If you’re like a lot of people, your experience with pumps begins and ends with the time you saw Austin Powers use one to fend off an assailant. Or maybe you saw one tucked away on the family planning shelf in your local pharmacy. In any case, pop culture hasn’t made exceptionally clear what these things do. They actually have a lot of applications for men and women! The practical applications for pumps range from inducing erections, temporarily and minorly plumping genitalia, and just feeling some fun suction sensation! Read on to explore with us about which pump works for you.

What do penis pumps do?

In 1874, Dr. John King experimented with the first penis pump, which he called the “glass exhauster.” Built to achieve an erection, it used negative pressure to force blood into the two corpora cavernosa and the corpus spongiosum, the three chambers of the penis responsible for erections. While the exhauster made it that far, it didn’t last, with blood rushing back to the body after removal. It wasn’t until 43 years later in 1917 when Otto Lederer patented his “surgical device to produce erection with vacuum” that the pump was combined with an elastic retention ring that kept the blood from immediately returning to the body when the vacuum was removed.

Over 100 years since Otto Lederer’s completion of John King’s invention, along with continued use of erection production, we’ve had plenty of time to develop and pervert to our horniest desires the functionality of pumps. Somewhere along the line, marketing for pumps started to confound erection production and massive penis growth. This is a bit of a fallacy. While some plumping may occur, the effect is quite small and temporary. Though, some trans men who opt out of bottom surgery have found some level of satisfying growth in their clitoral tissue when combining suction with hormone therapy.

It’s expected that men might follow the “bigger is better” mentality, but this temporary swelling effect heightens sensitivity for added fun on vulvas as well! Suction feels good everywhere! Like the penis, vulva pumps make the labia and clit hypersensitive, along with producing a plump appearance. Specialized clit, nipple, and breast pumps apply the same principal for stimulation play everywhere else.

Are penis pumps safe?

Don’t forget that there is such thing as too much suction. You’re essentially giving yourself a big hickey with these pumps, which of course is sexy, but it can produce prolonged discoloration and pain if not given properly. When pumping, always READ INSTRUCTIONS attached to the device for proper suction level, pump slowly, and take breaks.

How do hydro pumps work?

Hydro pumps by Bathmate use water rather than air as the suction agent to ensure that suction is applied evenly over the length of your shaft and around the head. Fill any pump from the Hydromax or HydroXtreme series with water while in the bath or shower, slide your penis in, and hold it firmly against your pelvis. Water is then pumped out, creating suction and forcing the enhancement and erection strength you’re looking for. Metric and standard measurement lines embedded on the body allow you to see the magic and monitor the growth in real time.

How do automatic penis pumps work?

Automatic pumps utilize automatic suction to bypass the need for trigger or bulb pumps. With auto-vacuum suction, you can utilize simple one-hand operation to activate suction and release with the quick-release button. By tapping or feathering the quick-release button, you can simulate an amazing oral sex sensation. The Renegade Powerhouse Pump by NS Novelties achieves this with three buttons for low, medium, and high levels of customizable suction.

What can pumps do for female-assigned bodies?

Suction is a popular avenue for female pleasure in recent years! Applying suction to the clitoris or labia arouses nerve endings well below the surface for deep-reaching sensation while plumping the skin to be extra-sensitive. The Sensual Pump-Her from Fantasy For Her by Pipedream applies this concept to the whole vulva with a nubbed cup that sucks against the body with a hand pump and vibrates.

For more focused stimulation, consider a clitoral suction toy like the Ultimate Climax-Her from Fantasy For Her. The silicone hood surrounds the clitoris to deliver 12 exciting suction modes!

Can I apply pump toys to my nipples?

Suction feels great above the belt too! While pumps may be too large or apply excessive suction to the nipple, there are suction toys specialized for this purpose. Nipple suckers like the Hunkyjunk Elong Nipple Suckers stick to the nipples with a light grip by squeezing the cylinder and then applying to the nipple. The wide flare helps Elong to adapt to all nipple sizes and piercings. They are perfect for all nipple owners too!

Though pumps are often marketed toward male growth (a bit problematically), their capacity for temporary plumping and erection achievement have long been effective. But most important, they feel great! While you explore new techniques for solo and interpersonal pleasure, get pumped to experiment with suction!