Sexual wellness is coming for men.
Originally aimed at women, the craze is perhaps one of the most surprising in recent years.
The idea that intimate pleasure is inherent to long-term good health has spawned a slew of online articles, products, and even entire stores in recent years.
The items on offer could easily be mistaken for facial massagers or skin oils: sex toys come in sleek, discreet packaging and bottles of lubricant are rebranded as ‘intimate gel’.
There are even entire departments dedicated to this stuff in department stores like Sak’s Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom.
But now an upcoming line of products will be aimed at men. While male sex toys are not uncommon in the LGBTQ community, these types of items are not often targeted at heterosexual men.
The men’s sex toy market is expected to reach $39.39 billion by the end of 2032, up from $15,380 in 2019.
Butter Wellness, launched in February, makes two male sex toys aimed at stimulating the prostate
According to market research firm Future Market Insights, the male sex toy market is expected to double from its current value to approximately $39.39 billion over the next decade.
The most popular products range from the relatively tame vibrating rings to the more adventurous prostate ticklers and even mechanical masturbators.
Butter well-beingwhich launched in February, is a company focused on breaking that stigma.
“Butter is solving these problems by creating a modern men’s sexual wellness brand that focuses on education, innovation and accessibility,” according to the brand’s website.
Arcwave sells solo sex toys that claim to be ‘the closest thing to a female orgasm for men’
‘We make products for the often overlooked but most pleasurable part of a man’s body: the prostate, also known as ‘the male G-spot.’
The prostate is a walnut-sized gland located between the base of the penis and the rectum. It produces fluid that mixes with sperm to help it travel and survive.
The prostate has thousands of nerve endings, making it the main erogenous zone for men, leading to its nickname as the male G-spot. Stimulating this would intensify the orgasms.
Butter’s products, which start at $89, use vibrations to stimulate the prostate and perineum, a small patch of sensitive skin between the scrotum and anus.
Meanwhile, tech company Arcwave sells solo toys and sets for sex with female partners. One of the products is the Arcwave, which claims to provide ‘the closest thing to a female orgasm for men’, and works by releasing puffs of air to stimulate the genitals.
One man who regularly uses such devices is 35-year-old Ben Mey from New York, who started experimenting with sex toys at the age of 16, alone and with partners.
He said using different toys can result in stronger orgasms because they can target areas such as the prostate.
“Physically, sex is more intense and pleasurable when the G-spot is hit,” Mr Mey, who is in a long-term monogamous relationship, told DailyMail.com.
‘Using male sex toys has made my partners and I closer and more intimate. One or both of us were bored in the bedroom or just missing something, so using toys spiced things up and allowed us to connect on a different level.”
Although he says he and his friends visit sex shops together to look at devices, the subject is still largely taboo among straight men.
“I think men are hesitant to buy male sex toys because of the stigma and fear that it will cause women or even their friends to judge them or break up the relationship,” he said.
However, he also said that many of his friends have admitted to trying them and have called them “game changers.”
In addition to pleasure, masturbation can also have numerous health benefits.
It also stimulates cortisol, a hormone that helps regulate the immune system. Some research has also suggested that men who achieved a solo orgasm had more white blood cells, which fight infections.
“Sex should be seen as part of one’s well-being, so why not make it fun with toys that add to the fun,” Mr Mey said.