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Topics: Health, Sex and Relationships
Emily Brown
Move over 'cottagecore', there's a new trend in town - but this one could prove dangerous.
If you dream of visiting medieval castles and reckon you'd have a pretty good chance of defeating a dragon in battle, then castlecore might be the trend for you.
The aesthetic has an innocent side in the form of fashion and home decor, but like so many other trends, it's also found its way into sex.
As the name suggests, the trend is inspired by a time when castles, kings, and queens marked the forefront of wealth and status.
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Of course, there was also a lot of poverty, terrible hygiene, and brutal beheadings at that time, but that's not quite as sexy.
In a new report, sex toy brand Lovehoney revealed how customers have been adopting the romantic and regal aspects of the time and welcoming them into the bedroom. The report has shown an increasing interest in corsets, as well as in fantastical sex toys inspired by monsters and other fantasy creatures.
Yep, I'm talking about dragon penises.
Annabelle Knight, Lovehoney's UK sex and relationships expert, praised people for embracing their fantasies as she told the Mail Online: "Let's face it, reality can be a bit dull sometimes, so who wouldn't want to dive into a world filled with sexy fairies and forbidden romance?
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"These fantasy explorations also offer a safe space to explore power dynamics. They give you the freedom to play with ideas set in a world of mythical creatures or otherworldly beings, which makes it feel more detached from the everyday."
While it's great to be able to explore your desires in a safe way, there is an element of castlecore that could cause a health issue, and it's not the dragon penises. At least, it's not only dragon penises.
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A report from the Royal College of Surgeons of England drew attention to the dangers of corsets and noted how, in centuries past, 'women were often laced so tightly their breathing was restricted leading to faintness'.
As well as causing breathing difficulties, tight corsets can compress the abdominal organs, in turn leading to poor digestion.
In the long term, they could even lead to the rib cage being deformed, and the back muscles to weaken.
As well as potential risks caused by corsets, it's worth remembering that sex toys should also be used responsibly, with customers making sure they're following any safety advice issued around the devices.