RISE Blog | Self-Love: A Guide to Safe Masturbation for Everyone

By: Dannie Haakinson, Peer Educator
February 17th, 2023

Terms & Definitions

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of masturbation, I want to provide some basic definitions of important terms in the discussion! While some of these may appear obvious, knowing the clinical definitions for these terms is important to creating greater understanding of the topic at large.

Condoms (External) - Condoms are small, thin pouches that cover your penis during sex and collect semen (Planned Parenthood, 2023).
Condoms (Internal) - Internal condoms are little nitrile (soft plastic) pouches that you put inside your vagina. They cover the inside of your vagina, creating a barrier that stops sperm from reaching an egg (Planned Parenthood, 2023).
Dental Dam - Dental dams are latex or polyurethane sheets used between the mouth and vagina or anus during oral sex (CDC, 2021).
Erogenous Zones - An area/areas of the body that are sensitive to stimulation and can be a source of sexual pleasure.
Lube/Lubricant - A water or oil-based substance used to reduce friction in or around genital organs during sex.
Masturbation - Stimulation of one's own genital organs to result in orgasm achieved by manual contact or contact with sex toys.  
Non-Penetrative Sex - The act of creating sexual pleasure without inserting a body part or object into a body orifice (stimulation of the breasts, mouth, neck, or other erogenous zones).
Penetrative Sex - The act of inserting a body part or object into a body orifice (such as one's mouth, vagina, or anus) to stimulate sexual pleasure.
Pornography - The depiction of erotic behavior (as in pictures or writing) intended to cause sexual excitement.
Sex Toys - Objects specifically designed to aid in or increase sexual stimulation, typically made of silicone, plastic, glass, or stainless steel.

Disclaimer! I want to assure you that everyone is different and will enjoy different things. If masturbation is something you enjoy, that's wonderful! If you don't like masturbating, that's just as wonderful! As long as you are finding pleasure in ways that fulfill your needs, and doing it safely, that's what counts. I hope, regardless of your preferences, you're able to find useful and interesting information from this.

What is Masturbation?

Sex education as a whole can be uncomfortable to talk about and the topic of masturbation, also called ‘solo sex', is no different. According to Healthline (2020), masturbation, “involves touching the genitals or other sensitive areas of the body for sexual arousal or pleasure.” There is a common stigma that masturbation or desire to masturbate is embarrassing, shameful, or even harmful, and society often views it in these ways because there has not been significant research performed regarding the benefits of it.

It has been widely believed that masturbation negatively impacts sex-drive or creates negative mental effects. I want to tell you that this is not true! In fact, masturbation can actually be beneficial for people. According to Planned Parenthood (2023), masturbation can help to reduce stress, get better sleep, improve your self-esteem, and release sexual tension, and, as a bonus, for anyone who experiences menstruation, it can also help reduce menstrual cramp pain (Planned Parenthood, 2023)! This blog serves to educate you on safe masturbation habits, using sex toys for masturbating, and what excessive masturbation/porn consumption looks like.

How Do I Practice Good Hygiene While Masturbating?

