Can women get a disease or get sick from masturbating?

I’m a teenager and I’ve never had sex...but ever since my health class, I’m afraid that if I touch myself I’ll contract a disease. I have masturbated, but that’s it. For the past three days, I’ve had a stomach virus and I started to feel better today...but then I found a small red bump on my vagina lips really close to my pubic hair. It hurts a little, but not bad. Should I be worried?

ANSWERED BY
DAVID SOBEL, MD, JD 

A: You’re smart to observe changes in your body, and you asked a good question. 

First, if you’re worried about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), rest assured that you can’t get an STD from masturbating. Masturbation in and of itself does not cause disease.

That said, it’s still a good idea to avoid irritating your genital area when you masturbate. I encourage you to wash your hands before and after touching yourself, and don’t put anything sharp or dirty near your vagina or anus. You should always be careful with those parts of your body…but you don’t need to be afraid to explore your body. It’s healthy and normal to touch yourself.

Also, you mentioned that you had a stomach virus…again, it’s extremely unlikely that your discomfort has anything to do with masturbation.

As for the bump on your vagina…it could be an ingrown hair, a cyst or even a pimple. It’s hard to diagnose the bump without seeing it, but if it’s near your pubic hair and a little painful, it may be as harmless as an ingrown hair. Cysts can also occur naturally in the vaginal area and tend to clear up on their own.

And just like other parts of your body, sometimes you can get pimples in your vaginal area. Even so, I recommend that you see your regular doctor about it…just in case your bump requires treatment.

Finally, let’s talk about protecting yourself when you do start having sex. When you decide to be sexually active, here are a few things to keep in mind to reduce your risk of getting an STD, or spreading an infection to others:

• Know your partner’s STD status (ask your partner to get tested before you have any sexual contact).
• Always use a latex condom or a dental dam during vaginal, anal or oral sex…also use protection during genital rubbing (or, dry humping when there’s no penetration).
• Limit the number of people you have sex with…the fewer sexual partners you have, the lower your risk of STDs.
• Stay on top of your sexual health by getting tested for common STDs regularly.

To learn more about safer sex practices, you can check out our Prevention + Safer Sex Overview. And you can find more information about STD risks, symptoms and testing in our Expert Guide to STD Basics.

Thanks again for your question, and I hope you stay proactive about your sexual health.

David Sobel, MD, JD

Dr. Sobel is a Colorado-based urologist and Director of the Denver Center for Men’s Health. His areas of expertise include men's sexual health and all areas of urology, including urologic oncology, treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy, stone disease and incontinence. Dr. Sobel was educated at the University of Michigan Law School and the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, and completed his residency at the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, IL.

http://www.sexualhealth.com/can-women-get-a-disease-or-get-sick-from-masturbating_question_346/

5 shocking sex facts

RealBuzz

Sex can help you give a great speech

Before you get carried away, we are not suggesting you hop into bed with your boss or sleep with the entire audience. However, having sex can help ease those all too familiar and very dreaded pre-speech nerves. This theory was developed by the psychologist Stuart Brody, who asked 22 women and 22 men to keep sex diaries about their bedroom antics. The group of men and women then had to undertake stressful tasks, like public speaking and mental arithmetic tests. Brody found that the couples who had had penetrative sex were less stressed and their blood pressure levels returned to normal at more speed that the others. Sadly though, those who “did it” alone did not reap the calming benefits, so buddy up before your next big speech.

A couple kissing

The Victorians were filthy

It turns out that the Victorians weren’t the tight-lipped prudes we once imagined. In fact it would seem that the Brits of the nineteenth century were a rather fruity bunch. Not only was this the age that heralded the vibrator as a cure for hysteria, but it also saw a rise in kinky behaviour and tools, such as nipple piercings, pubic wigs and some rather gruesome looking sex chairs. The sauciness doesn’t end there though. Although it is still disputed, it’s thought that the term blow job also derives from this “prudish” period where people would speak about a ‘below job’ and referred to prostitutes as ‘blowsys’.

We kiss to inoculate
Researchers at the University of Leeds believe that humans kiss to inoculate. Women who catch cytomegalovirus typically cannot carry a baby to term. However, if women are exposed to the virus in small doses then they become inoculated. And how can you inoculate against the virus? Why, through swapping saliva of course. Therefore, the brain boxes at the University of Leeds have concluded that we don’t jump into bed with each other straightaway because if we did we might infect women. Therefore we kiss to protect women from catching cytomegalovirus. So pucker up and stay healthy by smooching.

Giving oral is as good as the gym
Sadly girls, giving oral will only benefit you if you’re the giver not the taker. A study has found that pleasuring a guy and swallowing can lower women’s blood pressure and reduce their risk of getting pre-eclampsia. However, if you don’t have the stomach to tackle your man’s area in this way there are other ways you can lower your blood pressure. Another study found that having regular sex with a partner you lived with could lower your diastolic blood pressure, whilst another study found a link between cuddling and reduced blood pressure. So, although you shouldn’t give up on the gym altogether, ladies, it might be worth swapping your sports kit for something a little slinkier once in a while.

Sperm is a great face cream
Although it’s not a great idea to bottle your man stuff and give it to your girl as a present, it turns out that sperm contains protein, which if applied to the face has the same anti-wrinkle benefits as moisturising creams. Apparently the white stuff can tighten skin and give you a little surgery-free facelift. Interestingly, this isn’t the only benefit sperm has to offer. It also contains zinc, magnesium, calcium, potassium and fructose. Plus, if you’re still not convinced that sperm is super, a recent study in Albany found that women who had sex without condoms had fewer signs of depression than women who used condoms or did not have sex at all. Three cheers for semen.

http://ph.she.yahoo.com/5-shocking-sex-facts-090000217.html