Shopping for Non-Toxic Sex Toys

There’s been a lot of buzz lately on the health and science blogs about BPA and phthalates. You probably already know not to nuke plastic or leave your water bottles baking in the hot sun; the plastic breaks down and releases cancer-causing chemicals. But did you know that some sex toys can cause health problems, too?

Phthalates, sometimes called plasticizers, are used to soften plastic. They are sometimes used to make your favorite sex toys soft, smooth and flexible. Phthalates are found specifically in plastics like PVC.

Similar to a water bottle left in the hot sun, the phthalates in rubber and jelly sex toys break free with time and normal wear and tear. If you boil your toys to sterilize them, this accelerates the process. You can learn more about the dangers of phthalates in this article.

Phthalates have been linked to:

-    birth defects when pregnant women use products with phthalates
-    reproductive problems in male infants
-    early onset of puberty

For these reasons, pregnant or nursing women should never use products with phthalates. Phthalates have also been found to cause:

-    Low sperm count / poor semen quality
-    Reproductive development issues

These are exactly the kind of side effects you don’t want in a sex toy.

Fortunately, many manufacturers have already taken phthalates out of many of their popular products. For instance, Doc Johnson’s Blush Vibe with a ribbed sleeve is manufactured from safe ABS plastic with a phthalate-free elastomer (UR3) sleeve.

As for BPA? It isn’t commonly used in sex toys. Simply look for hard plastic vibes, dildos and butt plugs manufactured from ABS plastic.

So which materials are safe for sex toys?

TPE – TPE, aka Thermoplastic elastomer is a silky soft plastic that has, so far, been deemed safe for most uses. Many “green” children’s toys have parts manufactured from TPE, so if it’s safe for a kid to put in his mouth, it’s probably safe for you to put – well, anywhere. The Sapphire Magnum cock ring is manufactured from this versatile material. However, it is slightly porous, so while you don’t have to worry about toxic chemicals, you do have to clean it well to avoid the spread of disease and bacteria growth.

ABS plastic – Most hard plastic sex toys are manufactured from this safe, non-porous plastic. If you’re not seeking a lifelike material but instead want a firm, hard toy, ABS plastic is a cost-effective, safe choice.

Silicone – This luxurious, albeit pricey, sex toy material – sometimes called medical-grade silicone – is recognized as one of the safest options. Not only is it completely non-porous and easy-to-clean, but silicone doesn’t break down, releasing harmful chemicals into your body. Beware of toys advertised as a silicone mix, which may include toxic plastics as part of the blend.

Glass – A luxurious, glamorous option, glass toys such as Doc Johnson’s Glass Pleasure Dong are safe, easy to clean (they can be boiled for sterilization) and beautiful, as well! There’s no question about what a glass toy contains, and it will last virtually forever. The downside, of course, is that glass toys don’t have options for vibration. Glass dildos, however, offer a unique feel unlike any other sex toy.

How can you tell what your toy is made of?

You know that plastic or rubbery smell when you take your sex toy out of the package for the first time? That’s bad. Those are the chemicals in the plastic already breaking down, releasing all those molecules that damage your health. But how will you know before you make your purchase?

When you shop at Vibrator.com, unless you are buying a toy labeled “medical grade silicone” or a pure glass dildo, look for the words “phthalate-free” (in soft rubber toys) or ABS plastic (in hard toys). Lots of great toys exist, and these toys are not only safe for you, they’re better for the environment, too.

Top 5 Anal Toys for Men

A friend (read: playmate) recently confessed that any woman who entered his backdoor with a finger or toy could basically win his heart (and cock) for life. For those who’ve never experienced the thrill of a prostate massager, (I’m told) it offers unrivaled pleasure leading to uncontrollably intense orgasms.

The anus contains one of the highest concentrations of nerve endings per square inch in the body. That, combined with the ass being the portal to the highly sensitive prostate – often dubbed “the male g-spot”– makes anal stimulation some of the most intense sexual experiences a man can have.

For men unaccustomed to inserting toys (or anything else) in that region, stretching out the area with a butt plug, first, might be beneficial.
With that in mind, Vibrator.com offers our list of the top five anal toys for men – and why they rock.

As always, practice safe sex. Make sure any toy you use is clean and sterilized, do not share toys (pass them back and forth) without cleaning them first, and use plenty of lube to prevent tiny rips and tears in the anus, which could lead to infection. Stop if you experience any pain beyond slight discomfort.

Prostate Massagers/Vibrators for Men

Aneros MGX – This company manufactures a wide range of critically-acclaimed male sex toys, designed with feedback from medical professionals. The company’s best-selling MGX model is 3.6 inches of smooth, comfortable plastic, plus ridges toward the lower end of the toy. The hands-free, self-pivoting mechanism is exclusive to the Aneros line and it leaves both hands free to pleasure other areas to provoke amazingly intense dual orgasms, or to stimulate yourself and your partner. Really, with both hands free and the Aneros doing its job on the back-end, the possibilities are endless.

