Your super-charged, jelly-rubber rabbit may be
turning you off—you just don't know it yet.
Some sex toys (seven out of eight in a study by the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research) contain dangerously high concentrations of phthalates, which are new-car-smelling industrial chemicals that make plastic soft, squishy and easily molded into bumps, ridges and pearls. Problem is, phthalate exposure—and the genital tract is especially vulnerable—is associated with serious health problems, including
lower testosterone levels (which may affect sex drive),
lower sperm counts and even certain cancers. The jury is out on the chemicals' exact toll on life and libido, but better vibes come from safer materials: medical-grade silicone, glass, metal and wood (or rolling a condom over a trusty old fave that you suspect has phthalates).