Just as with any sexual activity, it's important to be safe when masturbating. While it's the only form of sex that doesn't pose any risk of STIs, it's still important to be safe and hygienic to avoid infection or discomfort (Planned Parenthood, 2023).
Clean Hands
This may seem like a no-brainer, but washing your hands is an easy and quick way to ensure your hands are clean before and after touching yourself. Your hands touch a lot throughout the day, like food, dirt/dust, bacteria, and more, and unclean hands coming into contact with your genitals could cause an infection, or irritation (Kohli, 2020). For your nails, making sure they're clean and trimmed will further prevent unsanitary things on/in your genitals, and can also prevent scratching or accidentally harming yourself (Kohli, 2020). If you are concerned about infections or hygiene, you can always use a condom or dental dam when masturbating to provide an additional barrier of protection If you choose to use a barrier such as condoms, be sure you are disposing of them after each use, as repeated use of the same barrier lowers the effectiveness, as well as it is unhygienic and can lead to infection.
Clean Sex Toys
As with using your hands, any toys used during masturbation should be cleaned before and after every use. It is important that you research how to properly clean toys before you purchase them, as some cleansers can damage sex toys. Depending on the toy, you may need to use different cleaning techniques. Silicon and hard plastic can be cleaned with anti-bacterial soap and water, as can most other materials like glass and stainless steel. There are also specific cleansers that are made for sex toys that can be utilized. A good rule of thumb is to never use scented cleansers, and make sure the cleanser is anti-bacterial. You should also be mindful about whether there are electrical components, as getting electronic toys wet can be dangerous, or destroy them (Brown University, 2022). This is where secondary cleansers can be useful, just make sure you are using an appropriate one!
Anal
If anal sex is something that intrigues you, it is completely normal to try it! Just make sure you're not changing from genital to anal stimulation or penetration with an unwashed toy or hand. There is a lot of bacteria in and around the anus and going from one orifice to another without washing your hands/toys can lead to possible infection (Kohli, 2020).
Lube
With all kinds of sexual activity, proper lubrication is important! Lube reduces friction between toys and your genitals which, in turn, reduces the risk of injury while masturbating. Lube can be utilized in any kind of sexual activity but is commonly used in vaginal or anal penetration. Unlike vaginas, anuses do not naturally lubricate themselves during sex, so lube is especially important if you want to engage in anal penetration. It is also important to remember to use the right type of lube depending on your situation. Using oil-based lubricants are a great choice when engaging in masturbation, but make sure to use water-based lubricants if you choose to use a condom or other latex barriers while self-stimulating, as the use of oil-based lubes will weaken the latex and can cause tears or damage to the barrier.
Post-Session Urination
Even if you abide by the cleanliness rules listed above, it's still possible for something to slip through the cracks, even if you use protection. Since your urethra is so close to the action, it can cause bacteria to get inside, which can give you a UTI. If you've ever heard someone tell you to pee after sex, this is why! Masturbating is no different, so it's always good to pee after to cleanse out any possible bacteria from your urethra. (Kohli, 2020).

How are Sex Toys Used in Masturbation?

Now that we've gone over good hygiene practices, we can get into the fun part! Toys can be an exciting way to change up your solo play, and there's a lot of options to choose from. I'm going to go over four of the main types of sex toys, but there are many more out there for you to research about and experiment with. (Planned Parenthood, 2013)

Before getting into those, it's important to mention that the only objects that should be used for masturbation/sexual activity are sex toys. Household objects, fruits, or vegetables should never be used as a substitute for a sex toy, as chemicals and dirt are far more likely to get onto your genitals this way. If it's between using your hand or a cucumber, please use your hand!

Now, onto the four main types of toys, of which include:

Vibrators - As the name implies, these toys vibrate to stimulate your genitals, or other erogenous zones on your body. Most commonly, they're used for clitoral stimulation, but some can be used for internal stimulation, as well as penal and anal stimulation.
Dildos - These are objects meant for internal use, vaginally or anally. These can come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but the most common ones are penis shaped. They can also be made of a variety of materials like silicone, rubber, plastic, metal, or glass. These materials also influence how to properly clean them, so make sure you're aware of how to clean the material when you purchase it!
Anal toys - These toys are exactly what they sound like: toys for anal play. These can be in the form of anal beads, prostate massagers, plugs, and dildos with a wide base. It's important that the toy is wider at the base, so that it's easier to remove and won't get stuck. Anal stimulation can create pleasure in both males and females, but it is especially important to practice proper hygiene when engaging in anal sex.
Sleeves - These are soft tubes for a penis, often called strokers. They have many different material types and sizes, and some can even vibrate! They also make inclusively designed sleeves for intersex individuals, or trans men on hormone replacement therapy.

Is it Possible to Masturbate Too Much?

When masturbating, it's common to use pornography to encourage climax, and there's nothing wrong with that! However, if you're using it to the point where you are ignoring responsibilities, spending a large amount of money on it, and/or are using it to cope with negative emotions, it's possible to have developed a pornography addiction. This can have a lot of effects on someone emotionally and can also negatively impact your sex life (Medical News Today, 2020).

Even if you don't use porn to masturbate, it is still possible to find yourself overdoing it. If your skin begins getting irritated, swollen, or raw and chapped, it may be a sign to take a break and let your body recuperate, or that you may need to invest in new/different lube. Aside from the physical effects of excessive masturbation, if you find yourself cancelling plans, isolating yourself, or engaging in riskier behavior (i.e., masturbating in public), it may be a sign to take a step back from it, or find someone to talk to about these habits, such as a counselor.

Ultimately, masturbation is a fun and healthy way to get to know yourself and your body! I hope this blog has given you good information on masturbating in a safe, healthy, and fun way!