Dr. Joel Kaplan Prostate Massager – For men who envy their lady’s multispeed vibrators, the Prostate Massager from Dr. Joel Kaplan packs multispeed, one-handed operation into a vibe specifically shaped to stimulate the prostate. This multispeed vibrator can be used in or out of the water. The slim design makes it ideal for beginners to anal play, making it Vibrator.com’s number-one-selling prostate vibe.

The Rude-Boy – It’s rugged, masculine, and also hygienic. The Rude-Boy vibrating dual action stimulator offers hands-free operation for intense stimulation of the prostate and perineum. You won’t believe the orgasms you can have when both your hands are free and the Rude-Boy is humming merrily along. Soft, flexible medical-grade silicone also makes this toy one of the safest men’s massagers available.

Butt Plugs

NJoy Pure Plugs – For a night of anal play that is purely NJoy-able, the uniquely-shaped, weighted Pure Plugs fill your every desire. Designed with a unique curve, large head and small stem for added comfort, plus a handle for powerful control and ease of removal when playtime’s over, the Pure Plug stands out amongst hundreds of models of butt plugs. Available in three sizes (small, medium and large), this butt plug is perfect for beginners and pros alike.

Pop Plugs – Doc Johnson’s very reasonably priced Pop Plugs come in three sizes and feature a handy pull ring for easy removal. At this price, you can purchase all three sizes, so your butt plug will grow as you do. Manufactured from phthalate-free medical grade silicone, Pop Plugs are soft, silky and hygienic.

Practice Safe Sex

No, this isn’t a post about condoms. Who knew sex toys in the hands (and other anatomy parts) of certain people could be so dangerous?

TheBayNet.com, a local news Web site covering Calvert, St. Mary’s and Charles County, Maryland, reported that a Maryland woman was airlifted to Prince George’s Hospital after an accident involving a vibrator attached to a reciprocating saw blade. According to the report, the blade (quite predictably) sawed through the plastic toy and severely wounded the woman.

The act, however poorly thought-out, was entirely consensual and no charges were pressed.

My question: If the woman was damaged beyond the ability to procreate any longer, can she be nominated as the only living recipient of a Darwin Award?

But what else do you need to know about sex toy safety? (Aside from the obvious: blades sharp enough to cut through wood and metal should not be used in sex play!)

- Make sure a toy is waterproof before you put it in the water. Hint: if it’s got wires and an A/C adapter, it’s not waterproof! Battery-operated toys will specify on the packaging whether or not they are manufactured for water play.

- Butt plugs have wide bases for a reason. Do not insert them past that base, or you risk a rather embarrassing trip to the ER. And it’s happened. According to this article, in fact, it happens quite often.

- Do not place anything other than a sex toy designed for that purpose into any orifice. That means gerbils, food items (which can cause infections), or anything that could, well, get stuck up there. If you feel an urge to insert anything other than a sex toy, there are vibrators available shaped like cell phones, lipstick tubes, even a rubber ducky (and yes, it’s waterproof!)

- Clean all sex toys well before and after each use. As a general rule, most toys can be cleaned with a wet or damp cloth and mild soap or with an anti-bacterial toy cleaner. Only submerge toys which are waterproof. Read more about how to care for your sex toys here.

- Never use a toy in your vagina that’s been used in your (or someone else’s) ass before cleaning. You risk a nasty urinary tract infection due to bacteria.

- Be aware of the potential hazards of phthalate-based sex toys (often called jelly rubber.) While this flexible, silky material feels great the use pthalates in women of child-bearing age has been linked to birth defects. Additionally, the material, which is porous, can harbor bacteria and other germs. You may want to cover your phthalate-based sex toy with a condom. Carefully inspect all sex toys—but especially phthalate-based toys—for signs of wear or discoloration before use.

- Glass sex toys can crack or splinter. Inspect all glass toys before use. If you drop a glass toy on a hard surface, it is no longer safe to use, as it could crack unexpectedly from the stress of being dropped.

- Candles can be beautiful to create a romantic setting, and if you’re into BDSM, you can do all sorts of fun things with the wax, too. But accidents can happen, so keep a fire extinguisher close by if you are burning candles, and never leave a burning candle unattended. Make sure to extinguish before you fall asleep, as well.

Some of these pointers may seem obvious, but, in the heat of the moment, (or when alcohol is involved in sex play) everyone can use a reminder every once in a while. Be safe and have fun!

