The FDA doesn’t regulate sex toys unless they fall under medical devices, which are just a handful of vibrators marketed as therapeutic aids. Therefore, most adult toys on the market are unfettered, tossing the mantle to the sex toy industry to voluntarily regulate its operations. With this freedom and the increasing greed to make the most money, manufacturers will take any opportunity to cut costs, including using unsafe and toxic material.
Even with the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), a regulatory catch-all for thousands of products, there’s no established formula on how to approve sex toys. CPSC bases its regulations on aftermarket complaints with no hard and fast delineation of what constitutes a defect pattern.
How about putting on a condom? Every manufacturer recommends it. Right? Well, the truth is it’s not always safe to use a condom with your sex toy, especially if the material’s toxic. What’s more, not all materials are latex-friendly, and most will break down the condom, and it won’t protect you.
Let’s start with some definitions, then talk about dangerous chemicals to avoid, and wrap up by talking about what dildo materials are toxic and which is the best dildo material.
Table Of Contents
Definitions:
- Porous. Having small microscopic pockets of air that trap and hold anything the material comes into contact with. Everything from dirt to chemicals and bacteria, the pores make them unhygienic to use and may harbor harmful bacteria.
- Non-porous materials are not permeable to outside influences like air, water, and other fluids. Non-porous sex toys do not absorb or hold anything they contact with, rendering them hygienic and safe to use.
- Medical-grade. Medical-grade means that the FDA has tested and approved for biocompatibility. Additionally, these materials must come from establishments under a physician’s license.
- Body-safe. When something is made from body-safe materials, it does not pose any danger to the human body. For sex toys, it means the specific product isn’t dangerous to use on your genitals. In addition, body-safe products should be designed for the intended play. For example, anal toys should have a flared base to be considered body-safe toys.
- Hypoallergenic materials are gentle on people whose skin is susceptible to allergenic reactions. While being hypoallergenic doesn’t make a product allergen-proof, the specific product contains fewer allergy-producing substances than the other ones.
Harmful Chemicals to Avoid:
- Phthalates. The FDA classifies phthalates as probable human carcinogens. In recent research done with rats, high doses of the chemical resulted in cancer, while low doses still caused severe problems. Exposure to phthalates caused genital and fetal development problems with pregnant rats giving birth to stillborns. Other studies have found phthalates disruptive to the hormonal system, with reports of diminished fertility and liver and kidney problems.
- Trimethyltin Chloride. This toxic chemical has harmful effects on the central nervous system. Recent studies have suggested that it can impact fetal development in pregnant women.
- Phenol is a volatile, organic compound sometimes found in sex toys. It’s toxic and can cause severe but painless burns on the skin and mucous membranes in high concentrations.
- Carbon Disulfide. Also called CS2, this chemical is highly volatile and toxic. Like the previous two chemicals, it has been found in ‘cheap’ models and can negatively impact your nervous system and fetal development.
- Toluene is an aromatic hydrocarbon whose smell is similar to paint thinners. While the most common route of exposure is inhalation, any contact with the skin irritates.
- Cadmium. This soft, silvery-white metal is carcinogenic. Ingestion of the chemical causes immediate poisoning and damage to the liver and the kidneys.
- Glycerin. Glycerin-containing lubes can cause vaginal dryness. The chemical pulls water from your vagina, leaving the vaginal tissue dry. When used continuously, it can irritate and, in some cases, increase the risk of contracting STIs.
Safe Sex Toys Materials
Medical-Grade Silicone
Medical-grade silicone is the best sex toy material overall. It’s chemically stable, body-safe, non-toxic, and easy to clean. A silicone toy is also non-porous, phthalate-free, and latex-free, making it hygienic and safe, even for hypersensitive skin types. It’s also soft and flexible, rendering it gentle, especially for first-time customers.
Unlike plastic, silicone is oil-free and will maintain its allure and shape for a long time. These non-toxic sex toys hold pretty well under extreme temperatures, and the texture feels very realistic on your hands or inside you.
