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I Want to Try Electrosex. Where Should I Start?
Published: FEBRUARY 21, 2022
| Updated: MARCH 1, 2022 06:18:14
The Kinklab Neon Wand, Mystim Tension Lover and Zeus Arcana make surface-level e-stim and deep-muscle e-stim a breeze for beginners.
Imagine dragging something gently across your skin—and feeling a sensation perfectly in the middle of "ticklish" and "sensual". You know: the same feeling you get when someone else drags their fingernails gently across your skin and it makes your hair stand straight and your body start to warm.
And while these sensations wash over you, you get your own personal light show—with mini lightning bolts dancing across your skin and a gentle hum in the air that feels heavy with erotic anticipation.
Better yet, imagine attaching four small pads to your skin—a bit like your favorite temporary bandages. Now, those erotic muscle spasms you've always associated with arousal and orgasm are coming by themselves—on autopilot. Without a single bit of effort from you, you feel your body arousing itself with each pulsation; and you lay back and relax under its thrumming guidance.
Welcome to The World of Electro-Sex.
Both of those scenarios are entirely doable—and well within the wheelhouse of electro-sex beginners! The gentle, fingernail-like sensations come from the Kinklab Neon Wand: a plug-and-play electro-sex toy. While a bit more complicated, the deep muscle contractions come from the electrodes of a Mystim powerbox.
As the wonder of technology gets even more advanced, we've figured out amazing ways to point it towards sexual fulfillment. Those ways don't necessarily require a PhD in electrical engineering; they're designed to be approachable to almost anyone! As always, I recommend knowing the safety concerns before you hop in—but you're going to be surprised how simple it is to give electro-sex a try!
Read: 9 Things to Check Before Playing With Electrosex.
Now that you've heard about these amazing options for arousal (that go way beyond your standard vibrators!), you might be wondering how you can try it for yourself. And hey, that's exactly what I'm here for!
How to Try Electro-Sex
There are two paths to start your exploration into electro-sex:
- Surface-level e-stim.
- Deep-muscle e-stim.
The type you select will really depend on your goals and your patience level. While both are accessible to beginners, that doesn't mean both of them will work flawlessly on the first attempt. Deep tissue e-stim involves a lot more trial-and-error than surface-level e-stim.
So, let me explain the differences—and outline the "tools of the trade" you need to get started with electro-sex:
Electro-sex Toys for Beginners
I was going to talk through their pros and cons first; but I'm realizing it's so much easier to understand what we're talking about if you have a mental picture of what's going on. So let's talk through some of the electro-sex toys I'd recommend for a beginner starting their journey into e-stim. (Sounds like you, if you're reading this article!)
Toys for Surface-Level Electrostimulation
![A Kinklab Neon Wand: A baton-like electrostimulation toy featuring a long white textured handle and a pink glass electrode protruding out from the handle's end. Electrostimulation is delivered via the pink electrode.]()
The Kinklab Neon Wand is a great tool for those starting their journey into electro-sex. Think of it as your very own magic wand: Anywhere its glass tip touches, you'll feel a gentle tickling sensation. That tickling sensation is due to the electricity conducted through the glass "electrode" (that's what we call the glass part that sticks out the top).
Neon Wands are NOT designed for insertion of any kind; but they are designed for surface-level play. They can be dragged along the skin for unique sensations almost anywhere on the body. However, you should avoid any areas with metal in or outside the body—such as electronics, piercings or internal metal plates.
![A hand projects electric shocks from its fingertips onto a person's round hip.]()
While we're only talking about the base kit of the Neon Wand today, there are really fun ways to expand the its potential once you fall in love with it. The Body Contact Probe, for example, can be worn against your body and turns the wearer's entire body into the Neon Wand's contact point—so every single touch causes a spark (even with the penis or vulva!).
There's really nothing like it out there.
Toys for Deep-Muscle Electrostimulation
![The Mystim Tension Lover: A black storage case with a built-in handle sits behind a collection of wires, batteries, a manual and electrodes.]()
Based on the medical-use TENS Unit devices, the Mystim Tension Lover looks a little bit complicated with all of its wires and pads. I promise, though, it's not as complicated as it seems.
