Listen carefully. That faint buzzing you hear just might be the woman—or couple—next door enjoying one or more vibrators. Today, more than half of adult American women own at least one. Only a fraction of couples include them in partner lovemaking, but that fraction is growing.

Vibrators do more than help women have orgasms. A recent study shows that it also improves users’ sexual and mental health. Los Angeles researchers recruited 53 cisgender women aged 19 to 80, with an average age of 55, who consulted at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. The researchers used standard questionnaires to assess the women’s sexual health and function. Then the researchers gave participants small “bullet” multi-speed vibrators and instructed them to apply them to their vulvas for five to 10 minutes, two to three times a week for three months, at which point the researchers re-assessed them.

Their sexual function, that is, their responsiveness to genital play, improved (p = 0.002). Their sexual pain scores decreased (p = 0.0008). In older women, vaginal atrophy, painful thinning of the vaginal lining, also decreased (p = 0.018). And those who were depressed at the start of the study experienced relief (p = 0.011). The researchers concluded: “Vibrator use was associated with improved sexual, genitourinary, and mental health.”

Increasingly Popular Among Women

Indiana University researchers surveyed a representative sample of 3,800 adult American women. More than half (53 percent) owned at least one vibrator (lifetime use). Three-quarters agreed that vibrators:

Are a healthy part of women’s sexuality.
Add excitement and enhance partner sex.
Facilitate orgasms.
Two-thirds agreed that vibes reduce pressure on partners to bring users to orgasm.

Increasingly Popular in Partner Lovemaking with Men

In another study, Indiana University investigators interviewed 1,047 adult men. Forty-five percent said they’d been involved in partner vibrator play at least once; 10 percent frequently. Men who included vibrators regularly in partner lovemaking reported more desire, firmer erections, better orgasms, happier lovers, and greater satisfaction.

In the Indiana poll, the majority of men agreed that vibrators:

Are a healthy part of women’s sexuality.
Enhance partner sex.
Facilitate women’s orgasms.

The Myths Are Fading Fast

Unfortunately, some people of all genders continue to struggle with lingering myths about vibrators:

Myth: Vibrators are for lonely losers.

Truth: Actually, single women are less likely to use them than married women. Compared with singles, married women usually have more regular sex. They think about it more and are more likely to use vibrators.

Myth: If women need vibrators to climax, something is wrong with them. Truth: No. They’re normal. Some women just need more stimulation than fingers or tongues provide.

Myth: If women need vibrators to orgasm, their men are lousy lovers. Truth: Possibly, but not necessarily. Even when men provide what most women prefer—leisurely, playful, whole-body lovemaking with lots of cunnilingus—many perfectly normal women need vibrators to climax.

Myth: Vibrators replace men. Truth. No. Vibrators provide only one thing: intense stimulation. They don’t smile, converse, kiss, embrace, warm the bed, tell jokes, say I love you, or share women’s joys and heartaches.

Myth: Vibrators ruin women for sex without them. Truth: Does driving ruin you for walking? No, it just gets you there faster. It’s the same for vibrators; they don’t change the body’s ability to respond to other caresses.

Myth: Vibrators are addictive. Truth: Some women become very fond of vibrators. But they are not addictive. Over time, as these devices teach women about the full range of their erotic responsiveness, many find it takes less vibrator stimulation to get the job done.

Myth: Vibrators numb the genitals. Truth: Possibly. In the Indiana survey, 11 percent of users reported occasional numbness. If this occurs, use lubricant, press less, or try a lower-power vibe.

Myth: Vibrators cause urinary tract infections. Truth: Vibrators don’t cause UTIs, but using them carelessly might. If vibes touch the anal area, they may pick up UTI-causing bacteria. After any anal vibrator play, wash the devices before they are used.

Which Type Is Best?

There is no “best” vibrator, and marketers offer large selections.

Some look like erections. Others are more abstract cylinders. Some have flat tips; others are pancake-shaped.
Some are battery-powered. Others plug in. The former can be used anywhere; the latter is more powerful.
Sizes vary. Small ones are good for travel.
Dual-action vibrators have small protrusions extending from their shafts.
Materials include hard or soft plastic, jelly (like gummy candies), or plastics that feel like skin.
Some vibrators have only one speed, others several, allowing a range of sensation.
Most vibrators are not waterproof. If you’d like to use them in tubs, showers, or swimming pools, buy a waterproof model. Their electrical components are sealed inside their housings.
“Kits” include basic cylindrical vibrators and attachments that alter their look and the sensations they produce.
Most battery-powered ones are not designed to operate continuously for more than 20 minutes at low speeds and 10 minutes at high speeds. Plug-in models can run much longer.
The clitoris can be very sensitive to touch. During partner vibe play, many women insist on handling them themselves. But most women appreciate being held, kissed, caressed, and encouraged to enjoy themselves.