Transmission of the disease through sex toys that you must be aware of

You can still get sexually transmitted diseases even if you don't have sex. Because there are several things that can be a means of spreading sexual diseases that you may not have thought about so far. One of them is through the use of sex toys. For some singles and those who are already in pairs, involving sex toys in sexual activity can increase their satisfaction in bed. But watch out, the use of sex toys that are not hygienic, carelessly, or even used interchangeably can transmit sexually transmitted diseases. Why is that, and what infectious diseases can be a risk for a sex toy?

How do sex toys transmit sexually transmitted diseases?

Sexual transmission of disease is one of the risks of sex toys. However, this should be made clearer. It's not the sex toys that put you at risk, but sex toys can be a medium for spreading disease from infected penile or vaginal fluids and still sticking to them.

A study from the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections conducted studies that focused on women between 18 and 29 years. The women studied were women who had had sexual intercourse. The researchers gave each person a cleaning product, a vibrator made of thermoplastic elastomer, and a vibrator made of soft silicone.

The female participants were asked to use the vibrator to masturbate and were studied for 24 hours later. The results were found that 75% of these women had HPV (human paviloma virus). Then on 9 vibrators belonging to women who were positive for HPV, there were signs of the virus.

The increased risk of spreading this disease is especially high when the next person uses sex toys without being thoroughly washed from the previous activity. The results are different when the sex toy is cleaned and sterilized after every use. In fact, when it is cleaned, the risk of depositing the virus on the vibrator decreases to 56 percent. In addition, the researchers also found that vibrators made from silicone had lower virus detection rates. Well, imagine if the vibrator that is not cleaned is used alternately. Of course the virus attached to the vibrator will be transmitted to the users.

Several sexually transmitted diseases are a risk for sex toys

1. Chlamydia

Chlamydia or chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection caused by a bacterium named chlamydia trachomatis. The most common symptoms of chlamydia are genital pain and discharge from the vagina or penis. However, chlamydia rarely shows symptoms, so you may never know that you have the disease.

Chlamydia can infect the cervix, anus, urethra, eyes and throat. Chlamydia is generally common in men and women over the age of 25. And one of the spread can be through the use of sex toys that are not clean.

2. Syphilis

Syphilis is a venereal disease caused by bacteria that can infect the skin, mouth, genitals and nervous system. Syphilis is also known as the lion king.

If detected early, syphilis will be easier to cure and will not cause permanent damage. However, untreated syphilis can cause serious damage to the brain or nervous system and other organs, including the heart.

3. Herpes

Genital herpes is a venereal disease caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). Usually characterized by watery rashes on the genitals, anus, or mouth. Genital herpes can be spread through touch, but is more commonly spread through sexual contact.

Genital herpes is a condition that occurs frequently and can occur in both women and men. Women are more at risk of getting this virus than men. Usually occurs in people who are sexually active.

How to prevent sexually transmitted diseases that are spread through sex toys

To avoid the risks of sex toys above, try not to borrow sex toys. In addition, keep your own sex toys and genitals clean. By cleaning sex toys regularly before and after using them can reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections and diseases that can infect you

However, not all sex toys can be washed with the same material or method. You need to pay attention to how to keep sex toys clean based on their type. Generally, most toys can be cleaned with a mild bleach solution (bleach diluted with water), antibacterial sex toy cleaner (available at most sex toy stores), or soap and water to kill disease or germs.

After cleaning, you may need to air dry the sex toys to prevent bacterial growth.

Below, there are several ways to clean sex toys that you should pay attention to:

Every time you clean, rinse or wash sex toys, make sure that you remove the battery first. Also avoid cleaning the sex toys while they are still connected to an electric current.
Avoid cleaning by scrubbing too harshly
Toys made of silicone or plastic glass can be cleaned by soaking them in warm water
Store toys in a cool place and avoid direct sunlight