In the movie I Love You, Man, Sydney (Jason Segel) shows Peter (Paul Rudd) his self-described “jerk-off station”—complete with lube, a bong, and condoms within easy reach of his recliner.
Peter is surprised to see condoms included in an area literally dedicated to going solo. “I wear condoms when I masturbate,” Sydney explains. “They decrease sensitivity so I can last longer. And there’s no sticky mess to clean up!”
Peter isn’t alone in wondering why anyone would choose to wear condoms when they jerk off. To many people, sheathing before going solo seems counter-intuitive and unnecessary since there’s no risk of pregnancy or spreading disease.
However, the truth is that there are many reasons to wear a condom when masturbating, and some of them may surprise you.
Effortless Clean-up: When you masterbate with a condom, there are no misfires or mess, and cleaning up afterward is easy. If you’re a long-distance shooter and can hit the wall with your ejaculate, then wearing a condom when masturbating is a must—not just for yourself, but your roommate, significant other, or anyone you live with.
No one wants to see a lot of dirty socks laying on the carpet stiff with ejaculate or breath in the funky smell of your solo-sex-session. “A condom works better than an old tee-shirt, a mattress, or sandwich bag,” says Kenny K. "All you have to do when you’ve finished jerking off is to toss your condom in the trash and no one has to deal with your mess."
Find your fit: condoms come in all shapes and sizes, and not just the three you've seen at the pharmacy. The likelihood that the first one you try on is right for you is pretty slim. Trying out different condom sizes on your own can give you more freedom and comfort to figure out what you like without the pressure of having to perform for your partner.
Learn your condoms size – no condom chart, required!
Keeps toys and devices clean and hygienic: Whether you’re using a prostate massager, a dildo, or toy, using a condom will help keep it clean and ready for the next time you use it. If you’re being treated for a sexually transmitted infection (STI), having a condom on your toy can help prevent you from getting reinfected.
It can also help prevent you from coming into contact with several other microbes that might cause urinary tract infection and viral infections that can easily spread to all over the body. Using a condom during solo anal play is always a good idea.
Helps with condom anxiety: For many men, putting on a condom is challenging and, because of this, they may get nervous and lose their erection. Sex, marriage and family therapist Michael Guichet says, “The low-pressure situation of masturbation allows a person to get some practice and comfort with applying a condom.”
It teaches the wearer how to improve their ability and the skill of putting on a condom in the smoothest and fastest way possible.
Changes your negative association to a positive one: Too often, wearing a condom is seen as something you have to do, not something that will add increased pleasure. If you think using a condom will limit your sexual pleasure, then you’re going to resist wearing one. But if you sheath it when going solo, it’s going to change how you think about condoms.
“People who have penises can masturbate with condoms to gain a comfort and positive mental association with pleasure while wearing condoms,” says Guichet. “Mindfully, a person can focus on their body’s sensations while masturbating with a condom to learn how to focus in on the sensation [not the negatives.]”
Deal with sensitivity issues: While some men find that wearing a condom makes them lose their erection, others may feel as if they lose all sensation when wearing a condom, causing them to last so long it actually becomes a problem. Masturbating with a condom allows men to try out different things, control the amount of stimulation, and figure out how to achieve the best orgasm possible.
Experiment without witnesses: When you’re practicing self-love, you can try out different sizes, textures, or ribbed and studded condoms. Avoid the embarrassment of an ill-fitting condom, and have fun experimenting on your own. It’s much better to figure out a particular condom is the wrong size by breaking it on your own rather than inside your partner.
Masturbating with a condom allows you to find out what you like so that you’re ready for the next time you partner-up.
And when in doubt, figure out your size so you always have the right ones on hand.
Get used to the lube: Most condoms are pre-lubricated, but it’s always a good idea to put additional lube inside the tip of the condom as well as along the length of the condom exterior to prevent breakage. Figuring out where and how much to use lube can be tricky at first, so practicing solo can’t hurt.
Plus, it gives one the opportunity to find out which kind of condom-safe personal lubricant feels the best whether it’s water-based lube, silicone-based, hybrid, or warming lubes. (Another way to test out lubes would be to pick up a lube variety sampler and try them out.)
It makes the masturbation experience more like partnered sex: Some men find masturbation preferable to sex with a partner when wearing a condom. By posh wanking, the experiences of masturbation and partnered sex get closer together so that in time, either way, is just as satisfying.
Masturbating with a condom doesn’t take anything away from your sexual enjoyment and can improve the experience for both you and your future partners.
Don’t let the fact that masturbating with a condom isn’t necessarily common practice keep you from trying it. It could be the key to having a lot more fun, both by yourself and with partners! At the very least, it’s worth a try — especially if you’re still trying to find the perfect condom. Test out condoms on your own first, and you’ll be making sure you’re prepared next time you’re with someone else.
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