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Body-Safe
Vibrators
Safety, Common Myths, and
the Efficacy of Sex Toys
by Kristine Marzolf
RevelBody
Sex
toy safety is something that
consumers value most when
purchasing their first or fifth pleasure toy. Will it
shock me? Is it made of harmful materials? How
do I know what a top-of-the-line, high-quality
sex toy is? What are some key words that I
should look for?
Since the first hand-cranked vibrator
was introduced in the 1800s, to the batterypowered vibrators of the 1970s, safety
regulations never played a role in the adult
novelty or sex toy market and that
continues today. Currently, there are no
government regulations to control or rate for
their safety—it is up to consumers to educate
themselves on what they find most important
when purchasing products involved in their
sexuality.
according to a 2009 study published in the Journal of
Sex & Marital Therapy. Most often, these visits were
people in their thirties who needed help retrieving their
vibrator or dildo. Since sex toys are often marketed as
“novelty devices” instead of legitimate sexual wellness
tools to enhance your overall health, they aren’t subject
to government regulation.
Safety concerns have emerged over
phthalates—chemicals found in sex toys and other
products to soften plastic and increase flexibility.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency,
research suggests a lifetime exposure to these
chemicals may potentially cause cancer and
harm the reproductive system, testes, and
liver. Also, chrome or fake metal finishes
found on many vibrators sold today are
used to dress up cheaper metals or plastic.
Shoddily made products such as these are
prone to chipping and peeling—the last
thing you want to happen when using a
pleasure toy.
Also, another vibrator material to stay clear of is
“off-gassing.” If a product has a pungent chemical odor,
it’s probably releasing potential toxins that could cause a
Safety
reaction. Finally, PVC (polyvinal chloride) is an
inexpensive material that contains phthalates. PVC is
With vibrators sold in thousands of online
retailers and national chains such as Wal-Mart, 7-Eleven, typically porous, causing it to deteriorate rapidly, and is
and CVS around America, sex toy injuries are on the rise. highly unhygienic.
An estimated 6,800 people showed up in U.S. hospitals
So what should you look for to ensure you are
between 1995 and 2006 with a “sex toy emergency,”
purchasing a safe sex toy for you and your partner?
RevelBody™ is Social
®
BODY-SAFE VIBRATORS
These features and benefits are essential when
selecting a product to put on the most sensitive parts of
your body:
significant other starts using a vibrator. Here are some
common myths associated with vibrators and the truth
provided by many reputable sources:
• Body-Safe Materials: No phthalates, nickel, lead, or
other harmful chemicals.
Myth: Battery-powered vibrators will provide the best
bang for my buck.
• Satisfaction Guaranteed: Look for at least a oneyear warranty to ensure ultimate satisfaction and
dependability. Higher-quality productions will
provide this option to their customers.
• Information Manual: Top-of-the-line vibrators will
provide thorough user manuals that outline proper
use, case, and cleaning of your pleasure toy. Not
only will you have a safer, carefree experience, you
will extend the vibrator’s life span.
• Quality Control: Sex toy companies that genuinely
care about their customers will be transparent
about their standards. Look on the packaging
before you purchase your product for trusted
third-party testing that ensures the company has
adhered to safety and reliability guidelines, such as
the CE, RoHs, TUVRhenland, FCC, and ETL.
• Waterproof: 100 percent waterproof sex toys,
made with nonporous materials
are the easiest to clean thoroughly
in order to ensure a hygienic and
clean vibrator at all times.
•
Credible Reviews: Before you
make reservations at a restaurant
or find a new dentist, most likely
you are checking online reviews to
see what other credible sources or
your peers had to say. Keep this
same practice in mind when
shopping for a vibrator. Make sure
the products you are considering have been well
reviewed by legitimate sources like Women’s Health
and received accolades and awards for quality and
innovation like the annual “O” Awards.
Common Myths about Vibrators
According to a recent nationally representative
survey by University of Indiana researchers, 53 percent
of American women have used a sex toy. However, due
to a lack of education in the marketplace, some women
are fearful for one reason or another to use a vibrator,
and many partners wonder what it means when their
Truth: While marketers talk about things like “powerful
motors” and “whisper quiet operation,” the truth is that
whether it’s a $10 throwaway or a $200 premium
vibrator, most battery-powered devices use the same
rotary vibration motor, which makes all of these devices
feel the same when the lights are turned off. Almost all
personal massagers on the market use the same class
of vibrating motors that usually perform very poorly. The
best vibrators have a resonating, linear motor that
provides a broad range of vibration with more power.
This is the most reliable and efficient type of vibrator
currently on the market.
Myth: Vibrators are unnatural.
Truth: Think of other erotic enhancements that are
commonplace today—lingerie, perfume, music,
candlelight, or lubricant. Vibrators are as natural as any
of these intimate tools, which we don’t think twice about
purchasing and using today.
Myth: If women need vibrators to enjoy
sex and have orgasms, there’s something
wrong with their partner.
