Several people have already suffered burns—and in some cases even lost their lives—after attempting this practice.
A controversial sex trend has now proven deadly in certain instances, prompting urgent warnings from medical professionals. While people experiment with many ways to explore intimacy, not all methods are safe, and some can quickly become life-threatening.
Practices such as choking or diving into bondage without proper safety knowledge already highlight how risky behaviors can cross the line. But one of the most extreme examples now drawing attention is Erotic Electrostimulation, widely known as electrosex.
This trend involves the use of machines that deliver electrical currents to sensitive parts of the body, particularly the genitals, in an effort to heighten sensation. Marketed as thrilling, the practice can be extremely dangerous if misused.
Also called “e-stim,” it has been linked to painful injuries and, in rare but documented cases, death—especially when people resort to unsafe methods or unapproved devices.
Dr. Sherry A. Ross, an OBGYN, has been outspoken in urging people to think twice. She explained that devices powered by electricity can overheat, cause burns, disrupt heart rhythms, and in the worst scenarios, prove fatal.
She stressed that anyone considering it should first ensure their partner is in good health, not pregnant, and that the activity is conducted only under the safest possible conditions.
Brooke Faught, nurse practitioner and Clinical Director at the Women’s Institute for Sexual Health, noted that the greatest dangers come when people improvise with devices never meant for sexual use.
“When used in a safe and appropriate manner, these devices are quite safe with minimal potential for harm. The concern lies in the potential for someone to use a device that is not designed for human use. If a person were to receive excessive stimulation, they might experience pain, cramping, and other potential musculoskeletal or neurological consequences,” she explained.
Although fatalities are rare, she confirmed that there are documented cases where electrosex has directly caused deaths—proof that the risks are not theoretical.
One such case occurred in 2008, when an American man fatally electrocuted himself during masturbation. His wife, Amanda Martin, later discovered him unresponsive and partially unclothed with wires still attached.
“I tried to move Paul, but got an electrical shock,” she recalled in an affidavit.
That same year, another incident in Pennsylvania led to criminal charges after a woman died from a homemade electrosex device. Her husband, 37-year-old Toby Taylor, had rigged up a hairdryer to deliver electric shocks. The contraption triggered a fatal heart attack in his 29-year-old wife.
Taylor was arrested and held on $100,000 bail, facing involuntary manslaughter and reckless endangerment charges.
Initially, Taylor claimed the death was a tragic accident caused by the hairdryer. However, investigators discovered burns on his wife’s body, and he eventually admitted to attaching wires and plugging them into a power strip multiple times.
York County Coroner Barry Bloss condemned the act, telling ABC Action News: “Even if you did it before, you have to know you could kill someone.”
Experts emphasize that electrostimulation should only ever be attempted with devices specifically manufactured for sexual use. Heidi, CEO of Current Pleasures, noted that lower-frequency therapy units typically cause a stinging sensation, while higher-frequency machines trigger muscle contractions. She added that when done correctly, the practice should not cause burns, especially if electro-conductive gel is applied.
Still, professionals agree on one absolute: people should never attempt to build their own electrosex device at home. The risk of serious injury—or death—is simply too high.
