Sex toys and allergic reactions?

I have heard some warnings regarding sex toys that can cause an allergic reaction or can be unhealthy.

Has anyone experienced an allergic reaction to a sex toy?

...and does anyone have any recommendations regarding what materials to avoid?

The biggest problem with sex toys is people often do not clean them well and that can make them unhealthy..

The only potential problem might be a person who has latex allergy or sensitivity. They should use vinyl or silicone toys.

The problem is with unstable chemicals like phthalates leaking out of jelly toys. They are suspected of being carcinogenic and they sometimes cause a burning sensation. The older the toy the more unstable the structure. My first rabbit was like that. Last time I used it it stung me so bad I couldn't come and I usually come very reliably. I had to take it out, let my skin rest and then pick something else. I can no longer use it because even if I condom the shaft the ears will still sting my clit.

The best way to spot problematic toys is smell them and see if they have any residue on them. Shower curtain smell (that many members of this forum find erotic) is actually a bad sign. So is oily coating.

TPR is a similar material to jelly - it is just as squishy and unfortunately porous too but it's more stable and it doesn't sting. You can't share TPR, jelly or cyberskin toys with people you're not fluid bonded to unless you wrap them in a condom. If you use that kind of toy while you have an infection in the genital area it's best to throw them out.

Silicone is safe and non-porous. It also feels tons better. And lasts for years without going bad. It can be sanitized (10% bleach solution or boiling) so you can share it.

I was worried once but nothing bad happened. We had this remote controlled vibrating egg. We used it a couple of times. The second time I noticed that the paint (or whatever the coating was) wore off inside me. We threw the egg out. Usually I stick with toys made from solid matierals such as glass or silicone, that are not coated with anything.

I can't do latex it burns me, not at first but a few minuets into it and I'm on fire, and not a good fire

maybe314

Yes I have. I'm not allergic to anything as far as I know but after years of anal toy use I got my first toy that hurt me. It s a shame coz its a nice shaped one too. It's the ass master pretty in pink version which I think must contain latex or something. Anyway first time I used it with in seconds my ass was burning and it wasn't from stretching too much it was a reaction. I have to put a condom on it if I use it now and its fine.

The Doc Johnson Pure White Pleasure Plug gives me a burning sensation after a minute or two. I do not have the problem with any other toy. It may me the material though it is not latex.

Unfortunately, the softer the material, the sooner it will start to break down. When this happens, you often get that burning sensation. I'm slowly transitioning to silicone toys, but I'm still attracted to soft/squishy materials for my butt plugs and dildos. Looking forward to the day they invent a chemically-inert, soft material for my stuffing pleasure

I too have a problem with one of my Doc Johnson toys, the CRYSTAL JELLIES DOUBLE DONG 18".

It gives me this burning feeling, and makes it useless.

I'm surpised that a company like Doc Johnson, keeps this toy for sale. OR thus not everybody feels this bruning feeling?

I wonder ...

I have a couple of butt plugs and when inseted the burn. I'm not allergic but it renders them usless as they are most uncomfortable due to the burning sesation. Latex is the only way to go.

It's simply put as- if it's NOT chemically 100% inert at the "human biological" levels- it's 100% unsafe.

Nitrile rubber gloves are totally synthetic and contain NO latex. They are very strong and puncture resistant. They are also quite slippery when water based or silicone lubricants are used and are very resistant to petroleum based lubricants. They are readily available from many medical suppliers.

The only disadvantage which I can think of is price. While somewhat more expensive than latex or silicone they are less prone to tearing.

One time the hubs and I were on a road trip and stopped in a toy store. Among our purchases was some flavored lube. About halfway home, I decided to give "road head"... I got out the flavored lube and began....a few minutes later I noticed my face was starting to really itch. Within about 10 minutes I had hives and was swollen and itching everywhere. I'm talking lips swollen, eyes puffy and watering, nose running...and giant hives all over my upper body. It was awful. The hubs finally pulled over and got me some Benadryl. Needless to say we stay very clear of the flavored lube now. Luckily my motto is "If it's going to be funny one day, it might as well be funny today". Once I got the Benadryl, we laughed our butts off and its become quite the inside joke!!!

I am severely allergic to latex, ie. anaphylaxis... so I obviously can't use anything latex based... but apart from that I am fine!!

I have definitely had some reaction to some of the jelly toys I have purchased. Burns like a "mother". I have stayed away from most of the jellies now and prefer silicone or glass.

I think Silicon is one of the good none allergic materials

Most toys being made by reputable companies these days are phthalate free. Check the outside of the box when you buy a new toy. The usually print Phthalate Free on the outside to show people they are taking care of this problem. Otherwise , stick with silicone toys and stay away from latex. I know silicone can be expensive but it lasts forever. I have had a silicone dildo since 1996 and it is still in great shape. And always wash every new toy with antibacterial soap before you use it the first time, and wash with soap or use sex toy cleaner on it after it is used used and again before each use. Cleanliness is really important with all toys. The silicone toys and some of the others can be run through the dishwasher. I have put mine in in the dw frequently. Just get the dildos and plugs out before your mother or mother in law opens the dishwasher to empty it! There is just way to explain away a glass silicone silos on the top rack. It is what it is.

I had a double sided dildo, a pink jelly style one, that after having it for a couple of years, always well cleaned after use of course, it would cause me a burning sensation whenever I used it... I ended up getting rid of it because I figured I had grown allergic to it (is that possible?) and that it had broken down over time or something...

@Embers, was it the toy, or the lube?

My experience is that you have to be sure it's the toy, and not the lube. I've had 2 experiences with women having allergic reactions to "hypoallergenic" water based lubes, and once recently with the lube on Trojan Maxim condom. You can never be sure who might be allergic to any product.

