Myths About Vibrators
        What Is True & What Is Not

There are some people that have concerns about the use of vibrators for sexual pleasure. However, most of those concerns are not founded on any factual evidence. With so many myths floating around about them, we decided to explore them and provide information to help you discern for yourself what is real and what is not.

Lisa S. Lawless, Ph.D., C.E.O. Holistic Wisdom Founder

A Brief History Of The Vibrator

The vibrators that were designed for sexual stimulation were first invented by Kellina Wilkinson in the 1880s to treat what was then called "congestion of the genitalia" and "female hysteria". For hundreds of years, physicians had been treating women for these illnesses by manually stimulating them with their fingers, however, once the vibrator was introduced, doctors began using it as it allowed them to get the job done more quickly and without much effort. Soon, women began to realize they did not need physicians to sexually stimulate them and there was a movement for women to buy vibrators for themselves and use them for masturbation. However, the vibrator was still seen as a medical device until the 1900's.

In 1902, Hamilton Beach was the first company to patent the electric vibrator and make it available for sale to the general public. Advertisements for vibrators were seen in many magazines that had a large female following such as Needlecraft, Woman's Home Companion, Modern Priscilla, and the Sears & Roebuck catalog.

In the 1920s, the vibrator ads began to show up in pornographic magazines. This made them seem taboo to mainstream society and therefore, there was a shift of perception about them from something that was for health purposes to something that was shameful due to it's association with sexual pleasure.

Fifty years later, a new breed of sex toys began to emerge and in the 1980's there was a new movement that opened the doors to more mainstream sex toy shops, including some that were marketed toward women. Just within the last ten years there has been a movement to not just make more upscale sex toys but to make them with non-toxic materials with an array of beautiful designs and colors from which to choose.

Benefits Of Vibrators Beyond The Pleasure

In addition to providing pleasure, increased ease in stimulation and a way to de-stress, vibrators have also been shown to greatly assist those with sexual dysfunction as well as disabled people. Those with sexual dysfunction and disabilities have found that that vibrators are an essential part of their sex life and provide increased blood flow to the genitals. This in turn allows for the increase in sexual response and even orgasms. It can also help a man to ejaculate which may not only provide pleasure but also allow him to father a child in situations where he was not able to. Vibrators also allow one to sexually stimulate themselves in cases when they were not able to without their assistance due to a disability.

A national study found that women who used vibrators had better sex life and overall sexual functioning. Vibrators have been shown to provide women with higher levels of arousal, easier to achieve orgasms, increased amounts of orgasms and overall increased sex drive.

Vibrators were also found to be used by over 60% of couples and are not just for solo masturbation. Women and their partners have shown in studies that it allows them both a more satisfying sex life and increased intimacy when used together.

Below Are Common Myths About Vibrators

A Vibrator Will Cause My Genitals To Become Permanently Numb

When someone scratches your back, the initial sensation can feel amazing. It can even give you goosebumps all over your body. However, if someone kept scratching your back, even lightly, that initial thrill that you got from the sensation would would fade and it may not seem as stimulating. If someone continued to scratch your back, you may even find it irritating after a long period of time. This is true of any stimulation including from the use of a vibrator. Our nerve endings are not designed to take on continued stimulation and therefore prolonged use of a vibrator may cause TEMPORARY numbness, however it should not be permanent.

Vibrators Can Cause Lasting Nerve Damage

The clitoris and the head of a penis are rich in nerve endings and work wonderfully with a vibrator to provide heightened sexual stimulation. If a vibrator is used for an extended amount of time then the nerve endings may become temporarily desensitized to it, however, simply not using a vibrator for a while will allow the sensation to return. An average vibrating sex toy used properly should not cause nerve damage.

Vibrators Can Cause Permanent Muscle Twitching

This type of twitching is called fasciculation (or "muscle twitch") and is a small, local, involuntary muscle contraction (twitching) visible under the skin. It often happens after tensing the muscles. While it is not as common vaginally, it can happen from any type of sexual stimulation whether you use a vibrator or not and is most likely nothing to be worried about. It is very similar to getting a muscle twitch in your eye when you read a great deal and have strained the muscles. The twitching usually subsides in a few days. Finding ways to relax the muscle such as a warm bath and holding off on sexual activity for a bit is a good way to treat it. Think of it like this, you would not be worried to read or work on your computer again if your eye would have a twitching episode. Most likely, this is the same type of situation.

A Vibrator Will Take The Place Of A Partner

If you have been contemplating getting a sex toy for your lover, but you are hesitant that they will like it more than you... then you can rest assured that you are among many who worry about the same thing. While some sex toys allow someone to experience increased physical intensity, they are never able to replace the sheer excitement of having a lover be intimate with them!

Many couples admit when asked in private that the ultimate fear about this issue is that they will not be as "good" as the toy. After using them, most couples realize that not only are they a lot of fun, but that the sex toy could never compete with the real thing. Most couples feel that sex toys only enhance their sex lives rather than create distance. This fear is quite normal for men and women, especially because we all have tender egos that need to feel important to our lover, and we all want to feel that we provide them with the most sexual pleasure they have ever had.

A vibrator stimulates us sexually more efficiently than any human could only because of the speed of stimulation, but the feeling of of human contact can be far more exciting for a few reasons. Not only does skin to skin contact provide amazing stimulation in a way that no sex toy can, but the desire in the mind toward another person is far more powerful and exciting than any sexual gadget.

