Violet Wand

Violet Wand

Violet wands are modern electrical sexual or kink stimulation toys. They are used for the application of low current, high voltage (min 35 kV to max 65 kV typically), high-frequency, electricity to the body. They are most commonly used in BDSM though erotic sensation play is also possible with them.

A violet wand typically consists of a hand held "wand" made of plastic which encases a high voltage electrical transformer. The base of the handle has a permanently attached electrical cord which plugs directly into a wall outlet. The wand has an intensity level control and sometimes an on/off switch, usually located near where the electrical cord is attached. Some models operate on an electromagnetic disruptive discharge circuit while others are powered by electronic circuitry or combinations of the two.

Various electrodes are inserted into and used with the violet wand to provide the sensations. A violet wand electrode is usually made of clear tempered glass which is sealed and evacuated and backfilled with a noble gas, typically argon and sometimes neon, in a process similar to the manufacturing of neon signs. The high voltage current causes the plasma inside the electrode to excite, emitting a glowing color when the wand operates and through which the spark emits. The appearance and process is identical to plasma globes, though the net discharge is higher in order to create spark streamers external to the glass which cause the desired sensation to the skin.

One popular misconception is that violet wands produce ultraviolet light, and sometimes violet wands are erroneously called "ultraviolet wands". Violet wands do not produce measurable amounts of ultraviolet light, except at the point of the full-spectrum spark external to the glass electrode. With sufficient time in one spot, redness or mild burns can result from the arc's heat. The arcs do generate ozone and nitrogen oxides, giving the skin the well known "ozone smell" similar to the smell of a lightning storm. Violet wands can possibly ignite flammable materials and melt artificial fabrics such as pantyhose with certain accessories and settings.

Violet wands have been made for the adult industry since the early to mid 1990s. The first manufacturer of violet wands was Donnie Rice of the Erotec company of California, specifically for those into BDSM as a sexual stimulation device.