It wasn't the lube, I always use the same thing, plain Astroglide, and it never causes me any problems... The first time it happened I thought that maybe I was just a fluke or something and wouldn't happen again so I tried using it again at a later date and got the same outcome, so thats when I got rid of it...

A recent personal experience that may make this issue clearer.

I purchased a Doc Johnson Big Cock & Balls # 7001-03-CD gel dildo. It arrived in undamaged or tampered packaging, was removed from the packaging, rinsed under the tap, and inserted into my partner’s vagina for about 1 minute, no deeper than 1 inch, then all hell broke loose.

She ran into the bathroom screaming in pain and began to rinse herself under the tap in the bath. Her cries were agonising, and the water was not doing anything to help. Between sobs she was telling me that her vagina was burning and felt like a thousand needles were piercing her. We also tried milk, and finally a mild baby shampoo over the course of the next hour, before some relief was felt. The pain continued for a further 2 hours, and a lingering sensation over the next 24 hours.

I initially thought it was an adverse allergic reaction, and to test this I placed the dildo on my tongue for a moment, and immediately I felt a burning yet numbing sensation. I rinsed my mouth with water and milk repeatedly, but the sensation remained for about 3 hours.

We have used jelly/gel toys before with no adverse effects, and it is highly improbable that we both had an allergic reaction. The reality is there is a chemical or compound on or in the jelly dildo that has caused this.

The manufacturer, Doc Johnson, has been woeful in addressing this. I have sent them numerous emails, and even an audio recording of my partner that captured her screams of pain, but the only response I got from them was “Yes. This a Doc Johnson product. Big Cock & Balls # 7001-03-CD. This product is made with PVC body safe material. Perhaps the store where you purchased this item can help you with a replacement. Doc Johnson does not warranty products outside of North America. Hope this helps”

The do not seem to care that they have caused this injury, and certainly don’t seem to be doing anything to investigate the cause, let alone recall or withdraw these products from the marketplace and protect their consumers.

This is just not good enough, and I am making sure that this serious problem becomes public knowledge.

I urge you to post your experience on this forum, and any others that you may find. Whilst this sort of issue can be a bit embarrassing to make public, these manufacturers rely on your reluctance to report it to get away with this, and that can’t be allowed to happen. I have also now lodged formal complaints with every Australian, US and California authority with an interest in product and consumer safety, and would encourage people with similar experiences to do so also. This may lead to real action being taken.

Just an FYI: I sell sex toys and only buy Doc Johnson toys if they are the silicone material. I rarely, if at all, buy jelly or latex from this company. I stick with California Exotics for jellies or non silicone, or I go to Tantus, Lelo and the higher end companies. DJ has been around for many many years, but I just do not think the quality of their products are what they should be. There are many better companies out there to purchase from for good products. Stick with silicone. It last longer without breakdown when taken care of properly. Never use silicone lube with silicone toys. Silicone lube will cause the toy to break down. Good luck!

I've never had a reaction to any of my toys, thought there is a jelly dong, (that I think is vinyl, I've never smelled silicone like it) that has a strong "chemical" smell no matter how I wash it or air it out. So i throwing a condom on it and try not to think too hard about cancer haha

If there are any tips for getting rid of that "new toy smell" i'd love to know it!

The only toys that are flexible/rubbery that are truly allergy safe are toys made from at least food grade silicone, or preferably medical grade silicone. Toys made from tpe and tpu are also somewhat allergy safe. One thing toys made from these materials have in common is that they are comparatively expensive. Silicone is by far the best material for toys in my opinion. Watch out for the toy industry's creative naming of materials, such as silagel, which is just clear PVC. Unless it says silicone and looks like silicone, its not silicone.

Cheaper toys, like the jelly dongs and all the PVC crap every sex toy store sells is either vinyl or latex. Lots of people are allergic to natural latex, and some people are even allergic to synthetic latex like polyisoprene. Reactions to latex vary from skin reactions to hives to anaphylaxis. Vinyl is also known as PVC. It is a hard plastic material. To use it for rubbery sex toys, it needs to be softened by addition of a plasticiser. Most common plasticisers fall into a group of chemicals know as phthalates. In the last few years there has been much concern about these chemicals and the potential harm that can come to users of sex toys made with them. some countries have banned their use. Some of these toys have an unpleasant chemical smell, and in my experience some of them can cause a burning sensation.

The rigid toys, glass, acrylic, metal, and plastic are generally safe, though glass can break, shatter, and flake unpredictability.

Given that I cannot afford to give square peg a few hundred bucks when I want a new toy, I made the choice to invest in equipment to make my own from silicone. The cost ends up about 1/3 what they charge, and the toys are great.

JayMak, could you tell us what chemicals you use and where do you get them? I would also love to make some toys that would fit me just right, but I didn't find anywhere how to make medical grade silicone (that would be food grade made in sterile conditions - that's what an doc johnson rep said on a forum at edenfantasys) or where to get things needed. I'd be really grateful if you could guide us a little.

No problem. I'll start a new thread on the topic later this evening so I don't go off topic on this thread.

I'm gonna post it in the DIY forum.

My butt plug does cause burning, I think it may have something in it to stop infections or something like that.

I have several glass toys so no reactions there.

I use a silicon colon tube extensively but it is 42FR medical silicon so have not had any problems.

Wetme: Your plug is likely made from phthalate laced PVC. The burning is not disinfectant, its your body telling you it doesn't like this material.

My gf and I have both had reactions from toys before. It is not a nice feeling. I only buy silicone toys now, but sometimes when I want something larger I'll just throw a condom over it if it doesn't pass the "taste test".