Yes, You Can Use Your Phone as a Vibrator—But Should You?

Is there anything your smartphone can’t do? Your digital BFF can help you lose weight, stream your favorite Netflix shows, and capture that perfect snap for Instagram.

Now, some clever women have recently uncovered an entirely different use for your phone: a vibrator. App stores are loaded with tools that turn your phone itself into a buzzing bedroom buddy. That made us wonder, is it healthy to use your phone for sexual pleasure?

To get the facts, we spoke to Alyssa Dweck, MD, a Westchester, New York–based ob-gyn and coauthor of The Complete A to Z for Your V.  Turns out making your phone do double duty as a sex toy isn’t as strange as it sounds. “Using a phone as a vibrator is nothing new,” Dr. Dweck tells Health. “People use household items, like an electric toothbrush, all the time.”

While using an app to have an orgasm sounds convenient, putting your phone near your vagina can be problematic, says Dr. Dweck. Unlike other makeshift vibrators, your phone carries all the germs you come into contact with on a daily basis. Exposing these bugs to your private parts can be dangerous.

“There’s a risk of contracting something from your phone,” Dr. Dweck says, citing the bacterial infection E.coli as an example. Some STIs, such as herpes, can theoretically be spread via your smartphone, she adds. Of course, you could try cleaning your phone first, but germs are good at hiding in tiny grooves.

Then there's the health risk of positioning a battery-powered phone near your vagina. “I would not insert anything with a battery in my vagina,” advises Dr. Dweck.

As far as sex toys go, Dr. Dweck highly recommends that women of all ages invest in an actual vibrator. “Sex toys and vibrators can help with low libido and introduce novelty into life,” she says. “There’s a plethora of sex toys out there that will enhance stimulation better than a phone.”

So while your smartphone is great for Insta-scrolling and Candy Crush, it’s best to keep it away from your vagina.

To get our top sexual health stories delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Health Hookup newsletter

Source: Read Full Article