Rabbit Vibrators: The Rolls Royce of the Vibrating World

Rabbit Vibrators are the “Rolls Royce” of the vibrating world according to Oprah–”O” Magazine, June 2008. Ever since that famous episode on “Sex and the City” when prudish Charlotte receives the Rabbit Habit from her friend Miranda and hides away for days with her new love addiction, Rabbit vibrators have grown in popularity and have become the best-selling type of vibrator in the world. This original Rabbit has spawned hundreds of similar rabbit vibrators, all varying in design and complexity, from those that flutter the clitoris with multiple speeds, to gyrating, pulsating, multi-functional, dual-action super-heroines designed to take you to ecstasy.

But, let’s back up a bit.

The original Rabbit vibrator was invented in Japan over 25 years ago. Back then it was taboo to depict phallic sex toys, so a Japanese sex toy designer came up with the idea of disguising their toys by creating animal caricatures to hide their intended function: masturbation. Soon, women the world over learned that these whimsical creatures were not only cute, but functional as well. So began the Rabbit vibrator craze that swept through women’s bedrooms faster than a bunny on steroids.

Today, there are literally hundreds of Rabbit vibrators (also known as dual-action vibes) to choose from with many complex functions including multiple speeds, multi-directional rotations, as well as gyrating, escalating, pulsating, waving and fluttering vibration options. This makes it very difficult to find the one that is right for you. So let’s take a moment to break down the components of these sex toys and explore their basic functions.

Rabbit Vibrators are comprised of several features:

All these features combined made for a super-heroine sex toy that works together simultaneously to pleasure women, giving them the most intense orgasms they have experienced in their life.

Types of Rabbits

Rabbit Habit and Rabbit Pearl

The Rabbit Habit and the Rabbit Pearl, made by Vibratex, are the two most famous Rabbits. Both have penetrating shafts, rotating beads at the base and vibrating clitoral bunny ears. The Rabbit Pearl is the #1 selling vibrator in America and features a rotating shaft that swerves around to hit the G-spot and the control panel power pack with sliding controls is attached via a wire. The Rabbit Habit is similar in function to the Rabbit Pearl, but has its control panel with sliding buttons attached at the base of the toy. The sliding controls on each toy allow you to control the functions of the shaft and bunny ears independently or simultaneously as well as controlling speed and intensity. These toys are made of phthalate-free elastomer.

Sue Johanson’s Rabbits

Sue Johanson is Canada’s foremost sex counselor and now has brought her show to American viewers on Talk Sex with Sue Johanson on Oxygen TV. Sue endorses few products and the Royal Surfer is one of those. The Royal Surfer features a dolphin, rather than a rabbit as the clitoral stimulator and is made of soft, non-porous silicone. The clitoral dolphin head flickers the clitoris in 3 speeds, while the shaft features wavy ridges and rotates forward and reverse. This toy is also waterproof. The Royal Wizard is a curvy vibrator, also made of silicone with a vibrating clitoral stimulator and a rotating shaft for G-spot stimulation. Also has 3 speeds and is waterproof.

Rock Your World

The Rock Your World rabbit vibrator features butterfly wings instead of the usual bunny ears which flutters the entire clitoral area and labia (no missing with this toy) and a bendable G-spot stimulation shaft that rotates and vibrates at the head. It also features tiny Elastomer ticklers from the top of the toy to its base that add extra internal sensations.

Decadent Indulgence 1 and 2

The Decadent Indulgence comes in original Decadent Indulgence and an expanded Decadent Indulgence 2. The original Decadent Indulgence has a thicker shaft that the second and large metal beads that rotate around, as well as a hummingbird clitoral stimulator that is very intense. The original also has a 5th control button that allows you to cycle through various functions including 3 clitoral patterns, shaft rotation and reverse as well as speeds. The Decadent Indulgence 2 has over 300 functions, a slightly slimmer shaft and bunny ears instead of a hummingbird. The 300 functions include 10 speeds, escalating functions, rotating beads, and adjustable internal and external speeds as well as a button to cycle through all the functions. Both toys are made from jelly.

Triple Treat Rabbit Vibrator

Now, if you want triple stimulation, then the Triple Treat Rabbit Vibrator is the rabbit for you. This toy has the usual vibrating shaft and vibrating clitoral stimulator, but has added an extra vibrating slim shaft for rear entry. So you can stimulate the vagina, clitoris and anus all at once.

The popularity of Rabbit Vibrators lies in their diversity, the multiple functions they offer, and the dual stimulation. Approximately 70% of women do not orgasm from vaginal penetration alone, which is why adding clitoral stimulation is important, especially for women who have trouble reaching orgasm which is about 20%. Dr. Laura Berman (Oprah’s sex therapist) from the Berman Center found in her study that approximately half of women aged 18-65 use or have used a vibrator which she says aids in better sexual functioning, heightened arousal, easier orgasms, and greater sexual satisfaction. So whether you are a sex toy virgin, or a connoisseur of sensual delights, a Rabbit Vibrator is sure to hit all the right spots and give you more intense orgasms.