Experts Recommend Vibrators for Sexual Health at All Ages

Key TakeawaysVibrators may help stimulate and lubricate the vagina for people who struggle with vaginal dryness.Researchers are examining whether vibrator use can affect pelvic floor, urinary tract, and bowel function.Although conversations about masturbation have increased in recent years, self-pleasure remains a taboo topic for many women.Penetrative sex can hurt with age. Especially for people with vaginas, decreased estrogen levels around age 50 can createvaginal drynessand discomfort during intercourse. Could sex toys like vibrators be the magic wand to alleviate pain?That’s a question thatAlexandra Dubinskaya, MD, a gynecologist with Cedars-Sinai Marina del Rey Hospital in California, hopes to answer. Dubinskaya is the lead researcher on an ongoingstudy on vibrator use among menopausal womenthat will assess to what extent vibration can increase the health of a person’s vagina and potentially improve their sex life.To conduct the study, Dubinskaya recruited 100 people with vaginas, many of whom were menopausal or experiencingperimenopause(the stage leading up to menopause). She asked participants to use vibrators on areas like the clitoris for five minutes a day or until reaching an orgasm, three days a week. She also asked them to journal about how they felt during and after usage.Participants completed a series of questions and underwent a pelvic exam before the study began and will do so again after the study is complete, which should be in January 2023.So far, it appears vibrators can increase blood flow to vaginal tissues and facilitate lubrication—or “wetness”—which can enhance the quality of sex life, Dubinskaya said. She thinks regular vibrator use could be an easy way to make sex more comfortable with age. The hard part will be getting people to try it.Is Premenopausal a Thing?Why Is Touching Ourselves a ‘Touchy’ Subject?Several older participants in Dubinskaya’s study said that they were first-time vibrator users, having been unaware or uncomfortable using a toy in the past. Some told her they orgasmed for the first time during the study.Even if the study results bode well for the impact of vibrator use on overall sexual health, encouraging people over the age of 50 to use them may be difficult.Wendasha Jenkins Hall, PhD,a sex educator who was not involved in the study, told Verywell that some women are ashamed to masturbate due to old-fashioned stereotypes about how women should act during sex.“Not that long ago, our grandparents—especially our grandmothers—were taught that self-pleasure was something taboo, that only men did,” Jenkins Hall said.A 2017 study found that women struggle to talk about solo sex because of stigma or fear that doing so would make their partner feel inadequate in the bedroom.“Even though we see sex everywhere, a lot of times, people are uncomfortable talking about sex as it relates to them,” Jenkins Hall said.The 9 Best Lubes for a Healthy Sex Life, According to ExpertsBenefits Beyond the BedroomThere aren’t a lot of studies on how vibrators impact health, but some literature suggests they could positively impact other parts of the body. Some studies have shown that vibrators can induce an orgasm—which releases serotonin and dopamine—and may help alleviate mental health issues like depression and anxiety.Dubinskaya said she also wants to consider whether vibration can improve urinary and bowel function.Reclaiming Sexual Pleasure With AgeThere are several ways to use a vibrator. While study participants use vibrators alone, some people may want to use their toy with a partner.Jenkins Hall recommends a solo start for people who want to discover (or rediscover) their wants and needs in the bedroom. People in their 50s or 60s may find that their desires have changed over the years or that some of the sexual experiences that used to arouse them in their 20s are no longer appealing or physically possible.“That doesn’t mean that we still can’t enjoy sex; we just have to make some adjustments,” Jenkins Hall said.For people who feel intense vaginal dryness or tightness, she recommends starting with an external vibrator on a low setting or even putting down the vibrator and masturbating with fingers.It’s important to remember you can change your approach over time.“You don’t age out of sex,” Jenkins Hall said. “If you want it, and if it’s something that brings value to your life, pursue it. Whether you’re 50, 60, 70, 80, or 90—if you can still do it at that age—go for it. Your pleasure is not exclusive to youth.“What This Means For YouIf you’re experiencing pain and/or vaginal dryness during sex, it could be because of your age. Regularly using tools like vibrators may help facilitate better sex and offer other mental and physical benefits along the way.

Key TakeawaysVibrators may help stimulate and lubricate the vagina for people who struggle with vaginal dryness.Researchers are examining whether vibrator use can affect pelvic floor, urinary tract, and bowel function.Although conversations about masturbation have increased in recent years, self-pleasure remains a taboo topic for many women.

Key Takeaways

Vibrators may help stimulate and lubricate the vagina for people who struggle with vaginal dryness.Researchers are examining whether vibrator use can affect pelvic floor, urinary tract, and bowel function.Although conversations about masturbation have increased in recent years, self-pleasure remains a taboo topic for many women.

Penetrative sex can hurt with age. Especially for people with vaginas, decreased estrogen levels around age 50 can createvaginal drynessand discomfort during intercourse. Could sex toys like vibrators be the magic wand to alleviate pain?

That’s a question thatAlexandra Dubinskaya, MD, a gynecologist with Cedars-Sinai Marina del Rey Hospital in California, hopes to answer. Dubinskaya is the lead researcher on an ongoingstudy on vibrator use among menopausal womenthat will assess to what extent vibration can increase the health of a person’s vagina and potentially improve their sex life.

To conduct the study, Dubinskaya recruited 100 people with vaginas, many of whom were menopausal or experiencingperimenopause(the stage leading up to menopause). She asked participants to use vibrators on areas like the clitoris for five minutes a day or until reaching an orgasm, three days a week. She also asked them to journal about how they felt during and after usage.

