Have you ever heard of phthalates? No, it’s not a prehistoric animal, it’s a carboxylic acid ester commonly used to make plastics more flexible and mouldable.
Apparently, some adult products (that’s sex toys, in case you don’t know) contain phthalates and phthalates are potential health hazards. If they leak out and become absorbed into the body, the response could be anything from irritation, headache and reddening of the skin to cancer. In pregnant women, a risk could be that little boys are born with smaller than average genitals.
But don’t go getting too upset. It takes quite a bit of the stuff to make any real affect and as long as you buy good quality toys, you should be ok. Cheap and cheerful importers are more likely to distribute badly made toys that contain high amounts of phthalates. But if you really want to be sure, you could always cover your vibe with a condom.
It goes without saying that sex toys should be thoroughly washed after each use, not only because of the phthalates risk but also because of STDs and well… you’d wash your genitals after sex, wouldn’t you? Treat your toys the same way!
I hope I haven’t scared you because that wasn’t my meaning. It’s just worth knowing these things, that’s all. I intend to carry on using my toys because, let’s face it, we stand more risk of seeing the curtains come down when we drive our cars than we do because of using a vibrator or rubber pussy!
Sadie xx
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