Everyone masturbates. Well, at least very many do. The good news is that masturbation is the safest kind of sex. It is much harder to hurt yourself than when having sex with a partner. But there are precautions to take here as well.
1. Wash your hands
Cleanliness is the key to health, including during masturbation. You need to wash your hands to prevent spreading bacteria and getting an infection.
If you have touched the anus, it's worth washing your hands before moving on to the vulva or penis.
2. Use lubricant
The golden rule of sex: if you think you might need lubricant, then you’re not mistaken. Masturbation without lubrication can lead to irritation from friction. Lubricant protects against micro-injuries and improves glide.
Water-based lubricants need to be reapplied more often, but they are versatile: suitable for any kind of sex, condoms, and sex toys. Silicone-based lubricants do not dry out for a long time, so they are good to use for long and intense movements.
3. Do not use non-specialized items as sex toys
A banana, cucumber, or deodorant — none of these items are suitable for sexual pleasure, even if you put a condom on them. The risks outweigh the pleasure. A banana can break, and a cucumber can tear the contraceptive. All these items are dirty and dangerous when used for unintended purposes.
The beauty of sex toys is that they are made from non-porous materials, which minimizes the risk of infection with proper care. There are no guarantees with non-specialized items.
4. Be more careful with anal sex toys
It's easy to lose an item inside yourself, and then it can't be retrieved without medical help. Interesting medical stories don't come from nowhere; there are indeed many patients.
There is even a special service in private clinics — the removal of foreign objects from the rectum.
This is another reason why you should not use non-specialized things for masturbation. And that is why all sex toys designed for anal stimulation should have a stopper (bulge) to prevent them from slipping inside.
5. Take care of your sex toys properly
It is advisable to wash sex toys immediately after use with warm water and regular soap or a special cleaning agent. It’s important to do this every time. If you are too lazy, wash the toy later, but it will require more effort to clean because bacteria multiply over time.
Unwashed sex toys should definitely not be used.
Keep an eye on their condition: choose the right lubricant (only those that are water-based can be used), store them in a special case or, at worst, in a fabric pouch, in a place protected from light. It’s also important to watch out for any sharp edges, chips, or tears.
6. Don’t overdo it with porn
Porn addiction has not been recognized as a disorder. Opinions are too diverse Pornography Addiction in Adults: A Systematic Review of Definitions and Reported Impact among scientists about what exactly should be considered as such and whether it even exists. But essentially, a person can be addicted to anything.
If you are not sleeping well, have become irritable, and pornography interferes with your relationships and distracts you from important tasks, then something needs to change. At the very least, analyze what else, besides sexual satisfaction, this activity gives you. Perhaps it is an escape from emotions, feelings, or maybe chronic elevated stress.
However, if porn, just like masturbation in general, does not interfere with life, then everything is fine and there is no point in talking about addiction.
There are no norms or rules in masturbation that are the same for everyone. For some, it may turn out to be unnecessary at all, while others need it several times a day. There is no abnormal way to masturbate as long as safety measures are followed. Hair will not grow on your palms, masturbation will not lead to infertility, and sperm will not run out. And no, masturbation is not infidelity.
In other words, masturbation is not harmful. If there is pleasure and no pain — you are doing everything right.
