, and consent of using these sex toys on other persons.
Here is a list of some of the best-selling sex toys & sex toy cleaners in 2021:
Sex Health: https://www.health.com/sex/sex-toy-cleaners
LoveSense Sex Toy Retailer: https://www.lovense.com/
Adam & Eve Sex Toy Retailer: https://www.adameve.com/
PinkCherry Sex Toy Retailer: https://www.pinkcherry.com/
Like A Kitten Sex Toy Retailer: https://likeakitten.com/
November 4th is National Sex Toy Day, so celebrate it alone or with a partner to heighten your sexual enjoyment! A significant part of Lala's Bedtime Tales mission is to provide a safe space and judgment-free zone to educate yourself on sexual health & wellness. The Sexual Health & Wellness corner will have monthly articles dedicated to endless education on living a positive and sexually healthy lifestyle. Subscribe to Lala's Bedtime Tales Newsletter and follow @LalasBedtimeTales on social media to never miss any sexual education to help you live the healthiest life possible. Also, check out the Lala's Bedtime Tales Podcast and Lala's Oh So Exclusive Patreon account for even more content! If you’re browsing for sexy pleasure products or cute giftable items, then check out Lala’s Pleasure Shop.
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