Pricier products tend to have extras, such as a range of differently sized ear bud tips, soft medical-grade silicone, or performance coatings (eg aloe vera or antibacterial silver, hypoallergenic). Go slowly! Don’t force it in if you feel pressure or rush the toy through the urethra. Some heavy toys, like steel or titanium plugs, slide in on their own. Apply a lot of lube near the urethral opening and to your toy. Use a water-based, chemical-free lube. But you might also choose to buy ear defenders for use at home - for example, when you're doing DIY or doing loud garden machinery work (strimming, mowing, digging up concrete etc) for an extended time. Some ear plugs are made of other materials - for example, Alpine uses its own patented non-silicone material for its SleepSoft range, and Happy Ears ear plugs have an ABS core and Thermoplastic elastomer outer part. How much can you re-use ear plugs?

Not coming out? Get to urgent care or an emergency room right away. Keep your genital area as still as possible to prevent any sudden or abrupt movement that could injure your urethra.

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Use gentle, unscented soap and warm water to wash your hands and your outer genital areas. Position Silicone can be autoclaved or processed in a pressure cooker safely without melting the product. Originally inspired by a good friend of mine, Dan, who one day showed me his collection of jelly type fishing lures he was using for urethral play. Not knowing what they were made of and realizing they were most likely not sterile I set myself on a quest to develop some type of safe silicone toy for him. There were no silicone sounds on the market at the time, and so in 2000 the first set was produced at SquarePegToys ®.

A silicone sound is a good urethral toy. It actually has certain advantages over metal toys, though not all people like them. Most people who use flexible sounds also like to use metal urethral toys. Damage to your hearing can start to occur around an average 85dB across the day or week - that's the noise level of heavy traffic or a vacuum cleaner. Gently and slowly remove the toy from your urethra. Take your time! Stop or go slower if it feels painful or uncomfortable. Add more lube near your urethral opening if you need to. Girth is measured in millimeters. Choose a small one if you’re just starting out, and gradually increase the size by small increments. Shape

Sounds

The first thing you need to know is whether a silicone sound is safe to use or not. Keep in mind that there are many different types of silicone and many different manufacturers. When choosing urethral toys or another type of a sex toy, you need to make sure that you are choosing a reliable product. No silicone sound will be safe if it is not made properly. For this reason, it is important to choose safe adult toy stores. Make sure you choose ones that state they have the right level of hearing protection. For example, if the DIY noise was 100dB and you wore ear plugs reducing it by 15dB, this should mean you're hearing a safe 85dB. After you feel comfortable with how far it’s in, try moving it a few directions to see what feels best and what nerve endings you can stimulate. Try to gently pull it in and out, too. If you wish to wear you urethral toys for longer periods of time, it is important to make sure that they are safe and comfortable. Some urethral toys are better for the purpose than the others. For example, smooth urethral toys will provide more comfort than the textured ones. Ear defenders won't necessarily reduce noise better than correctly-worn ear plugs with the same attenuation but they're likely to be more suited to wearing for longer periods, may be designed to reduce noise at certain frequencies or have features such as built-in microphones, and might be more comfortable to wear.

Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. You can buy standard foam, silicone and wax ear plugs from pharmacies, supermarkets and discounters, and online. Rinard K, et al. (2010). Cross-sectional study examining four types of male penile and urethral "play". DOI: However, their porous material can host bacteria growth, so they'll need replacing often. Some designs have a little nobble on the end to help pull them out. Silicone ear plugs

Special Care for SuperSoft

If you're exposed to noise at work of an average 85dB or more across the day or week, your employer should look at measures to reduce this, including providing the ear protection equipment needed. This is likely to be ear muffs or defenders which look like large hard-shell headphones over your ears.

Prices vary most in this category. They can be soft and mouldable or a more traditional ear bud. They tend to be reusable and lighter (although there are harder ones too). Silicone sounds are great urethral toys and they are generally safe. They are flexible so they provide more comfort than typical metal urethral toys. They are also not as intense as metal toys, so they may be ideal for beginners who wish to try urethral play for the first time. Ear plugs or defenders reduce the decibel level reaching your ears, so you can be exposed to noise for longer. But they can't provide total protection - especially during prolonged exposure. If you have a vulva, spread your labia and keep them apart so that you have easier access to the urethral opening.These are generally warmed in the hand and then moulded to fit into your ear (they form a seal over the ear canal rather than being inserted into it). This kit is also great for training your urethra. It will help you gradually increase its size in a gentle and comfortable manner. Because the prototypes were machined in inches and the French system of measuring Sounds is based on metric, there wasn’t a clean conversion. Each size in the rod differs by about 2.5 French and hence, the reason for the odd pairing of numbers in the final product. The final sizes are very close to actual but, regardless, because of the flexible nature of rubber, these numbers are best viewed as guidelines and close estimates. The Hegar Urethral Sounds Kit is not only the most popular sound set sold but it is also a fantastic collection of sounds made for intense urethral stimulation.