One of the super awesome perks of being a sex and relationship blogger is that I get to try things that I never would have had a chance to otherwise. On this list is The Afterglow – the world’s very first laser vibrator. Yes, you read that right.
The Afterglow is the world’s first sex toy with light technology a.k.a pulsed infrared rays. The toy was developed by Dr. Ralph Zipper – a urologist based in Florida. Zipper has been using the same light technology as a therapeutic way to treat women with pelvic pain and overactive bladder disease. However, during the clinical trials an interesting side effect occurred: subjects saw improvements in their sexual responses. Women reported everything from sensations of arousal, to improved orgasms to having orgasms for the first time.
It makes sense – the low level laser targets blood flow to the genitals, which in turn boosts arousal and leads to mind-blowing orgasms. If you’re interested in reading more about the science behind the Afterglow you can here.
Armed with this knowledge and 30,000 worth of technology, Dr. Ralph Zipper got to work. Three years later, the Afterglow was born.
The concept of the Afterglow vibrator is actually kind of similar to what Viagra does for men — but with a sexy twist. Our bodies produce a chemical called cyclic guanosine monophosphate, or cGMP, which causes muscles around the blood vessels to relax. When this occurs, more blood flows into our genitals, and we feel more aroused. Viagra works by preventing the breakdown of cGMP – think of it like a bath tub plug that blocks the water from seeping out . However, the pulsed, infrared light used in the Afterglow actually increases the production of cGMP – a process that is similar to turning a tap on full throttle (yippee!)
Light therapy is also known to restore tissue, decrease inflammation, and ward off bacterial infections — in other words it’s kind of like giving your vagina a spa weekend at Canyon Ranch. Add to that the fact that the Afterglow promises killer orgasms and I couldn’t wait to try it.
The Afterglow is a rabbit style vibrator designed for both external and internal stimulation. It’s made of silky soft, medical grade silicone. It’s about 9 inches in length total, however only about 4 inches of that is insertable. As you can tell from the photo below with Joe the Intern, the Afterglow is similar to my beloved Lelo Ina 1.0 in shape, but with slightly different proportions. The Afterglow is fully rechargeable through USB cord, however it is not waterproof.
Along with a charger, dust-bag and instruction manual, it comes encased in a gorgeous white leatherette box that’s lined with velvet and can be locked with a key. It’s perfect for someone who maybe has kids and wants to keep their toy on lock-down. However, for someone like me who has a bunch of toys the padlocked box seems a bit excessive. It’s beautiful but it’s also quite large and bulky – not ideal for someone like me who stores all of their toys discretely in a cabinet.
(FYI, my Mom accidentally mistook the packaging as a “new jewellery box,” only to open it and burst out screaming. True story.)