You’ve most likely heard of masturbation and have lots of questions.

Who can you go to?

Very often it seems inappropriate to speak to parents, teachers, siblings or even friends about this subject.

Our blog is here to help and we’ve listed the top questions Ask Vicki receives every week on this subject.

• What is masturbation?
  Masturbation is when someone rubs or touches their own genitals (in or around the vagina in females and the penis for males) and like the way it makes their body feel.
• I thought it was only boys who masturbate!
  Whilst boys often appear happy to chat about masturbating and often joke about this subject, there are just as many girls who also like to masturbate, but for whatever reason they are not as comfortable as boys to openly discuss it.
• Can masturbating be harmful to my health
  You may have heard lots of strange and weird stories circulating that masturbation can stunt your growth, lead to blindness, infertility, or cause infections, but these are just myths and are not true.
• Will masturbation make my period come early?
  Masturbation has absolutely no impact on your period’s arrival, nor will it stop a period once it is here.
• If I masturbate will I no longer be a virgin?
  The term ‘virginity’ relates to someone who has yet to have sexual intercourse. Someone who masturbates, but has yet to have sexual intercourse, would still be classed as a virgin using the dictionary definition.
• Can I get pregnant from masturbating?
  No. For a pregnancy to occur you would need both sperm and egg to be joined together and as masturbation is generally a private matter this is not something you should worry about.
• Is it possible to masturbate too much?
  During puberty, there is a surge of sex hormones that may make you want to explore your body and be curious about how it feels when touched. It is therefore quite common for teens and pre-teens to be pre-occupied and frequently masturbate and this is not in any way harmful. However, if you feel you may be doing this out of boredom, then keep busy, don’t hide away in your bedroom, instead spend time with family or friends in communal areas.
• Do you have to be a certain age to masturbate?
  There are no laws or regulations regarding masturbation and indeed many young children explore their bodies from an early age. This generally subsides when they go to school and become more socially aware, restarting again in their pre-teens and teens.
• Does everyone masturbate?
  Whilst masturbation is both natural and instinctive, not everyone feels the desire to do it, nor do they have to. It is perfectly normal to not be inclined to masturbate, and this will have no impact on your sexual relationships in the future.
• Why don’t my friends want to chat about masturbation?
  Masturbation is very often considered a private topic and some people may feel embarrassed or uncomfortable discussing it. It is important to respect their feelings and wishes and avoid discussing it if they have indicated they are not happy to chat about it. It is also true that to deflect from this embarrassment some people will deny that they masturbate, again this is their choice and not something you should push further.
• How does a girl masturbate?
  How you masturbate is up to you, it’s a totally personal activity and there isn’t a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to do it. The best way to find out what works for you is to explore your body, finding out for yourself what feels nice or relaxing.
• Would my doctor be able to tell if I have been masturbating?
  No one can tell if you have been masturbating just by looking at you. The only way a doctor may suspect this to be the case is if the vagina is showing signs of soreness or irritation. If something has been inserted inside the vagina when masturbating then the hymen may have been stretched, but again the doctor would have no way of knowing what had caused this stretching to occur. Nor would he or she feel the need to discuss this with you.
• I am religious, should I masturbate?
  Masturbation is a natural approach many teenagers follow when exploring the way their body works and makes them feel when touched and the subject is rarely addressed in religious circles. However, if you have any religious or moral concerns speak to a trusted member of your congregation for guidance.
• My parents have caught me masturbating, what should I do or say?
  Parents rarely want to snoop into their children’s sex life and will understand that masturbation is a normal part of sexual development. I am sure, like you, they will want to move on from this episode. You may want to chat to them…or they to you, about respecting privacy and the best methods of doing this in the future to avoid any further embarrassment.
• Can I get an infection from masturbating?
  The vagina is very good at keeping itself clean and discharge will help to reduce any infections in or around this area. Sometimes however, the area being stimulated can become sore or swollen. If this happens, avoid masturbating for a few days and shower or bathe as you would normally, avoiding perfumed products that can cause irritation.

Finally, whether you choose to masturbate or not is up to you, you are in control of your body and therefore you decide what feels both natural and right for you.

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