Sorry, But Your Sex Toy Might Be Exposing You to Toxic Chemicals

Microplastics can be found in everything from our water to our soil, air and food. And now there’s evidence to suggest that they’ve also found a way into our bedrooms.

Experts from Duke University and Appalachian State University recently investigated the role of sex toys in microplastic exposure and found that some of them have the potential to expose users to concerning amounts of chemicals.

For the research, which was published in Microplastics and Nanoplastics, experts conducted a physical and chemical analysis of four common sex toys: a dual vibrator (deluxe rotating wall bangers rabbit vibrator), anal beads (Cal exotics X-10 Beads Blue), an anal toy (stubby nubby G-vibe pink) and an external vibrator (Luna rechargeable personal massager), which claims to be made from “medical grade silicone.” Once broken down, researchers found that phthalates — chemicals used to make plastics more durable and are known endocrine disruptors — were present in all tested sex toys at levels “exceeding hazard warnings.”

“A majority of American adults report having used sex toys, which, by design, interact with intimate and permeable body parts yet have not been subject to sufficient risk assessment or management,” the researchers wrote, adding that the presence of phthalates in the products they analyzed exceeds the exposure limit for the same chemicals in the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) regulations for children's toys.

Talk of problematic microplastics is prevalent, and for good reason — research has linked chronic exposures to chemicals from microplastics with health issues related to the endocrine and reproductive systems. 

Although microplastics are tiny, measuring less than 5 millimeters, they are everywhere and nearly impossible to avoid. Some studies have suggested that humans consume as many as 100,000 microplastics particles per year from food, but they can be found in other everyday items, like beauty, cleaning products, and notably, the ocean.

All sex toys analyzed for the study released microplastics when broken down, however, anal toys were found to release the most and external vibrators made from medical-grade silicone the least.

Of note, researchers did not involve human subjects to assess actual levels of microplastics they were exposed to after using the products. Instead, they used an abrasion method that breaks down the chemical makeup of the toys to analyze how much users could potentially be exposed to when using them. 

The authors noted that their sample size is not a representation of all sex toys and intimate products, but they maintain that their findings are “concerning enough to warrant further investigation.”

“Jurisdiction for sex toy policies and necessity to investigate risks,” the authors wrote. “Accurate and shared product classification could provide context for further research and for mitigation of sex toy risks in the U.S.”