Participants completed a series of questions and underwent a pelvic exam before the study began and will do so again after the study is complete, which should be in January 2023.

So far, it appears vibrators can increase blood flow to vaginal tissues and facilitate lubrication—or “wetness”—which can enhance the quality of sex life, Dubinskaya said. She thinks regular vibrator use could be an easy way to make sex more comfortable with age. The hard part will be getting people to try it.

Is Premenopausal a Thing?

Why Is Touching Ourselves a ‘Touchy’ Subject?

Several older participants in Dubinskaya’s study said that they were first-time vibrator users, having been unaware or uncomfortable using a toy in the past. Some told her they orgasmed for the first time during the study.

Even if the study results bode well for the impact of vibrator use on overall sexual health, encouraging people over the age of 50 to use them may be difficult.

Wendasha Jenkins Hall, PhD,a sex educator who was not involved in the study, told Verywell that some women are ashamed to masturbate due to old-fashioned stereotypes about how women should act during sex.

“Not that long ago, our grandparents—especially our grandmothers—were taught that self-pleasure was something taboo, that only men did,” Jenkins Hall said.

A 2017 study found that women struggle to talk about solo sex because of stigma or fear that doing so would make their partner feel inadequate in the bedroom.

“Even though we see sex everywhere, a lot of times, people are uncomfortable talking about sex as it relates to them,” Jenkins Hall said.

The 9 Best Lubes for a Healthy Sex Life, According to Experts

Benefits Beyond the BedroomThere aren’t a lot of studies on how vibrators impact health, but some literature suggests they could positively impact other parts of the body. Some studies have shown that vibrators can induce an orgasm—which releases serotonin and dopamine—and may help alleviate mental health issues like depression and anxiety.Dubinskaya said she also wants to consider whether vibration can improve urinary and bowel function.

Benefits Beyond the Bedroom

There aren’t a lot of studies on how vibrators impact health, but some literature suggests they could positively impact other parts of the body. Some studies have shown that vibrators can induce an orgasm—which releases serotonin and dopamine—and may help alleviate mental health issues like depression and anxiety.Dubinskaya said she also wants to consider whether vibration can improve urinary and bowel function.

There aren’t a lot of studies on how vibrators impact health, but some literature suggests they could positively impact other parts of the body. Some studies have shown that vibrators can induce an orgasm—which releases serotonin and dopamine—and may help alleviate mental health issues like depression and anxiety.

Dubinskaya said she also wants to consider whether vibration can improve urinary and bowel function.

Reclaiming Sexual Pleasure With Age

There are several ways to use a vibrator. While study participants use vibrators alone, some people may want to use their toy with a partner.

Jenkins Hall recommends a solo start for people who want to discover (or rediscover) their wants and needs in the bedroom. People in their 50s or 60s may find that their desires have changed over the years or that some of the sexual experiences that used to arouse them in their 20s are no longer appealing or physically possible.

“That doesn’t mean that we still can’t enjoy sex; we just have to make some adjustments,” Jenkins Hall said.

For people who feel intense vaginal dryness or tightness, she recommends starting with an external vibrator on a low setting or even putting down the vibrator and masturbating with fingers.

It’s important to remember you can change your approach over time.

“You don’t age out of sex,” Jenkins Hall said. “If you want it, and if it’s something that brings value to your life, pursue it. Whether you’re 50, 60, 70, 80, or 90—if you can still do it at that age—go for it. Your pleasure is not exclusive to youth.”

What This Means For YouIf you’re experiencing pain and/or vaginal dryness during sex, it could be because of your age. Regularly using tools like vibrators may help facilitate better sex and offer other mental and physical benefits along the way.

What This Means For You

If you’re experiencing pain and/or vaginal dryness during sex, it could be because of your age. Regularly using tools like vibrators may help facilitate better sex and offer other mental and physical benefits along the way.

2 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kraus F.The practice of masturbation for women: the end of a taboo?.Sexologies. 2017;26(4):e35-e41. doi:10.1016/j.sexol.2017.09.009Wise NJ, Frangos E, Komisaruk BR.Brain activity unique to orgasm in women: an fMRI analysis.J Sex Med. 2017;14(11):1380-1391. doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2017.08.014

2 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kraus F.The practice of masturbation for women: the end of a taboo?.Sexologies. 2017;26(4):e35-e41. doi:10.1016/j.sexol.2017.09.009Wise NJ, Frangos E, Komisaruk BR.Brain activity unique to orgasm in women: an fMRI analysis.J Sex Med. 2017;14(11):1380-1391. doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2017.08.014

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Kraus F.The practice of masturbation for women: the end of a taboo?.Sexologies. 2017;26(4):e35-e41. doi:10.1016/j.sexol.2017.09.009Wise NJ, Frangos E, Komisaruk BR.Brain activity unique to orgasm in women: an fMRI analysis.J Sex Med. 2017;14(11):1380-1391. doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2017.08.014

Kraus F.The practice of masturbation for women: the end of a taboo?.Sexologies. 2017;26(4):e35-e41. doi:10.1016/j.sexol.2017.09.009

Wise NJ, Frangos E, Komisaruk BR.Brain activity unique to orgasm in women: an fMRI analysis.J Sex Med. 2017;14(11):1380-1391. doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2017.08.014

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