Penile rash may come from sex toys

From penis rings to dildos, sex toys are increasingly popping up in adult bedrooms. While sex toys have historically been more associated with women, the fact is that more and more men are becoming more comfortable incorporating toy play into their sex lives - often to great effect. In general, sex toys do not cause penis health problems, but in some cases, penis health problems may occur without notice. For example, sometimes the use of sex toys may lead to the unexpected appearance of a penile rash.

Sex toys

People have been using sex toys for generations. For example, there are records from ancient Greece and Egypt about items that are considered dildos today. People used phallus-shaped foods such as zucchini as "natural" dildos, and carved out melons have been used for centuries by enterprising men as a vaginal substitute.

Today, however, sex toys generally refer to items made specifically for use in sexual situations, either alone or based on the use of a partner, generally to enhance pleasure. For some, this pleasure is enhanced by the infliction of some degree of pain, but the ultimate goal is pleasure, however the individual defines it.

Penile rash

Generally, penile rashes (like most rashes) occur because the skin of the penis has been exposed to some sort of allergic factor. Theoretically, this could be true of any individual's makeup; he or she could be allergic to anything. However, the people we will be discussing are those who are more likely than others to bring on a penile rash reaction. Of course, it is important to note that just because some people may be allergic to something, it does not mean that everyone is.

With that in mind, here are some sex toys that in some cases may produce a penis rash in some men.

- Metal penis rings or egg stretchers The purpose of a penis ring is to tighten around the penis (or penis and balls) to encourage blood to fill the penis, thus enhancing a man's erection. A ball stretcher is tightened around the tip of the balls to stretch them out; sometimes weights are used to increase the stretch. Rings and stretchers can be made of several different materials, including metal - which can be problematic in some cases. A surprising number of people are allergic to nickel, and it can cause a rash where it comes into contact. Many mixtures of metal products contain nickel - so a penile rash that occurs after wearing a metal ring or stretcher may be due to the presence of nickel.

- Vaginal substitutes. Vaginal substitutes come in various forms, but they are usually a hollow tube with a soft material inside. An erect penis is moved in and out of the tube, usually resulting in ejaculation. If the toy is washed thoroughly after each use, there is little risk of a rash, but if it is not washed, a penile rash is likely to develop. The risk increases if a man does not clean it thoroughly after another man uses it. (Sharing sex toys is risky, and most sex toys should be disinfected before sharing).

- Condoms. Not a sex toy, but some men do have latex allergies - which means they must use a non-latex condom to avoid both an STD infection and a potential penile rash!

Penis rashes caused by sex toys may respond to the use of a premium penis health cream (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven to be gentle and safe on the skin). Rashes often require additional moisturization, so using a cream that contains both a high-end emollient (such as shea butter) and a natural moisturizer (such as vitamin E) is best. In addition, the cream of choice should include alpha lipoic acid, a potent antioxidant that protects the skin from the ravages of excess free radicals.