If you’ve ever wondered, “Can masturbation cause hair loss?” or had questions about some other masturbation-related myths, you’re in the right spot! Here, we’ll dig into and dispel some misinformation about masturbation, and we’ll put your mind at ease about masturbation and hair loss. Spoiler: there’s no relation.
In a nutshell, masturbation for women, men, and folks across the gender spectrum can be very pleasurable, stress-relieving, and 100% healthy, but it cannot cause your hair to fall out or contribute to female or male hair loss (often mistyped as ‘hairloss’ or ‘hairfall out’). Masturbation will have no effect on hair health, whether it’s head hair, facial hair, or nether region/pubic hair.
Busting other masturbation myths
There are lots of beliefs and superstitions when it comes to masturbation. Some are due to misguided religious influence, while others are just straight-up urban legends. We’re going to go through some of those, starting with this one:
Can masturbation cause blindness?
No. Masturbation also won’t cause the blind to see.
Does masturbation cause acne?
No, and sadly it won’t get rid of acne either.
Will masturbation cause erection problems?
Hard no.
If I masturbate too much, will I lose sensitivity in my nether regions (penis/vulva)?
No. However, the type of masturbation you’re engaging in trains your body to have that as your mental script when it comes to getting off. Excessive masturbation in the same fashion can make it difficult to climax in other ways. For example, if you’re a vulva-owner who always and only uses a vibrator to achieve the big O, it may start to become difficult to have orgasms in other ways.
If you identify with that and want to switch things up, one way to ensure you’re also getting a penetrative-like experience is by using sex toys such as dildos. And if you have a penis and want to include the experience of penetration (instead of solely you and your hand or a super sexy cock sleeve), you can check out male masturbators.
Can I masturbate too much?
Not really. If you have a healthy relationship with your sexuality, it’s hard to overindulge in masturbation. Now, if you’re missing work, quality time with friends and family, or visits to the doctor to wank, rub, or vibrate yourself into mental ecstasy, then perhaps there’s an issue you want to look at. At that point, it would be a great idea to consult a sex therapist to discuss healthy expressions of sexual arousal and sexual health.
Is it bad to masturbate while in a relationship?
No. Masturbating while in a relationship is a perfectly healthy activity and can help you better understand your own sexual pleasure script, which can help you inform your partner on how to get you off better, higher, and longer. That said, the subject of masturbation can be complicated for some people (for example, those with a religious background or someone who was shamed in a previous relationship for touching themself), so it’s a good idea to have an open and ongoing conversation with your partner about this.
Will masturbating change my estrogen or testosterone levels?
In the long-term, no. As it turns out, researchers have demonstrated that masturbation may have a small, short-term effect on your testosterone levels, but it won’t change much overall. For the record, according to the American Urological Association (UAU), the normal testosterone concentration level for a man/penis-owner is 300 ng/dL or more. If you’ve got below 300 ng/dL, you’d be diagnosed with low testosterone (and there are plenty of holistic ways to boost your testosterone).
Can sexual intercourse contribute to me winning the lottery?
No. This wasn’t actually a myth, but wouldn’t that be great??
Does masturbation make you tired?
In a way, yes. Masturbation can make you sleep better, and that’s just one of the many benefits of masturbation.
Benefits of masturbation
Now let’s get to the good stuff! There are plenty of ways masturbation can contribute to your life, wellbeing, and power. Masturbation-induced orgasms, like other kinds of orgasms, can help reduce your levels of stress, improve your circulation, boost your immune system, and help you sleep better.
Masturbation, depending on how it’s practiced, can be a pretty healthy expression of sexual health and vitality. Masturbation within a relationship is also a perfectly healthy expression of sexual activity.
We’ve put together a few tips on how to masturbate for men and folks with a penis and how to masturbate for women and folks with a vulva here.
Risks of masturbation
Wondering if masturbation is harmful and if you should masturbate everyday? You can rest easy, because there aren’t many bodily risks to masturbation. That said, if you’re practicing it in overt excess or using too much pressure on your private parts, it is possible to hurt yourself. Listen to your body, use a good lube if you need some extra slipperiness, and you should be fine.
Oh, and here’s one non-critical risk: semen can cause stains if it’s not cleaned up straight away. ;)
What causes hair loss?
First of all, some hair loss is normal. You probably didn’t know this, but the average person loses between 50 and 100 hairs per day. You don’t even notice this because new hair is also growing in. What we call “hair loss” is just when the new hair doesn’t come in to replace the old.
According to the Mayo Clinic, “Hair loss (alopecia) can affect just your scalp or your entire body, and it can be temporary or permanent. It can result from heredity, hormonal changes, medical conditions, or a normal part of aging. Anyone can lose hair on their head, but it's more common in men and people assigned male at birth.
Baldness typically refers to excessive hair loss from your scalp. Hereditary hair loss with age is the most common cause of baldness. Some people prefer to let their hair loss run its course untreated and unhidden. Others may cover it with hairstyles, makeup, hats, or scarves. And still, others choose one of the treatments available to prevent further hair loss problems or restore hair growth.
Before pursuing female or male hair loss treatments like a hair transplant, talk with your doctor about the cause of your hair loss and treatment options.”
Basically, hair loss usually involves one or a few of these things:
- Genes. If you’ve got a family history of hair loss, it might be in the cards for you. It’s a hereditary condition that gets passed on, and it’s a natural part of aging. This is also known as androgenic alopecia or male- or female-pattern baldness. This kind of hair loss is usually fairly predictable and happens over time. It’s the receding hairline or bald spots you see on men and the thinning-out thing that occurs for women right along the front of their scalps.
- Changes in hormone levels and/or medical conditions. Big life events like getting pregnant, having a child, or going through menopause cause significant changes in hormones, which can prompt both temporary or permanent hair loss. Certain medical conditions also induce alopecia areata, which generates patchy hair loss, and sometimes scalp infections like ringworm. Many of these are immune-related. There’s also a hair-pulling disorder known as trichotillomania, which is psychological in nature (and more common than you’d think).
- Medications and/or supplements. If you’re taking certain drugs, like some involved in cancer treatment or treatment for arthritis, heart problems, gout, or high blood pressure, you may experience hair loss. The same goes for certain antidepressants and other meds prescribed to those contending with depression.
- Physical or emotional shock. If you’ve been through a profound shock, such as the loss of a parent, a car accident, or a traumatic divorce, you’re likely to experience your hair thinning out. This kind of hair loss that comes on due to highly stressful events is known as telogen effluvium, and it’s when the roots of the hair are pushed into a resting state prematurely. Telogen effluvium can be acute and can become chronic, but this is usually a temporary event, and your hair is likely to grow back in as you recover from the trauma. However, it can seem confusing because severe hair loss often comes two months after the shock.
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Radiation treatments. Hair loss when undergoing radiation treatments for cancer is very common. Luckily, it’s usually temporary.
- A protein deficiency. If you’re not getting enough protein in your diet, you risk hair loss. This can be due to fad diets that severely eliminate protein consumption or disordered eating and conditions like anorexia/bulimia.
- Certain hair treatments or styles. Some hairstyles that require the stylist to pull the hair very tightly, like cornrows, pigtails, or other kinds of braids, can cause what’s known as traction alopecia. This can also be prompted by hair treatments that involve hot oil or permanents (aka perms). This isn’t always permanent, but if it involves scarring, it can.
It’s also worth remembering that there are far worse things than having your hair fall out. You’re beautiful no matter what’s going on with those follicles on your head.
