There are a many articles that explain that phthalates in children toys and adult toys is dangerous to the health. Sex toys and phthalates have stirred people and many are asking whether their sex toys are risk free.
What are phthalates anyway?
Phthalates are widely used chemicals. You encounter a lot of materials which contain phthalates. They are often added to PVC plastics to make them softer. They are found in nail polish, perfumes, adhesives, paint, plastic raincoats and sex toys. Many toys for kids contain phthalates to make them more resistant from damage and breakage.
Ten years ago, the health risks of phthalates were an item in many news reports. The disturbing reports exposed that a lot of products we use everyday contain phthalates. This is true. Campaigns to ban products containing phthalates came to surface. The chemical was regarded as a public menace.
Although, companies are phasing out phthalates in their products, the chemical is still found in some materials. Sex toys made of jelly still contain phthalates. A few experts believe these “supposedly” harmful substances may leak out upon frequent use.
There are many stories that scare consumers. These stories were conjured by health and environmental activists based on the unknown. These led many nations to restricting the use of phthalates in plastics particularly in children’s toys. Nevertheless, the effects of phthalates to humans have never been clearly established. There were studies made on rodents, but not on humans. The scare news came up as a result of animal testing that showed abnormalities, liver and testicular cancer at high levels of exposure. There were countless false alarms, too.
In the case of phthalates in sex toys, there is barely any data that point to the dangers of using sex toys containing phthalates. It was even argued that the risk of getting some disorder out of using remote control vibrators that contain phthalates is astronomical. You are more likely to have infection from unwashed vibrators than from the ones with phthalates.
If you’re still worried, you can opt for products that do not have the “dreaded” substance. Silicone-based toys do not contain phthalates but are more expensive. Rubber, glass, and metal toys don’t have phthalates as well. If you have these jelly toys (that contain phthalates) and still want to enjoy them, do so using condoms, just in case you want to feel safer.
Until there’s enough proof that phthalates in sex toys (or in anything) have adverse effects, they are presumed safe. However, whether your toys contain phthalates or not proper maintenance and storage should be done. Most infections result from irresponsible use of these objects.
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