Are Your Sex Toys Making You Sick? 3 Key Safety Tips to Memorize

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Comedy Central

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Given the fact that sex toys are, well, sex toys, you'd think manufacturers would be extra careful about what materials are used to create them. Turns out, there are surprisingly few regulations imposed on the industry: The FDA doesn't concern itself with any adult products unless they're considered "medical devices," which most aren't, and phthalates, which can mess with your hormones, causing reproductive and neurological damage and even infertility, are banned in kids' toys in the U.S. but not in sex toys.

A recent Swedish Chemical Agency study examined 44 sex toys imported in Sweden and found that three contained phthalates and one contained banned chemicals called chlorinated paraffins, which have been linked to cancer.

Liz Klinger, cofounder and CEO of the sex-toy company Lioness, saw the effects of subpar quality control herself when she sold sex toys for another company. "One time, I had several vibrators touching in my product bag in room temperature," she remembers. "The next time I checked on them, they had actually started to heat up on their own, fuse together, and give off an awful chemical smell. I stopped selling those products—and got a lot more skeptical about what was out there."

Since manufacturers aren't always vigilant about how they make their sex toys, here's how you as a customer can look out for yourself.

1. Buy toys with easy-to-wash, nonporous materials.

More holes means more places for bacteria to get into, explains Klinger. Silicone, glass, and metal are your best bets, since they're not porous and you can easily clean out any bacteria that does happen to find its way into them. Anything labeled "silicone" is iffy, though, because it could mean a blend of silicone and a bunch of other stuff, or something else entirely—which is why it's important to find out how reliable the company is (see #2) before you buy.

2. See if the company who makes your toy is legit.

"Since sex toys are largely unregulated and there are many products—for example, on Amazon, where there are over 80,000 listings of different vibrators—that are direct from factories looking to sell cheap products to make a quick profit, it can be hard to tell at face value whether a product's listing is accurate," says Klinger. That means the impetus to do some research is on you, the customer. Don't just buy the first or cheapest toy that pops up in your Google results. Look into the company and see how long it's been around, how its products have been reviewed, and what kind of relationship it has with its customers and with professional reviewers. If the price seems too good to be true, it may very well be.

3. Clean your sex toys every time you use them. Just. Do. It.

To keep your toys from accumulating bacteria and all the nasty things that come with that, clean them after each use. "Think of if you never washed your bedsheets," says Klinger. "You risk developing skin irritation, acne, and infection. Not cleaning your sex toys is the same thing but with your genitals. It's not fun." If you live with roommates or family, Klinger recommends sneaking them into the shower with you to wash them. You can use speciality wipes or a gentle (but disinfecting) soap with water—just make sure you do it. Use the dishwasher if and only if the toy's made solely of silicone, glass, or metal and doesn't use batteries. Otherwise, "the dishwasher heats up and may cause the hardware or other heat-sensitive components to melt or break down," she explains. "Even if the water never gets inside the product, the heat could ruin them." (Remember the pegging episode of Broad City?)

In short, pay attention to what your toys are made of and where that information is coming from, and make sure to keep them clean. You do not want to end up with melted vibrators—or worse.