Masturbation myths: Can I do anything wrong jerking off?

More half-truths circle around jerking off than around almost any other sex topic. Crooked fingers, hair loss, a shrinking dick: most of these stories come from a time when masturbation was fought with guilt and superstition. We take the biggest myths apart and tell you what actually matters when you jerk off, and what you can really do better or worse.

»Jerking off gives you crooked fingers and makes you blind«

The classic, and complete nonsense. There is no physical mechanism by which handwork could ruin your eyes or your fingers. What is true: regular erections keep the erectile tissue well supplied with blood and in shape. If you do nothing at all for a very long time, that elasticity can suffer, much like a muscle without training. But it has nothing to do with going blind or growing crooked fingers.

»Jerking off is just a substitute for real sex«

You usually hear this from guys who think it makes them sound manly. Sex researchers and urologists see it differently: masturbation is an independent form of sex that neither replaces play with a partner nor is replaced by it. Surveys even show the opposite of the cliché: men who have an active sex life with a partner also reach for themselves more often. Whoever gets familiar with his own body early on knows better later what he and others enjoy. So solo sex is more of a training ground for good sex than a replacement for it.

»Sperm may only be released to create new life«

We needn’t get worked up about the dusty morals behind that. Reducing sexuality to reproduction would make about as much sense as treating food purely as fuel. Nobody would ever lick an ice cream or snack on a chocolate bar again. Pleasure is a purpose in itself, not an accident of nature. Biologically it is about the survival of the individual first, then the species, and only last of all about offspring.

»Jerking off makes you stupid«

Also rubbish, if anything the opposite is true. During orgasm your body releases dopamine, serotonin, endorphins and oxytocin. These messengers lift your mood, lower stress and can help you fall asleep. Nobody gets dumber from that, just more relaxed.

»Jerking off is a waste of time«

Whoever comes regularly is demonstrably doing himself some good: less stress, better sleep, an outlet for tension. Hamburg sex researcher Werner Habermehl puts it well: during sex you gather experience in reading sensations and tuning in to another person. That skill helps you outside the bedroom too. A waste of time looks different.

»After 1000 shots it’s over«

Your supply does not run dry, your body keeps producing fresh sperm. Quite the opposite: every shot stimulates production, and studies suggest that frequent ejaculation is linked to a lower risk of prostate trouble. Rarely getting off brings you no advantage at all. Your best friend wants to be used, not spared.

»Does masturbation cause hair loss?«

A myth that likes to sound scientific. One theory claims you lose proteins with your semen that your hair roots would otherwise need. The other says jerking off drives up the hormone DHT, which is responsible for male pattern baldness. Neither is true. Testosterone drops only minimally when you come, and the amount of protein in your ejaculate is so tiny that your hair notices nothing at all. Whether you go bald is down to your genes, not your sex life.

»Does the penis shrink from wanking?«

Here too the argument runs through testosterone: after ejaculation the hormone level drops and the penis shrinks. Sounds logical, but it is false. Testosterone has no influence on penis size, otherwise your dick would also get smaller from frequent partner sex. Your size is genetically fixed. How firm the erection turns out depends more on blood flow, health and headspace than on how often you go at it.

»Does too much jerking off cause erection problems?«

The idea comes from the fact that it takes a while after orgasm before anything happens again. That pause is completely normal and says nothing about your long-term staying power, usually you are good to go again within twenty minutes. What can actually hit your erections is not the jerking off itself but excessive porn consumption. Whoever gets used to ever harder clips sometimes finds real sex harder to manage. Experts call this porn-induced erectile dysfunction. So the problem is the screen, not your hand.

»Better not jerk off before sport, it costs testosterone«

A modern myth from the NoFap and bodybuilding corner: jerk off before a competition and you supposedly lose testosterone and strength. The research does not back that up. Testosterone fluctuates at most briefly after orgasm and quickly settles again, and there is no measurable drop in your athletic performance. If solo sex relaxes you and you sleep better afterwards, it helps you before training rather than hurting you. Abstinence does not make you a better athlete, just a more tense one.

What you can actually do better when you jerk off

In principle you cannot break anything jerking off. A few things still make it more pleasant and healthier:

• Lube instead of dry: friction without lube irritates the skin and can leave you sore. A squirt of water-based lube changes the whole game. Which one suits you is covered in the lube guide.
• Avoid the death grip: whoever spends years going at it with an iron grip at full throttle dulls the sensation and struggles more during partner sex. Vary your speed and pressure.
• Try something new: for variety, reach for masturbators or other sex toys.
• Keep your toys clean: if you play with gear, clean it afterwards, otherwise the fun quickly turns into an infection. Tips on storing and caring for it are in our guide on sex toy storage.

Synonyms for »wanking«

Language gets creative when it comes to getting yourself off. A small selection:

• beating your meat
• jerking off
• jacking off
• flogging the dong
• bashing the bishop
• flying solo
• playing with yourself
• fapping
• whacking off
• tossing off
• rubbing one out
• choking the chicken

FAQ

Can you do anything wrong when you jerk off?

Basically no, it is a natural part of sexuality. It gets more pleasant and healthier with lube, varied speed instead of an iron death grip, and clean toys.

Does frequent masturbation make you impotent?

No. The short recovery phase after orgasm is normal and says nothing about your long-term staying power. What can hit your erections is excessive porn consumption, not the jerking off itself.

Does masturbation cause hair loss?

No. Testosterone drops only minimally when you come, and the protein loss in your ejaculate is negligible. Whether you go bald is determined by your genes.

Does the penis shrink from wanking?

No. Penis size is genetically fixed and independent of testosterone levels. Otherwise the penis would also shrink from frequent partner sex, which it does not.

Is masturbation healthy?

Yes. Coming regularly lowers stress, improves sleep and is linked in studies to better prostate health. There is nothing harmful about it.