An orgasm a day keeps aging at bay. Sex toys can be a world of fun, but some come with a few hidden surprises. Just like anything that you put inside your body, it’s always a good idea to make sure your little ‘partner in pleasure’ doesn’t contain any toxic substances. Today we are discovering that cheap dildos can have some cancer-causing qualities.
No Regulations of Sex Toys!
Knock-off sex toys from China often don’t hold the same production standards as US-made brands. Cheaper sex toys are most commonly made with toxic plastics filled with high levels of phthalates. The Environmental Protection Agency has classified phthalates as a possible human carcinogen. Unlike plastic medical devices, there isn’t a regulatory body that monitors the standard of sex toys. This is bizarre considering these implements are regularly inserted into various human orifices. Even toothbrush production has higher standards.
Vibrators Toxic Ingredients
The soft jelly-like dildos often labeled “cyberskin”, are made of PVC plastics softened with phthalates. According to Medical Daily, “Greenpeace, a non-governmental environmental organization with offices all over the world, called on the European Union in 2006 to ban the use of phthalates in sex toys. Phthalates can upset the body’s ability to regulate hormone production and have even been linked to cancer. Greenpeace Netherlands asked the research organization TNO to test eight different sex toys, including dildos and vibrators, for phthalates. Seven out of eight contained phthalates in concentrations varying from 24% to 51%.”
Melamine, a chemical approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for manufacturing purposes, not for human consumption, is one of the common ingredients. According to the FDA, melamine can pose a risk of kidney stone and kidney failure, and even death.
High-grade silicone is the only safe form of sex toy to date. There is certainly room in the marketplace for more organic versions.
Avoid
- Highly flexible squishy dildos, these are most likely not silicone.
- Purchasing sex toys that are 100% surgical silicone.
- Buying sex toys from China.
- Translucent toys are toxic. They contain “elastomers”, whereas silicon is always opaque.
- Toys with a odor when you take it out of the packaging (and still there after washing) are most likely toxic.
Safest Sex Toy Brands:
- Fun Factory
- Lelo
- Jimmy Jane
- nJoy
- JeJoue Vibratex
- Goldfrau
- Elemental Pleasures
- OhMiBod
- Nob Elements
Research has found that silicone vibrators, including such types as a quiet vibrator, have lower levels of the common HPV virus (a commonly occurring sexually transmitted virus that can sometimes be linked to cervical cancer) after washing.
You can also check with the Coalition Against Toxic Toys for safe shopping guidelines and a list of stores dedicated to selling non-toxic toys.
Shop wisely and enjoy the thrills of your ‘pleasure pals’ worry-free.