Sex toys for men are the next big thing in the wellness world - but would you pay $89 for a prostate tickler?

Sexual wellness is coming for men. 

Originally aimed at women, the craze is perhaps one of the most surprising to take off in the last few years. 

The idea that intimate pleasure is intrinsic to long-lasting, good health has sparked a host of online articles, products and even entire stores over the past few years.

The items on offer could easily be mistaken for face massagers or skin oils: sex toys are in sleek, discreet packaging and bottles of lubrication are renamed ‘intimate gel’.

There’s even whole sections dedicated to this stuff at department stores like Sak’s Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom.

But now, an upcoming array of products will be aimed at men. While male sex toys are not uncommon in the LGBTQ community, these types of items are not often aimed at heterosexual men. 

The male sex toy market is expected to double from its current worth over the next decade - to around $39.39 billion, according to market research firm Future Market Insights.

The most popular products will range from the relatively tame vibrating rings, to the more adventurous prostate 'ticklers' and even mechanical masturbators. 

Butter Wellness, which expects to launch in February 2024, is one company aimed at breaking down that stigma.

'Butter is solving these problems by creating a modern men’s sexual wellness brand centered around education, innovation, and approachability,' the brand's website states. 

'We’re creating products for the often-overlooked yet most pleasurable area of a man’s body—the prostate, otherwise known as "the male G-spot."'

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland located between the base of the penis and the rectum. It produces fluid that mixes with sperm to help it travel and survive. 

The prostate has thousands of nerve endings, which makes it the primary erogenous zone for men, leading to its nickname as the male G-spot. Stimulating this is said to intensify orgasms.

Butter's products, which cost from $89, use vibration to stimulate the prostate and the perineum, a tiny patch of sensitive skin between the scrotum and the anus. 

Meanwhile, tech firm Arcwave sells solo toys and sets for sex with female partners. One of its products is the Arcwave, which claims to offer 'the closest thing to a female orgasm for men', and works by releasing puffs of air to stimulate the genitals.

One man who regularly uses such devices is 35-year-old Ben Mey from New York, who began experimenting with sex toys alone and with partners when he was 16.

He said using a variety of toys can result in stronger orgasms because they can target areas like the prostate. 

'Physically speaking, sex is more intense and pleasurable when the G-spot is hit,' says Mr Mey, who is in a long-term monogamous relationship, told DailyMail.com. 

'Using male sex toys has allowed for my partners and I to become closer and more intimate. One or both of us would either become bored in the bedroom or just missing something, so using toys did spice things up and allow for us to connect on a different level.'

Though he said he and his friends visit sex shops together to look at devices, the subject is still largely taboo among straight men. 

'I do think men are hesitant to purchase male sex toys due to the stigma, and the fear that women or even their friends will judge them or drop the relationship because of it,' he said.  

However, he also said that many of his friends have admitted to trying them and have called them 'game changers.'  

In addition to pleasure, masturbation can also have a host of health benefits. 

It also boosts cortisol, a hormone that helps regulate the immune system. Some research has also suggested that men who achieved solo orgasm had more white blood cells, which fight against infections. 

'Sex should be seen as part of one's well-being, so why not make it fun with toys that add to the fun of it all,' Mr Mey.