Read: 10 Things to Know About TENS Units.
See, the Tension Lover allows electricity to run underneath the skin and into the underlying muscle. It does this through the included electrodes—which are a bit like extra-sticky, fancy stickers. Just place the electrodes anywhere beneath the belt (NO PLAY near the heart!); and the electricity can flow between the points where you've placed the electrodes.
So, if you place an electrode on either side of the vulva, you can see exactly how simple it would be to light up the entire vulva with delicious sensations. Unlike the Arcana or Neon Wand, using electrodes like this is mostly set-it-and-forget-it: You place the electrodes in one spot, turn on the e-stimulation, lay back and let the sensations happen. There's no need to hold them in place or move the electrodes around to keep experiencing new sensations.
![The Mystim Tension Lover: A black storage case with a built-in handle sits behind a collection of wires, batteries, a manual and electrodes. Surrounding the Tension Lover are lines leading to various compatible sex toys, such as dildos, masturbation sleeves, butt plugs and vibrators.]()
While we're only talking about using the Tension Lover with its included electrodes today, there are tons and tons of optional electro-sex toys you can use alongside it—like dildos, kegel balls, penis straps and clamps. While you can have a ton of fun with just the powerbox, a lot of the Tension Lover's fun is contained within those optional e-stim toys.
Read: Sex Toy Review: Mystim Tension Lover E-Stim Unit.
(As a note, there are three Mystim powerboxes to choose from when you're getting started. I generally recommend the Mystim Tension Lover over the other two. That's because it offers a clear, large display that makes it easy to figure out what you're doing—and because it comes with seven beginner-friendly, pre-made pattern settings. These settings allow you simply turn on the Mystim Tension Lover and let it do all of the electro-sex sensations for you, which can be really really helpful when you're first starting and all of the electro-sex jargon seems overwhelming.)
Toys for Surface-Level and Deep-Muscle Electrostimulation
![The Zeus Arcana Electro Wand: A blank wand massager with a black handle and wide, round black head featuring a panel in the center of the handle with buttons to control the electrostimulation.]()
Think of the Zeus Arcana as a wand massager with some superhero capabilities. The Arcana is the happy middle ground between surface-level e-stim and deep tissue electro-sex.
While the Zeus Arcana is equipped with multiple levels of vibration—like a standard wand massager—it also happens to be equipped with multiple levels of electrostimulation. Just press it up against the body and activate the e-stim to feel the pulsations of electricity. With the Arcana's placement outside the body, and no other electrostimulation point to share the electricity with, you get a sensation that's noticeably surface-level—but can still be felt within the deep tissue, especially on the higher intensity levels.
(It's a bit counterintuitive—but the Arcana's e-stimulation will feel less intense with more contact against the body. More contact with the wand helps diffuse the sensations a bit!)
What is the Best Electro-Sex Toy?
"But, Mistress Kay," you might be saying. "Just tell me which one is the best to buy."
That's the thing, though: Just like with other sex toys, what's right for you is probably wrong for someone else. Everyone has their own unique priorities, preferences and comfort level—so a "one size fits all" approach to anything sex, whether it's an e-stim toy or a butt plug, is likely to disappoint more people than it is to be the perfect fit.
Read: Our Top Tips for Buying Your First Vibrator.
With that in mind, let's compare these options based on some of the most common questions you might have about electro-sex—so you can make an educated decision about which one is perfect for you.
Which Electro-Sex Sex Toy is Gentlest?
Let's say you're brand new to electro-sex and this shit terrifies you. But it also excites you in the best of ways. Odd how arousal works sometimes, isn't it?
If that's the case, I'd highly recommend the Kinklab Neon Wand. It's the most approachable option out there. Not only is it instantly removable if something makes you uncomfortable (literally just pick it up off the skin), but it also feels the most like a sensation many of us can relate to. While the Mystim powerboxes can feel like an invisible hand is forcing your muscles to contract, the Neon Wand's tracing sensations feel much easier for our brains to categorize based on our previous experiences.