Lastly, while most manufacturers have tried to clone silicone to save on cost, no one has yet made anything as good. So, make sure the silicone products you buy are not smelly, sticky, or transparent. If it has any of these features, you probably got a cheaply made clone.
Note: You can’t use silicone lube with silicone sex toys since it will degrade the non-porous material. Please only use water-based lubricants.
Medical-Grade Wood
Like the preceding material, medical-grade wood is body-safe, phthalates-free, and non-toxic. The products usually have hardwood like oak, maple, or hickory with smooth, splinter-free surfaces. The wood goes through numerous sanding sessions to smooth out rough spots and sharp edges. For coatings, medical-grade wood sex toys usually spot food-safe-grade finishes.
Some manufacturers also use body-safe lacquer to make wooden toys water-resistant and safe. Try as much as possible to avoid wooden toys labeled as stained. After all, why stain the wood when numerous hardwoods work out great without the extra staining. Most of these wood stains also contain Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), the last thing you want inside your body.
Medical-Grade Stainless Steel, Aluminum, and Titanium
You can find these luxurious metals in high-end sex toys, and as you’d expect, steel products are body-safe, non-toxic, and ideal for temperature play. What’s more, the metals are alloys with various elements to enhance the luster and stand up to corrosion.
For aluminum and titanium, go for the anodized options because they undergo an extra electrolytic finishing process to make them corrosion-resistant.
Borosilicate Glass
Like medical-grade metals, glass is also ideal for temperature play enthusiasts. Unlike silicone, borosilicate glass is stiff and inflexible, making it suitable for experienced consumers. Additionally, with the proper care and maintenance, your borosilicate glass dildo can last forever.
Note: The glass has to be annealed to relieve stresses that can lead to breakage during use. The controlled cooling process makes borosilicate glass more resistant to thermal shock than soda-lime glass (the glass used in windowpanes and glass containers).
Cheaper soda-lime glass products aren’t as strong as borosilicate. They are more susceptible to mini cracks that can form breeding grounds for bacteria and potentially inflict physical injury to you during use. You wouldn’t put a broken glass inside you. Would you?
Glazed and Kiln-Fired Ceramics and Porcelain
Ceramic and porcelain sex toys are body-safe and hygienic. Like the metals, they’re luxurious, hypoallergenic, non-porous, and easy to maintain. Both are ideal for temperature play, and you can use them with any lubricant (water-based, silicone-based, etc.)
Natural Stones and Crystals
Natural stones and crystals are suitable for adult toys because they’re body-safe and hypoallergenic. Some people also associate them with healing and relaxation.
However, stones and crystals like jade are prone to scratches that might physically damage your genitals with rough edges. I recommend going for single-crystal adult toys like quartz and amethyst.
Otherwise, most other stones and crystals, including jade, are made from porous materials that can transfer bacteria to your genitals. If you have to use a stone or crystal toy, consider using a condom and keeping it in a clean and secure place to avoid infections.
OK Sex Toy Materials
ABS Plastic
ABS plastic is relatively harmless to humans, mainly because there are no known carcinogens or health effects associated with exposure to the material. It’s also non-porous and hypoallergenic, making it pretty decent. Some of the biggest industry names use ABS, including Magic Wand, We-Vibe Tango, and Lelo Soraya 2.
However, you can’t sterilize plastic sex toys with hot water like silicone toys and other ‘safe materials.’ So, if you’re in doubt, use a condom with the sex toy. After all, using one will also simplify the cleanup process for you.
Leather
You can find leather in straps for sex swings and strap-ons. The sexy material is comfortable on the skin and very durable, rendering it great for external use (never internal!).
Toxic Sex Toy Materials
Jelly (Phthalates, Porous)
Jelly is one of the worst sex toy materials, and you can sometimes find this low-quality oily and rubbery material in cheap toys. Manufacturers add phthalates to plastic to soften it to maximize profit margins, and most people reserve their judgment because of its flexible and soft texture.