Truth: Every woman is different—some
require the intense stimulation a vibrator
provides. According to Dr. Pepper Schwartz
of the University of Washington, couples
should discuss the kinds of erotic play they
enjoy, and coach each other about what
turns them on. Men should understand that
only 25 percent of women are consistently orgasmic
solely from vaginal intercourse because it doesn’t
provide much direct stimulation of the clitoris, which sits
outside the vagina and above it, nestled beneath the top
junction of the vaginal lips. To enjoy orgasm, threequarters of women need direct clitoral stimulation from
fingers, a tongue, or a vibrator.1
Myth: If women need vibrators to orgasm, there’s
something wrong with them.
Truth: Some women just need more intense stimulation.
RevelBody™ is Social
®
BODY-SAFE VIBRATORS
Contrary to what many
believed to be a
“masturbatory machine” for
“sexually dysfunctional
females” in the Journal of
Popular Culture back in
1974, something once
taboo has become
commonplace.2
Researchers at the Center
for Sexual Health
Promotion at Indiana
University concluded that
93 percent of women who used vibrators agreed that
they are part of a healthy sex life.3 This is further
illustrated by highly renowned sex therapists
recommending a vibrator as part of the learning process
of how to become orgasmic.
93%
created equal.6
Vibrators vary greatly in terms of power and
features, and this degree of variation is important to
take into consideration. For instance, if you are a woman
of a certain age or postmenopausal, you will need a
vibrator with more power and endurance than say, a
twenty-something would. The core value of vibrators is
vibration, yet many brands in the marketplace seem to
not be competing on vibration—rather, they focus on
price, packaging, color, and shape. It’s important for
consumers to value a premium device that uses a linear
resonating motor, which is very reliable, simple, power
efficient, and controlled by a microcontroller. Not only
are these vibrators reliable, but consumers have found
this new class of vibrators to provide superior sensation
paired with exceptional performance to the most
sensitive places on the body.
The best, most-trusted vibrators
on the market provide a broad range of
speeds and different options to discover
and customize your experience.
Myth: Vibrators make women unable to
orgasm naturally without them.
Truth: The body responds to erotic
stimulation no matter where it comes
from: fingers, penis, tongue, or a vibrator.
According to Dr. Pepper Schwartz,
vibrators can help many women,
especially over the age of fifty, achieve
natural lubrication and orgasms faster,
but they will never take away the intimacy
you can achieve with a live partner. In fact,
the Journal of Sexual Medicine survey concluded that
men and women that used a vibrator scored higher on
sexual pleasure scales that measured arousal, orgasm,
lubrication, pain, and erectile dysfunction than those
that had never used one.4
The Efficacy of Vibrators
In the book Becoming Orgasmic: A Sexual and
Personal Growth Program for Women, females with the
inability to orgasm are encouraged to “feel comfortable
enough to explore vibrators as another means of
learning about [themselves].”5 It is frequent for sex
therapists, couples counselors, and gynecologists to
recommend vibrators as a viable treatment to help
women with anorgasmia, female arousal disorder, or any
other sexual problems. However, not all vibrators are
Conclusion
Currently, it is up to consumers to
research and discern what the best and
most-trusted vibrator is between
thousands of different options currently
available. Evaluating the safety of the
product—looking at everything from
materials to expert and consumer reviews to evaluating
the efficacy of pleasure products—is essential. The
more informed consumers are when purchasing a
vibrator, the more satisfied they will be overall.
Consumers owe it to themselves to choose a credible,
high-value vibrator to complement their intimate
experiences. Value yourself and choose products that
promote relaxation, rejuvenation, and a connection to
the world. Seek out companies that are constantly
investing in innovation and improving their safety
standards. Vibrators made by companies that care are
vibrators you can trust—both in and out of the bedroom.
RevelBody™ is Social
®
BODY-SAFE VIBRATORS
References
Castleman, Michael “Vibrators: Myths vs. Truth,” Psychology Today, February 15, 2011
(http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/all-about-sex/201102/vibrators-myths-vs-truth).
2.
Kelly, Edward. “A New Image for the Naughty Dildo?” Journal of Popular Culture, Volume VII, Issue 4,
p.805, 1974.
3.
Center for Sexual Health Promotion at Indiana University, “Trojan® Vibrator Study,” 2009
(http://www.trojanvibrations.com/category/trust-trojan/vibrator-study.do).
4.
Reece, M., D. Herbenick, V. Schick, S. Sanders, B. Dodge, and J. D. Fortenberry, “Sexual Behaviors,
Relationships, and Perceived Health among Adult Women in the United States: Results from a
National Probability Sample,” Journal of Sexual Medicine, p. 341, 2009.
5.
Heiman, Julia R., Becoming Orgasmic: A Sexual and Personal Growth Program for Women.” New
York: Touchstone Paperback, 1987.
6.
Prause, N., V. Roberts, M. Legarretta, and L. Rigney Cox. “Clinical and Research Concerns with
Vibratory Stimulation: A Review and Pilot Study of Common Stimulation Devices,” Sexual and
Relationship Therapy, 2012.
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