I’m a sex educator who tried electro-stimulation for the first time, here’s how it went

“At one point, I genuinely thought my orgasm wasn’t going to stop.”

Erotic electro-stimulation (or e-stim for short) is a form of play you definitely didn’t hear about in sex ed. But like most things that generally weren’t talked about in those classes (clitoral stimulation, anal sex, BDSM) it can be a lot of fun once you know
what you are doing!

E-stim is the application of electrical stimulation to the nerves of the body for sexual pleasure. It stimulates the genitals and erogenous zones with a safe amount of electrical energy using sex toys, conductive pads, conductive gloves or neon wands.

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The goal of e-stim toys is to heighten sensitivity and seriously stimulate the nerve endings of your erogenous zones. Your standard vibrator is already pretty good at targeting nerve endings but most of these are relatively surface-level. With the right tool, e-stim toys can also make your muscles tense and contract, and this is where the magic happens.

When you orgasm, your pelvic floor contracts in quick succession, which these tools replicate in what feels like a super long and strong orgasm. So of course, as a sex educator, I wanted to try it!

When dipping your toes into new sexual territory, you want to be educated about how to do it properly to avoid injury. It’s possible to hurt yourself with e-stim toys if you don’t follow the rules (more on that later), so I got reading. The first thing that came to my attention was that there are two different types of e-stim units.

There are single units with everything built in and those that need to be connected to a power box using cords. So of course, I got both. I tried the all-in-one toy first, an internal vibrator by Mystim called Sizzling Simon. This one appealed to me because it has vibration as well as e-stim, so you can use one or the other (or use them both at the same time).

It’s a big toy, so I used lots of water-based lubricant with it (silicone lube is not good with e-stim toys, as it can insulate the electrical current) and slid it in. I turned the vibration onto the third intensity level. This was just enough to be aroused
and feel good without overpowering the e-stim. Then I took a deep breath and turned on the e-stim function to level one… and I didn’t feel anything.

But once I got to level one, the lightest tingle started. By the time I got to level three, I was beginning to feel a more intense tingle and my muscles were clenching around the toy. At this point, I wanted to turn off the vibration entirely to try out the e-stim alone. But in the classic not-reading-the-instructions-properly-before-inserting fashion, I accidentally turned the e-stim up to full. And that was less fun!

On level five, my muscles were clenched like crazy, and it feel like it was zapping my vagina. To be honest, that definitely killed my horny vibe, so I turned it off and gave up for the day. But I’ve tried it again since paying more attention to the buttons and absolutely loved it.

The other toy I tried was the Electrastim Flick Stimulator Pack, which is a bit more complicated than Sizzling Simon. This set has a stimulator power box and adhesive pads (electrodes) that stick to your body and plug into the power box. The idea is
that you connect both pads to your body to create a closed circuit. The current will run through the space on your body between the pads.

If you put them on each of your inner thighs, the current will cross your genitals and that’s where you’ll feel all the tingling goodness. So obviously, I stuck one electrode to the top of my inner thigh and the other one on top of my mons pubis, just above the vulva, so that the current ran right across my clitoris.

I had read from multiple reviewers that e-stim can result in a hands-free orgasm – as in, the tingling and contractions from the unit will do all the work – so you don’t even need to stimulate yourself with hands or toys. I tried really hard to have that but couldn’t quite get there (I wasn’t patient enough), so I grabbed a trusty bullet vibe and used that clitorally instead.

The orgasm was amazing! The contractions caused by the e-stim unit made the orgasm last significantly longer than usual. It felt a lot deeper and more intense than a regular climax with the same bullet vibrator would. At one point, I genuinely thought my orgasm wasn’t going to stop. It was so intense.

The verdict

I’m seriously into it. I’m not a big fan of the zaps and I’m not crazy about how it feels on the higher levels (as I learnt the hard way). But sticking with the low to mid-range area has made for some seriously incredible orgasms so far, and I’m keen to see what
else my body can achieve with this kind of play.

Next up, I want to try penetrative sex with my partner while we both wear a pad each and form a circuit. When you do this, wherever your bodies connect closes the circuit. This means if we’re having sex, his penis and my vagina would be literally electric. Hell yes!

Now, a quick word on safety. It’s super important with these kinds of toys, and e-stim has the potential to be dangerous if you don’t follow the instructions.

Electrosex dos and don’ts

Do use a water-based lubricant with internal attachments and electroconductive gel with external attachments. Ensure that attachments are dry when connecting to the device (after cleaning). This part should be obvious, but don’t use these products in or near water. Finally, make sure you’re fully hydrated before you start your play.

Don’t use an e-stim device if you’re pregnant, epileptic, have any heart problems or have a pacemaker fitted. Don’t use electro-sex attachments on broken or irritated skin, and steer clear of a connection anywhere above the waist – you don’t want the current to cross your heart. Don’t piercings as electrodes, and make sure you only use trusted brands. If you’re curious, Electrastim and Mystim are two high-quality, trusted brands. Be safe, relax and have fun.

For more on electrosex, head here.