Sex toys can be a great addition to your sex life, whether you use them on your own, or with a partner. Sex toys can be used just for fun, or, in some cases, they are recommended to help people who have difficulty reaching orgasm.
Clean your sex toy to avoid STIs
Sex toys are safe as long as they are used responsibly and hygienically. If sex toys are not used responsibly, it is possible for them to spread sexually transmitted infections (STIs). For example, STIs can be transmitted if sex toys are shared and not properly cleaned after use.
How you clean your sex toy depends on what it is made of, and if it has any motorised parts that require batteries. Sex toys should come with advice about how to clean and store them, and you should follow these instructions carefully. Make sure that you thoroughly clean sex toys after each use, and also between use on different parts of the body, such the mouth, vagina and anus. They should also be cleaned in between being used by one partner, and the other.
Regularly check your sex toys for any scratches, or breaks, in their surface material because these can be a breeding ground for bacteria.
Sex toys are safe if they are used responsibly
If you share sex toys, make sure that you take the same precautions as you would for penetrative sex. You may even want to put a condom over penetrative sex toys, such as dildos. Condoms should also be changed when using the sex toy on different parts of the body.
If you are pregnant, it is safe to use sex toys, but you should take care when using penetrative sex toys if you are less than 12 weeks into your pregnancy. Over vigorous use could cause damage to your reproductive system. You should also take extra care to ensure that your sex toy is clean before using it, in order to avoid an infection which could be passed on to you, or your baby.
Some sex toys, or sex aids, such as whips, or chains, may be designed to cause mild pain or damage to the skin. If you use anything that may draw blood, it is important that you do not share them, and that you keep them only for personal use.