The bottom line is that toys only enhance variety and pleasure if you and your lover already have a good sexual connection. Even if you separate out physical sensation with emotional and mental sexual turn ons... the physical sensation of another person and you getting off with each other is hotter than anything else. Simply being a giving lover in bed with a willingness to be vulnerable, creative and caring is what truly makes a great lover and no sex toy can replace you because of that.

A Vibrator Can Be Addictive

A Vibrator does not cause you to become addicted to it. If someone uses a vibrator to masturbate and does it excessively, it is not because they are addicted to the vibrator, it is because they may have a compulsive tendency to masturbate. Read more about normal vs. unhealthy masturbation.

If you like wearing a certain shirt because it looks good and is soft on your skin and you wear it often does that mean you are addicted to it? No, it means you enjoy it and using a vibrator is the simply using something that you enjoy.

If You Have A Partner You Don't Need A Vibrator

Using a sex toy with your lover can actually strengthen your relationship. You need to have a certain amount of closeness to share this intimate new experience together. Using a sex toy can be a good affirmation of that closeness. If you want to use a sex toy, but your lover doesn't think you need a sex toy to brighten up your sex life, assure him or her that you don't need a sex toy either, you'd just like to try one as a way to have creativity and a positive sexual adventure that you can share together.

Vibrators Are For Masturbation Only

While sex toys are great for masturbation, many couples enjoy using sex toys together, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation. It doesn't mean there's anything wrong with your relationship, in fact it is quite the opposite. Again, the kind of couples who are comfortable trying new things together are open-minded, intimate, comfortable and trusting. Using a sex toy together is a good way to reaffirm the strength of your relationship.

Buying Vibrators Has To Be Embarrassing

We certainly agree that most people do find it embarrassing and that is why buying them discreetly from the comfort of your own home is the best way to avoid this. That is why we ensure that our company will not send your order in anything but discreet packaging. We will not contact you in regard to anything but your order, and we will never sell your information. You don't have to worry about racy catalogs coming to your house or any other such potential embarrassment. We really care about your feelings and do all we can to protect them.

Vibrators Are Morally Wrong

Normal, healthy people use sex toys all the time. If it helps break any misconceptions we have sex toy orders from every type of person imaginable. From accountants, doctors, celebrities, professional athletes, to house wives and college students. Using a sex toy doesn't make you "weird," it helps provide pleasure, creativity and adventure to your sex life. There is nothing that says a vibrator is immoral other than someone's personal opinion and determining if one is right for you is something that you have to ask yourself... not someone else.

Vibration Is Low Frequency Heat

Vibration not heat, it is motion which can create friction and in turn create heat. However, vibration itself is not heat. If you put something warm on your genitals, it will help relax you and increase blood flow to the area, however, it does not provide anywhere near the stimulation that the motion of a vibration provides.

Vibrators Unnaturally Force Orgasms

Orgasms are created in the body naturally every time you have one. Your body is what creates an orgasm not the vibrator. The vibrator simply acts as the stimulus and can provide the ideal environment for an orgasm. However, it cannot force you to have an orgasm and using motion to stimulate the genitals to achieve a sexual release is not unnatural. In fact, taking one's finger and stimulating the clitoris through rubbing is the same concept as a vibrator, it is just that a vibrator can move faster.

Vibrators Can Cause Pelvic Floor Weakness

Vibrators do not cause pelvic floor weakness. In fact, they actually help to strengthen the pelvic floor by encouraging Kegel contractions which in turn make those muscles stronger.

Vibrators Can Cause Incontinence

Vibrators do not cause incontinence. Because vibrators help to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, this in turn actually helps to prevent urinary incontinence.

My Doctor Will Be Able To Tell I Am Using A Vibrator

A doctor will not know you have been using a vibrator unless you tell them. There is nothing that a vibrator will change about your anatomy when you use it properly.

Using Sex Toys Can Be Dangerous

Sex toys are not dangerous if used properly. They can have a very positive affect on your sexual health. For example, menopausal women can use dildos to maintain vaginal tone, staving off incontinence and other sexual health issues. Many doctors and therapists recommend sex toys to women who have trouble reaching orgasm. And finally, a healthy relationship with your body is beneficial to your overall health. Using sex toys heightens your awareness of your body and its functions, making you more alert to abnormalities such as bumps, lumps or abrasions.

The Same Vibrator Will Work For Everyone

Noise
Is noise a concern? Do you want it to be quiet? Trying to relax and get into the mood can be quickly hampered when you have a noisy vibrator that alerts family or roommates as to what you are doing. If that is of concern, finding a vibrator that is quiet will be an important factor.

Size
How big do you want your vibrator? Using a vibrator that is large has the advantage of allowing more area to be stimulated and can be more comfortable to handle. A long handle allows for a comfortable grip and allows for some alternatives in how it can be used. A smaller vibrator can be more easily hidden and can be used in some cases more easily during sexual activity in ways that a larger vibrator cannot be. Determining how you want to use your vibrator and how powerful you want it to be can influence how large it should be.

Variations Of Vibration
Do you want a vibrator that offers multiple levels of stimulation from low to high vibration to pulsations and surges? Do you want it to run programs or do you want a simple vibrator that will keep a steady vibration?

Power
Do you prefer something that requires batteries, is rechargeable or plugs in? There are pros and cons to each-

Battery Pros & Cons
A sex toy that requires batteries affords the user to operate without cords and provides a larger variety of sex toys to choose from as most require batteries. These can be costly if not using rechargeable batteries by having to keep replacing them. These can be bad for recycling purposes if you use non-recyclable batteries and therefore bad for the environment. We recommend getting rechargeable batteries to counter the cons if you get a battery operated sex toy.

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