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Don’t be shy and follow these 11 good hygiene tips to masturbate safely

There should ideally be no rules when it comes to pleasure. But here are some important hygiene tips to follow for a safe and healthy masturbation experience.
masturbation
Ladies, make sure you consider these essential dos and don’ts of intimate hygiene if you’re masturbating. Image courtesy: Shutterstock
Sonakshi Kohli Published: 10 Jun 2020, 17:52 pm IST
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When it comes to pleasuring yourself through masturbation, there should ideally be no rules and restrictions. However, when your sensitive intimate parts are involved in this act of pleasure, you can’t help but follow certain dos and don’ts.

Hence, if you’re over the shame associated with the absolutely natural and ‘normal’ pleasuring of the self known as masturbation, let’s get to the more important discussion of how to practice it in a healthy way.

Surely, masturbating can boost your endorphins, better your mood, help you burn a few extra calories, and make you sleep better. But, none of these advantages are really advantages if you don’t take care of your intimate hygiene while masturbating.

Don’t panic just yet. Just keep these points in mind and you’ll be just fine:

1. Wash your hands before you kickstart your pleasure journey
From bacteria and virus to dirt and dust, there’s so much that a dirty hand can have stuck on it. Common sense dictates that you shouldn’t use those unwashed hands to masturbate as doing so can give you a terrible infection down there.

Hence, you must always wash your hands before and after you’re done fingering yourself.

soap and sanitizer
Wash your hands properly before using them. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

2. Make sure your nails are clean and trimmed
This one is a no-brainer because firstly, there’s a risk of the dirt trapped in your nails—despite washing your hands—giving you an infection down there.

But there’s another cause of concern that you must consider here. Those beautiful nails can cause tiny abrasions on the delicate tissue of your sensitive private parts. As per a study published in the Journal of the International AIDS Society, physical abrasions can lead to inflammations in the body and make you more susceptible to getting a sexually transmitted disease (STD) such as AIDS.

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After all, the open-cut/wound/abrasion caused by the nails means that any infection can enter your bloodstream through it.

3. Keep your toys clean
This is an absolute must for the same reason that we asked you to wash your hands thoroughly before jumping into the act.

Usually made of latex or plastic, these toys can attract a lot of dirt and dust. This is even more likely if you use a lubricant along with it. Needless to say, using an unwashed toy can give you a horrible, horrible infection down there.

Sex toys
Clean your toys too. Image courtesy: Shutterstock.

4. Choose your toys wisely
If you’re new to the world of self- pleasure, make sure to start with your fingers, explore your erogenous zones, and gradually move around your fingers to figure out the spots that give you the most amount of pleasure. Don’t watch a porn video and start fingering yourself rigorously or get down to using a toy that’s too big.

Doing so can hurt you down there. Moreover, it can cause an injury or abrasions that can make you more prone to catching an STI. You can always use a suitable lubricant to ease things out for yourself in the beginning.

5. Pay close attention to the lube you use
A study published in 2012 showed that the use of multiple lubricants damaged the cell lining of the vagina as well as the rectum which makes one more vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Apart from this, many women develop an allergic reaction to a particular lubricant since their intimate parts are quite sensitive. Hence, you’ve got to be very cautious while choosing a suitable lube for yourself.

A water-based lube can be a safe option to begin with but to each their own. Better still, consult your gynaecologist for the best options.

lubes
Do you know that a DIY lube can also give you an STI? Image courtesy: Shutterstock

6. Steer clear of using your household items for the deed
From cucumbers to bananas to zucchinis, many women take sexual adventure to the next level by using whatever’s available to them at home.

For starters, think of how most of the fruits and vegetables we buy have most likely been sprayed with pesticides along with having been handled by so many people during their transportation, exposing them to a gazillion germs. Even washing them with water might not help cleanse them.

Even if it does, have you ever considered how dangerous could it be if it breaks inside your vagina while you’re pushing it in and out? If any piece of it gets left inside, it can not only lead to an infection but can cause the very deadly toxic shock syndrome (TSS)

7. In fact, use a condom
Surely, you can’t get pregnant by pleasuring yourself. However, there’s always a risk of getting an infection through your fingers or the object that you use to do so. So, how about covering it up with a fresh condom before letting it inside of you?

A safer bet, we say.

8. Comply to the post-session urination rule
You already know how peeing after penetrative sex can help you prevent a urinary tract infection as it helps with flushing out any bacteria that might have entered your vaginal passage during intercourse and thus, keeps it from reaching the bladder.

Well, the same rule applies when you masturbate, especially if it involves inserting a sex toy or your fingers inside your vagina while you’re at it. This is simply because there’s always a chance that your fingers or the toy might be carrying some bacteria due to the slightest of negligence. If not that, then the closeness between your vaginal opening and the anal opening (where the natural bacteria resides already) can lead to the toy/your fingers pushing it inside your vaginal passage.

9. Don’t mix things up with anal
As mentioned above, there’s a host of bacteria that resides near the anal opening. Hence, if you decide to take the ‘back’ route for some added fun and adventure, make sure to not follow it up with pushing the same unwashed toy/fingers inside your vagina, or you run a risk of getting a UTI, of course.

10. Be extra cautious while masturbating on your period
While periods are an uncomfortably troublesome time for most women, many women also tend to feel sexual while they’re on their period.

period sex
Period sex and pregnancy are closely related to each other, so don’t take it for granted. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

Now, masturbating on your period has been given a green flag by most gynaecologists and sexologists around the world. So, you’re good to go if you feel like it during those 5 days of the month. However, make sure to keep a towel, a few wipes, and an after-wash ready so that you can instantly wash yourself up once you’re done.

Also, keep your toys and hands extra clean before you start because, during your period, any carelessness on your part could enable the bacteria to enter your bloodstream, giving you an STI, or any other infection as well.

11. Most importantly, don’t forget to remove your tampon
Ladies, you’ve got to remove your tampon before masturbating just like you would before having penetrative sex. Inserting a finger or a toy while a tampon is still inside, can push the tampon further inside you, making it difficult for you to remove it later. In fact, if you end up forgetting about the tampon stuck inside, it can even lead to TSS.

There’s no shame in pleasuring yourself but make sure you take care of a few things to stay away from infections.

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