To Play or Not To Play? Sex Toys From a Gynecologist’s Perspective

28 octobre 2025

2 min de lecture

Ouvrir le guide Ouvrir la collection Ouvrir la série

Can sex toys be dangerous? Is washing them with soap and water safe enough? Is it possible to harm yourself by using a toy? Let's find out.

Points clés

Can sex toys be dangerous?
Only for adults
The question of hygiene

Pour qui

Ceux qui explorent Healthy lifestyle à travers man's health, women health.

Pourquoi c'est important

Cet article vous aide à vous orienter rapidement, puis à passer à une collection ou une série si vous souhaitez aller plus loin.

Auteur de l'article

Dr. Helga

obstetrician-gynecologist

Only for adults

Sex toys are a great way to diversify your intimate life. Scientists from Holland devoted an entire study to them and concluded: people who use vibrators, rings, dildos, and other accessories or devices had improved sex lives. However, used incorrectly, all of these accessories can harm your health. Let’s talk about safety precautions.

The question of hygiene

There is a general rule for using sex toys: they must be washed, disinfected, and kept clean.

It is also important that they are used by only one individual. The toy should be washed before and after use, because even high-tech materials can become a breeding ground for bacteria.
Do not be overzealous and scrub toys with bleach or alcoholic compositions: most likely, this will lead to the destruction of the material and the accessory will become unusable. The safest and most effective way to care for them is to wash them with soap and warm water.
You should be especially careful when using toys for anal sex. The intestines contain a mass of bacteria that can multiply in the environment of the vagina and urethra, so under no circumstances can you use the same device for anal and intervaginal contact.

Size matters

The tissues of the human body are stretchable, but the use of excessively large dildos, anal balls, and other objects can traumatize mucous membranes and lead to microfractures, which can cause infection. You should not choose larger objects for the sake of potential pleasure — plus, sexologists have long been convinced that size is not as important as some people believe.

Extra stimulation

Vacuum or vibration allows you to experience even more pleasure, but many are worried that they can hurt. However, the level of vibration in sex toys is not harmful — even with regular and prolonged use.

Vacuum stimulation is also safe if you do not overdo it and use toys according to the instructions. The flow of blood to the genitals itself is not a threat, but if the power is too high, there is a risk of swelling and painful sensations.

Materials matter

It is very important to know what material the toy is made of because some lubricants, for example, can destroy silicone or latex. Some people have allergic reactions to the latter, so if you have not used latex condoms before, it is worth doing it to make sure that they work for you.

Finally, sex toys sometimes have an expiration date. Don’t use them after they have expired. Materials deteriorate over time, which can lead to their toxicity — regardless of frequency of use.

Continuer la lecture

Healthy lifestyle#headache

6 of the Rarest Medical Specialties

With the development of medicine, narrowly specialized specialists have appeared, whose task is to solve problems beyond the competence of general practitioners. Read on to find out if you need one of them.

Helen10 déc. 2025

Healthy lifestyle#eyes

8 Tips for Picking and Wearing Sunglasses

While people spend a lot of time choosing the eyeglasses they wear for work, reading, or driving a car, they mostly view sunglasses as an accessory. However, if you don't bear in mind certain important guidelines about sunglasses, you can easily ruin your eyes.

Dr. Lara28 oct. 2025

Pregnancy#pregnancy

9 Questions About Conception

Expectant mothers have many questions about their pregnancy before giving birth. Let’s look at some of the most common questions.

Dr. Helga28 oct. 2025

Preventive Oncology#cancer

What Are the Chances of Inheriting Cancer?

There is a popular belief that cancer is hereditary and that if someone in your family was diagnosed with cancer, then all other close relatives are at risk. However, is this actually the case?

Dr. Marina28 oct. 2025

Installez Ornament pour non seulement lire ces articles, mais aussi suivre votre santé, enregistrer vos résultats d'analyses et accéder à d'autres fonctionnalités utiles

Installer Ornament