Jelly is porous, making jelly products an ideal breeding ground for bacteria and other organisms you don’t want anywhere near your genitals. Even though most countries have already outlawed these harmful materials for use in children’s toys, the sex toy world continues to watch as manufacturers flood the market with jelly-made porous crap.
Most jelly rubber toys come in a semi-clear appearance, but some are also colored.
Rubber
This latex material is sometimes used to make dildos. It feels soft and flexible, making it easy for first-time buyers to overlook the quality. Rubber also has a strong, pungent odor and is porous, making a rubber sex toy unsafe to use.
Most people will tell you to slide a condom and get on with it, but I strongly recommend staying away from rubber sex toys.
PVC
Polyvinyl Chloride is softened plastic some manufacturers use to make toys more flexible and bendable. While the mix of plastics gives it a superb finish that can be mistaken for a high-end product, it contains toxic chemicals like phthalates that usually start oozing out after multiple uses.
The leached oils and phthalates give out a strong smell after a while, making the sex toy unpleasant and unhygienic to use.
Vinyl
Like PVC, Vinyl contains phthalates, a toxic chemical associated with malformed fetuses in women, among other health complications. Manufacturers use vinyl to make sex toys soft without spending as much.
TPE, TPR (Thermoplastic Rubber), Elastomer
Thermoplastic elastomers and rubbers boast a flexible and strong body. The material came about as manufacturers experimented with cheap options to develop a realistic substitute for silicone. As much as silicone is excellent, it’s expensive.
With this in mind, sex toy manufacturers combined various materials to achieve a realistic feel but at a more affordable cost. Unfortunately, it’s porous and contains small microscopic air holes that absorb anything it rubs against. The pores promote bacteria replication, something you wouldn’t want anywhere close to your vulva.
Fanta Flesh/CyberSkin
Fanta Flesh or Cyberskin is a rubbery material used to mimic the human skin factor that makes silicone sex toys stand out. Like other toxic materials, Cyberskin comes from a combination of PVC and phthalates. For this reason, Fanta Flesh toys will start to leach oils and break down after a while.
Of course, this porous material is way cheaper and silky soft, but the toxic chemicals are dangerous, especially when used in a sex toy. Just save a few bucks and get a safe sex toy.
Latex
More than other unsafe materials, latex evokes allergenic reactions, especially in people with sensitive skin. What’s more, it’s non-porous, making it a hotbed for bacterial replication. Anaphylaxis especially can be deadly, usually causing victims to have difficulty breathing.
What Are Some Safe Brands?
As you’d expect, a sex toy is as good as the seller, and I recommend going for reputable sellers and not just any startup on the internet. If possible, prioritize trusted retailers like Vixen Creations, Lovehoney, and Fleshlight instead of all-in-one stores. Here you can find many body-safe cock rings, butt plugs, male masturbators, and vibrators.
Don’t get me wrong, these shops have incredible products, but I’d instead take a different approach to sex toys. Regulation and inspection are minimal, allowing counterfeits to exploit the market.
If you want to buy a high-quality sex toy, consider the following stores and manufacturers:
- Vixen Creations.
- Fleshlight
- nJoy
- Lelo
- We-Vibe.
- Dame products.
These sex toy companies sell products they can stand up to. They provide instructional videos and material guides to their buyers while being the first to point out the regulation gap and spell out how they regulate themselves.
Lastly, there are many options for you to choose from, making it easy to land on the sex toy of your dreams.
Rachel
LinkedIn | Website | Twitter
- The 8 Best Shower Sex Positions | Plus Safety Tips & Advice - April 25, 2024
- 10 Best Car Sex Positions To Spice Up The Roadtrip! - April 24, 2024
- 10 Best Threesome Sex Positions For Straight & Same-Sex Couples - April 23, 2024
