Owning a dildo is pretty common today, especially among adults who enjoy sex toys. Surveys show that about 41% of women and 31% of men in the US own or have used one. For example, among all sex toy owners, 71% have at least one dildo—78% of women and 64% of men—which makes it one of the top choices. Dildos lead the sex toy market with huge sales numbers. In the US alone, they bring in around $923 million each month, or about 18 million units sold.

What Is the Oldest Dated Dildo? The oldest dated dildo that archaeologists usually point to is the Hohle Fels phallus, a polished stone object found in a cave in Germany and dated to about 28,000 years ago. It is one of the clearest early examples of a shaped object that may have been used for sexual pleasure, and it is often described as the earliest confirmed sex aid found so far.

The biggest dildo someone can buy is usually an oversized novelty or display product that can reach about 2 to 3 feet in total length, and some listings even claim more than that. These giant items are often made to stand out, not to be used like a normal toy, so the full size can be much larger than the part meant for insertion. If you want something that is actually usable, the size is usually much smaller than the biggest novelty pieces.

No, using a big dildo does not help with childbirth. Research and medical experts explain that childbirth depends on the cervix dilating to about 10 centimeters to allow the baby to pass, not on stretching the vaginal canal. A 2014 discussion on the LoveHoney forum with over 200 comments noted that users agreed the cervix is what must open for delivery, and dildo use makes no difference there. Multiple Reddit users in a 2022 thread also confirmed that the vagina returns to normal size immediately after removing a dildo, so any stretching is completely temporary and does not prepare you for birth.

Overview of the 28,000-year history The oldest known dildo-like object is a 28,000-year-old stone tool found at Paleolithic sites in Europe, specifically associated with the Hohle Fels area in Germany. It is a carved, polished piece that measures roughly 20 centimeters in length and about 3 centimeters in diameter, suggesting it was shaped for handling and use. Archaeologists describe its surface as smooth and well-polished, indicating it was made with deliberate care and likely endured repeated use over many seasons.