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You weren't lied to: Masturbating really is the safest sexual activity.

"In that location is nigh NO adventure of contracting an STD or any other infection from touching your genitals," says Planned Parenthood.

Even so, there are three — admittedly rare(!) — instances in which it *is* possible for an STI to be transmitted while masturbating. Read on to learn more.

STI vs. STD

STIs are sexually transmitted infections. STDs are sexually transmitted diseases.

An STI is simply considered a disease when it causes symptoms.

Now onto how transmission might happen during solo sexual activity.

By transmitting an STI from one surface area to another on your body

The following STIs are considered site-specific:

  • HSV
  • gonorrhea
  • chlamydia
  • trichomoniasis
  • public lice
  • molluscum contagiosum

Site-specific means that they can be transmitted from one site to another.

"If yous have vaginal canker and you have a vaginal herpes outbreak, and you bear upon your butt with the aforementioned hand you touched your vagina with, yous could pass the infection onto your butt every bit well," says Lisa Finn, sex educator at pleasance product emporium Babeland.

Similarly, if you have oral gonorrhea, apply your spit equally lube while you anally finger yourself, you can "requite" yourself anal gonorrhea.

By using a sex toy after information technology was used by a person with an STI

"You can't contract an STI from a sex toy itself," says Finn.

"But if y'all use a sex toy afterward information technology was used by someone who has an STI, in sure instances an infection tin can be transmitted," she says.

Instance #1: The sex toy was made of a porous material

"Porous materials contain tiny microscopic holes in them that can trap bacteria, dust, and infectious pathogens in them… fifty-fifty after the toy is cleaned," Finn explains.

That ways that regardless of whether the toy was cleaned, STI transmission is possible if you're sharing a porous toy with a person who has an STI.

"If y'all're going to be sharing your sex toys, it's all-time to share toys made of out of nonporous materials like stainless steel, medical-form silicone, glass, or ABS plastic," says Finn.

Instance #2: The sex activity toy was fabricated of a nonporous textile… but wasn't make clean

If you use a sex toy that has bodily fluids on information technology from a person who has an STI, transmission is possible.

"All you lot need to proceed a nonporous sex toy make clean is warm h2o and fragrance-gratis soap or a bottle of toy cleaner," says Finn.

Equally a issue of fluid mixing during mutual masturbation

Mutual masturbation involves masturbating abreast someone(s) who's also masturbating. Fun!

"If you're in close enough proximity that body fluid can be exchanged, if someone has an STI, an STI tin exist transmitted," says Finn.

The actual fluids in question include:

  • anal mucus
  • claret
  • chest milk
  • ejaculate
  • precum
  • spit
  • vaginal secretion

Ehh…aye and no.

Despite common hope, STIs don't always make themselves known with burny, bumpy symptoms.

In fact, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), the majority of STIs are completely asymptomatic. That ways you shouldn't wait to experience symptoms to become tested.

When an STI *does* bring about symptoms, they tin vary depending on where the STI is located.

Kecia Gaither, Physician, who's double lath certified in OB-GYN and maternal fetal medicine, and the manager of perinatal services at NYC Wellness + Hospitals/Lincoln, says common symptoms include:

  • sores, bumps, or blisters at the area of infection
  • pain or burning while urinating or pooping
  • unusual, unlike smelling, or differently colored discharge
  • bloated tonsils, sore throat, or difficulty swallowing
  • bleeding

Rashmi Kudesia, Physician, a medical advisor for SimpleHealth, an online prescriber of nascence control for folks of all genders, says you lot should get tested:

  • whenever you lot're experiencing whatsoever of the aforementioned symptoms
  • after having sexual practice with someone whose current STI status is unknown
  • afterwards having sex activity with someone who has an STI
  • after sharing a sex activity toy with someone who has an STI or whose STI condition is unknown
  • if you lot have concerns nigh adultery within your relationship
  • at your annual gynecologist test or checkup

"Also often is better than too infrequent, every bit untreated STIs can leave permanent effects," says Kudesia.

This can include:

  • pelvic inflammatory disease
  • blindness
  • infertility
  • increased chance of contracting HIV
  • increased chance of developing sure cancers, including anal, cervical, penile, and throat cancer

A few things!

First, notice your current STI status, making sure to become tested in all areas of possible infection.

If yous have an STI, you lot can avert transmitting it to other areas of your body by:

  • washing your hands earlier play and before touching a new location
  • using store-bought lubricant, not spit
  • waiting to touch the function of your body that currently has an infection until the outbreak is over, or you receive a negative test result
  • switching the external condom, finger safe, or glove on your manus when you switch from touching your front genitals to your back hole
  • putting a new prophylactic on your sexual activity toy before using information technology on a new part of your body
  • properly cleaning your nonporous sexual activity toy earlier using it on a new part of your trunk

If yous're sharing sex activity toys with someone, make sure the toy is made of a nonporous textile and clean it before and after utilise every (!) single (!) fourth dimension (!).

Oh, and be sure to clean it t-h-o-r-o-u-g-h-l-y.

"If yous clean a toy with sexual practice toy cleaning spray, at that place'due south always the possibility of man error and not accurately cleaning the whole toy," says Finn.

Finally, if yous're going to be mutually masturbating with someone IRL, Finn recommends talking nigh STIs.

"It'southward always best to share your current STI status and final testing date before asking someone what their current STI status is," she says.

You might say:

  • "I was tested for STIs last week, tested negative across the board, and oasis't had in-person sexual practice with anyone since. When were you terminal STI tested?"
  • "Just wanted to let you know that I'm HSV-positive. I haven't had an outbreak since October, but I wanted to allow you know then that you don't use my sex toy on yourself without washing it first."
  • "Earlier we mutually masturbate I want to get STI tested only in case there'southward fluid transfer. Practice you lot want to go to Planned Parenthood together this weekend?"

If you and your partner receive a positive result — or don't know your electric current STI status — it's all-time to avoid sharing toys, maintain distance between your bodies, and come upwardly with a game programme for collecting fluid.

For example: Will you ejaculate into a T-shirt? Will yous put a towel over your legs before you lot eject? Volition y'all take a quick bath before cuddling after?

Ask your doctor any questions yous accept well-nigh the STI(s) you tested positive for.

For example, can this STI cure? Is there medication yous can have to manage this STI?

"You should as well contact any partners yous've been in contact with since your last negative test, so they tin can receive proper treatment," says Gaither.

As for what this positive result means for your masturbation exercise, the answer is not much!

"Beingness STI-positive doesn't take masturbation or mutual masturbation off the table," says Finn.

"It merely means you want to be conscientious not to spread information technology to other parts of your body, if possible," explains Finn.

"And that you want to take proper precautions with anyone y'all're mutually masturbating or sharing sex toys with." Makes sense!

Masturbating (and mutually masturbating!) are notwithstanding two of the safest sexual practice acts out at that place. But STI transmission *is* possible in a few situations.

Keeping the above tips in mind tin can help reduce the risk of manual!

Gabrielle Kassel is a New York-based sex and wellness writer and CrossFit Level 1 Trainer. She's become a morning person, tested over 200 vibrators, and eaten, drunk, and brushed with charcoal — all in the name of journalism. In her free time, she tin be found reading self-help books and romance novels, bench-pressing, or pole dancing. Follow her on Instagram.