Sex toys touch the most sensitive parts of your body, so safety is top priority! Most people don’t know they can be dangerous. Is it time for YOU to upgrade?

Sex toys are wonderful things and can enhance any sexual experience whether it’s just you, you and your partner or you and a bunch of people! But not all sex toys are created equal. Some are low quality and won’t last very long but some are actually harmful to your body. Cigarettes come with a warning label now but sex toys don’t. Consider this your warning label! Here are 5 signs that your sex toy is potentially hazardous.

It Smells Funny

Have you ever had a sex toy that smelled bad? Whether it smells like old tires, old gym socks or just plain stinks, it’s a sure sign that all may not be right with that toy. Materials such as Jelly, rubber, PVC, vinyl, cyber/real-skin varieties and even some TPR/TPE can leach out any one of the many plastic softening chemicals used to create the material. These chemicals carry a strong odor. Other causes of odd smells can be something as simple as an error in the manufacturing process – maybe they didn’t let the glue cure long enough before packaging it up; maybe they used too much cleaner during the end stages and the smell is trapped inside the packaging. If the sex toy is made from a porous material it will likely “soak up” these odors and hang on to them. Not everyone has a reaction to these chemicals; but at any given time any sex toy can contain various levels of these chemicals and there are no regulations. You could be fine with one jelly toy and then have another one leave you with a burning/itching feeling inside.

You Feel All Tingly Inside

And I don’t mean from an orgasm. If you’ve not used a lubricant, or have switched to a “sensitive” formula lubricant and still get a tingling/burning/itching feeling or visible inflammation then the culprit is the sex toy. As mentioned above, some sex toys contain plastic softening chemicals or other chemicals that can be an irritant for some people. The reaction you get might range from a vague, short-lived tingle or itch to a full-blown low-grade chemical burn that takes a week or more to heal.

There Is A Crack Or Tear In The Material

Always examine your sex toys before you use them. Any sex toy can get damaged for any number of reasons. A crack in plastic or a gash in soft material means that it is time to ditch the toy. Bacteria can harbor in those cracks and tears. Do you own a wooden dildo? They’re wonderful (and no splinters, I promise!) but if you ever notice that the varnish/shiny coating is missing in a spot or looks like old, crackly paint then the dildo needs to go. It’s the coating that keeps a wooden dildo non-porous.

It’s Made From Porous Material

A lot of the less expensive sex toys are made from materials that can be porous. The same materials that can harbor foul-smelling chemicals are also usually porous. Porous means that it can never be disinfected or sanitized from bacteria. Anyone who uses a toy anally that is porous should trade up for something made of silicone (or glass, or metal!) to keep bacteria in check. If you won’t get rid of the toy and it doesn’t have a smell, you should at least cover it with a condom for added safety.

You Have No Idea What Material It’s Made From

So you purchased the sex toy from an online reseller that didn’t list all the properties and specs of the toy. Or you went to your local “adult bookstore” and purchased a vibrator where the packaging is merely a blisterpack with a photo of a hot girl or guy and some marketing words that promise orgasmic nirvana. It’s ok, we’ve all probably done this at some point in our lives. If you don’t know what the material is then don’t buy it or stop using it.

Silicone Is The Way To Go!

Now that you’re looking at your sex toys with a suspicious eye and wondering if you should just give up on sex toys altogether let me give you some advice: Silicone. Purchased from a reputable manufacturer, silicone (as long as it’s 100% pure medical grade silicone) is the perfect sex toy material. Non-porous, it never stinks, and lasts a long time (just don’t use a silicone-based lubricant on it, that will ruin it). Silicone can be sanitized/disinfected; so can glass, hard plastic, ceramic and metal. Are you still dubious? It’s understandable since there are no regulations and manufacturers can say what they want.

A simple test to be sure that your silicone toy is truly medical-grade 100% silicone is called the “flame test.” Using a lighter, apply the flame carefully to a small spot on the toy for 5 seconds. Silicone can withstand temperatures past 500 degrees Fahrenheit, so if it melted, it is not silicone. If there is a black scorch mark that doesn’t rub off, then it’s not pure silicone. Glass and metal are also favorites of mine but can be a little scary for the uninitiated. Just be sure to keep the size down since hard materials are less forgiving.