Electro play

What electro play is

Electro play, or e-stim, uses low-level electrical current to create sensation, from a faint tingle to deep muscle contraction to sharp sting. It can feel like nothing else in kink, and it offers a precision and a range that many sensation players come to love. It also demands more care than most practices, because the risks are specific and not always visible.

The main types of equipment

TENS and EMS units are medical-style devices that send current through adhesive pads. TENS stimulates nerves and feels like tingling, buzzing or tapping; EMS stimulates muscle and produces contractions. Purpose-made kink e-stim boxes are more powerful and more adjustable versions of the same idea, often with programs that vary the pattern. They can be used with pads, conductive loops, and insertable electrodes.

Violet wands are a different technology. They produce a high-voltage, very low-current static discharge through glass electrodes, giving a sparking, crackling sensation on the skin's surface. They do not pass current through the body in the way TENS does, which is why they can be used on areas that TENS cannot. They also produce light and a distinctive sound, which is part of their appeal.

How it feels

With TENS-style units the sensation depends on pad placement, intensity and pattern. Current flows between two pads, so where you put them determines what the person feels and which muscles respond. Low settings tickle; mid settings pulse and contract; high settings are intense and can be painful.

Safety

Electro play has firm rules.

• Never place pads, loops or any current path across the chest, across the heart, or above the collarbone with TENS-style units. Current should stay below the waist or on one limb, never across the torso.
• No electro play for anyone with a pacemaker, implanted defibrillator, heart condition, epilepsy, or who is pregnant. This is not a judgement call.
• Metal piercings and implants near the current path can concentrate it; remove jewellery and avoid the area.
• Violet wands can be used on more of the body but should still stay away from the eyes, and should not be used on anyone with the conditions above.
• Start at zero and increase slowly. Turn down before moving pads.
• Do not combine with water beyond a damp cloth for pad contact, and never near a bath or shower.
• Use only equipment designed for body use, from reputable makers, and read the manual.
• The person receiving should be able to speak or signal at all times.