Can vibrators cause desensitization?

A Visitor Asks...

"Is it possible to become desensitized from using a vibrator or a clitoral stimulator? if so are there safe guidelines to follow?"

Your question is a good one, and I'm happy to say we have a simple (yet curiously complex) answer for you. There seems to be a long-standing myth that vibrator use makes a person become less sensitive, or less receptive to their romantic partner. All the evidence shows that nothing could be further from the truth. If you still have questions after reading this article, please let us know!

Vaginal desensitization

The good news is that there is no research suggesting that vibrator use leads to vaginal or clitoral desensitization. In fact, a Syracuse University study has shown that the use of sexual aids has no long-term negative effects on sexual stimulation whatsoever. The Syracuse study results also suggest that sexual aids, like vibrators, can actually improve the sex lives of women. Researchers noted that the women who masturbated with vibrators became more in tune with their own body's response to sexual stimulation, and ultimately had more orgasms and more frequent sex with their partners.

If you're concerned that your experience with a vibrator will be so fantastic that you won't ever want or be able to orgasm any other way, you can feel free to just drop that concern…forever. If you're afraid that your body will become accustomed to the intense stimulation of a vibrator and that you won't be able to orgasm without it, you can drop that concern too…forever. If there is no addiction or other underlying psychological issues getting in the way, an individual's sexual response can only be improved by practice. People with great difficulty achieving orgasms who start exploring their bodies - especially with sex toys - generally make gradual (and sometimes speedy) progress in their ability to achieve orgasm. People who have no difficulty achieving orgasm who start using a sex toy generally experience no decrease in their ability to continue achieving orgasms.

Is masturbation healthy?

It's important to consider that masturbation, like most things in life, is not harmful in and of itself. Masturbation helps individuals become familiar with their bodies and makes them aware of how they respond to certain stimulation. In relationships where each partner trusts the other and communicates their needs and desires, the knowledge a woman gains about her body through masturbation can lead to a potentially more rewarding and satisfying sex life.

Too much masturbation on the other hand, whether with or without a sex toy, is not a good thing. The point at which masturbation becomes a problem is also the point at which any activity becomes a problem. It's generally not considered healthy to continue masturbating if it's causing you pain, or if it's preventing you from functioning in your day-to-day life. If you love to masturbate four times a day and also maintain an active, well-balanced life you probably don't have a problem. If you love to masturbate four times a day, spend 8 hours doing it and neglect the other areas of your life because you're masturbating you might have a problem. If you're ever in doubt, it can never hurt to ask a sex therapist.

Where does the idea that vibrators cause desensitization come from?

The idea that vibrators cause desensitization may come from a variety of sources. The most significant source, as near as anyone can tell, is the "urban myth" that vibrators are dangerous. It seems that lots of people have either heard someone say that vibrators are dangerous, or they heard someone say that they heard from someone else that vibrators are dangerous. No one really knows the source of this myth - it's just one of those things that "goes around" every so often.

Another factor that might help perpetuate the concern that vibrators could cause long-term desensitization is the fact that vibrators CAN cause transient desensitization. All types of intense and prolonged stimulation, whether from a sex toy, a finger, tongue, penis etc. can cause any part of the body to become sore, numb and/or desensitized. This is especially true of sensitive and delicate sexual organs, and everyone is different with regards to how much stimulation is needed to cause this temporary condition. Some people become "too sensitive" to touch after a quick orgasm, while others can have multiple orgasms before they reach the point of over-stimulation. The good news is that this condition is your body's response to over stimulation, and is completely temporary. It might take a few hours or a few days, but an average, healthy adult's body will return to normal in a short amount of time.

More evidence...

If you're not convinced about the safety of vibrators, here's another fact. Many Sex Therapists recommend the use of vibrators for their patients who suffer from Female Sexual Dysfunction (FSD) as a way of increasing a woman's sensitivity and receptiveness to orgasm.

A quote the American Academy of Family Physicians:
(excerpt from a more extensive list of treatments for FSD)

"Encourage the use of erotic materials (videos, books), suggest masturbation to maximize familiarity with pleasurable sensations; encourage communication during sexual activity; recommend use of vibrators; discuss varying positions. Times of day or places; suggest making a "date" for sexual activity.