How Sex Toys Can Help Men Improve Their Sexual Performance

Sex toys have never been more popular than they are right now. Sales have been steadily increasing for years, but they really surged during lockdown and quarantine. 

Despite their growing popularity, there is still some taboo that exists around using toys in the bedroom—and this is especially true for men. While women’s sex toys are often lauded for empowering women to take control of their pleasure and allowing them to get more comfortable with their bodies, we don’t often hear the same messaging accompanying men’s sex toys. 

In fact, the messages we hear are often quite the opposite—men’s sex toys are frequently ridiculed. For example, I’ve read articles describing male masturbation sleeves as “putting your boner in a thermos.” If you read between the lines, much of what’s being said about male sex toys is that “real” men don’t need them and that there’s something shameful about using them.

In light of this, it shouldn’t be surprising that usage of sex toys tends to be much lower among men than women [1] (although gay and bisexual men do appear to use toys at higher rates than straight men [2]).

However, we would do well to change our attitudes toward men’s sex toys and to shed the taboo because research shows that sex toys can help to improve men’s sexual performance and enhance the quality of their sex lives. 

Men who use sex toys report that, overall, it improves their sexual experiences [2]. Male sex toy users also report better sexual functioning. Specifically, research has shown that sex toy users report better erectile function, better orgasmic function, more intercourse satisfaction, and more sexual desire [1]. 

Also, male sex toys—specifically masturbation devices where the penis is inserted—have been used as a successful treatment for both premature ejaculation and delayed orgasm in men [3,4]. These studies suggest that using these devices regularly can potentially help men to develop better ejaculatory control. 

For men who are thinking about trying sex toys in order to tap into these potential benefits, where to begin? Until the taboo around male sex toys is broken, many guys may not feel comfortable going to a sex shop in person, so you might start by looking for toys online from vendors who offer discreet shipping and billing to ensure privacy and comfort. 

There are many adult sex toy shops out there that stock a wide range of toys for men, women, and couples from the world’s most popular brands.  

The sheer number of options might seem overwhelming at first, so you might start by limiting your search to masturbation devices, which are designed for men of all orientations. These devices have internal ridges made from various materials that are designed to stimulate the penis. These are the kind of toys used in the studies mentioned above that can help assist in developing more ejaculatory control. 

Some of them are designed to mimic the appearance of genitalia; however, others have a more non-descript appearance. Different men have different preferences when it comes masturbation sleeves. Some prefer them to have a more realistic look, while others feel more comfortable engaging with toys that aren’t trying to replicate the human body. 

Either way, there are toys for men who have different tastes and experience levels.

So go ahead—check them out and explore your options. And remember that there’s no shame in using sex toys and that using them just might help you to improve your sexual performance and satisfaction.

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[1] Reece, M., Herbenick, D., Sanders, S. A., Dodge, B., Ghassemi, A., & Fortenberry, J. D. (2009). Prevalence and characteristics of vibrator use by men in the United States. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 6(7), 1867-1874. 

[2] Rosenberger, J. G., Schick, V., Herbenick, D., Novak, D. S., & Reece, M. (2012). Sex toy use by gay and bisexual men in the United States. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 41(2), 449-458.

[3] Rodríguez, J. E., & López, A. (2016). Male masturbation device for the treatment of premature ejaculation. Asian Pacific Journal of Reproduction, 5(1), 80-83.

[4] Rodriguez, J. E., Picazo, J. A., & Lopez, E. (2017). Male masturbation device for the treatment of delayed ejaculation: A case report. Asian Pacific Journal of Reproduction, 6(4), 191.

Image Credit: 123RF

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