Vibrators are enjoying a boom in popularity and sales – helped along by the popularity of 50 Shades of Grey. And why not? Currently 60 million vibrators are sold annually. UK retailer Lovehoney, estimates that by 2020, global sales of sex toys will rise to $64 billion annually – matching those of smartphones.
This new breed of vibrators come in a variety of patterns, sizes, materials, such as metal and glass, shapes, textures and vibration choices. But though their features and vibrant colours make them appear to be luxe products, many are made from low-grade materials that could have an impact on the health of women.
The culprits? Poor quality plastics, which contain Bisphenol A, PVC and phthalates – softeners that make plastic products more flexible. Consumer advocacy and watchdog organisation, Choice, states that these plastic chemicals may be endocrine disruptors, meaning they can mimic the body’s natural hormones, causing a raft of health problems.
And, according to Choice magazine, “There is…growing scientific evidence that even at these lower levels of exposure, phthalates and BPA may be causing problems such as infertility, obesity, breast cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease and diabetes.”
Sidestepping regulation
Despite statutes in place around products containing these potentially harmful chemicals, sex toy producers have found a way to skirt the rules.
“By calling vibrators ‘novelty toys’, the manufacturers of sex toys are sidestepping regulation of their safety by our Therapeutic Goods Administration,” says Dr Judith Glover, a Program Manager in Industrial Design at RMIT University in Melbourne, where she runs courses called Future Sex, about improving the design of sex toys. “Unfortunately, this means there is an enormous volume of cheap vibrators coming into Australia from China and most are made from poor quality plastics loaded with unhealthy chemicals.”
Overseas, authorities are increasingly expressing their fears about these noxious compounds being found in everyday items. In the United States, the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has expressed concerns that BPA may “interfere with the secretion, action or metabolism of naturally occurring hormones”. Meanwhile, the European Union is so concerned about these chemicals it has banned six phthalates from the toy market because they are considered harmful – particularly as children put these toys in their mouth.
Health risks
In light of this, inserting vibrators into the vagina, which is also a mucous membrane, could mean that the health of women is being put at risk. There is another health risk that some sex toys pose: the type of plastic in your vibrator could ramp up your risk of infection.
“Sex toys can increase sexual pleasure but care is needed when choosing a vibrator to minimise the chance of infection with viruses, bacteria or yeast,” says Deborah Bateson, Medical Director for the Family Planning Association of NSW. “While vibrators made of non-porous plastics can be thoroughly cleaned, those made of porous materials can potentially transmit infections if they are used without a condom – particularly if shared between partners.”
How to choose safer sex toys
Want to minimise the chemical cocktail in your sex toys? Then when buying a vibrator pay attention to:
-The price: Very cheap products are often made of cheap plastic.
-A strong chemical smell – this is called ‘outgassing’ and it means that the vibrator is releasing potentially unhealthy chemicals. If you have one that does this, put a condom over the vibrator.
-A pliable feel indicating the likely presence of phthalates, particularly in jelly or see-through vibrators. After touching pliable vibrators you might also get a film or oily secretion on your hands. This is not from lubricant – it is from the softener in the plastic.
-The label: Keep in mind that some dodgy companies may list their vibrators as ‘BPA-free’ when they are not. If possible, go to an up market pleasure parlour/boutique and smell before you buy.
-Think about non-plastic options: These include stainless steel, porcelain, metal and shatterproof glass.
-Silicone choices: Look for “medical grade silicon” on the label.
-Search out higher quality manufacturers: According to Glover who previously produced her own line of porcelain vibrators, these include “Lelo from Sweden, We-Vibe and Swan from Canada, L’Amarouse from France, Fun Factory from Germany and Iroha products from Japan.”
Companies like We-Vibe, Lelo, Iroha and so on should consider making a united safe-toy label, which could be used in marketing, on packaging. This could be a nice thing to make awardness to the consumer that this is a product that is approved and is safe to use. We do a lot of effort to tell the customer about the good and bad things but a united safe-toy label might help both to inform the customer and to sell more safe-toys. But of course as long as there are customers asking for cheap items, they will still be on the marked.