Dry Masturbation 411 - To Lube or Not to Lube?

Most anyone who was asked to write a list of words to describe sex would come up with adjectives like: intense, fun, pleasurable, intimate and so on and so forth. A word that would not commonly appear on the list is: dry. Yet many men find enjoyment in the act of dry masturbation i.e., masturbating without the use of lubrication or lotion. While it may seem like any action that allows a man to reach orgasm is A-OK, certain types of stimulation may actually be harmful to the penis. Learn more about dry masturbation and why a man should try to drop the habit now in order to keep the penis healthy for many years to come.

What is dry masturbation?

There are two definitions of dry masturbation. Some men use the term to refer to masturbating without the use of pornography, but more commonly it refers to an absence of liquid, lubrication, or lotion while masturbating. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out where the name for this type of stimulation came from.

Why would a man prefer to dry masturbate?

To each his own, right? Dry masturbation tends to feel rougher and more aggressive compared to a smoother stroke of a well-lubricated shaft. The rough sensation feels more desirable to some men who desire that type of friction. Alternatively, some men grew up masturbating in this fashion - either because they did not have knowledge of lubricant, or access to it - and it is not uncommon for the body to become trained to respond most positively to the type of stimulation one is first exposed to, as that is how it was learned. Another example of this phenomenon is men who enjoy fast and furious quickies - either with a partner or solo - because growing up as a teen they had to do it as quickly as possible to avoid getting caught.

Is there any harm in dry masturbation?

Well, it is not going to make a man go blind or anything, but it could certainly lead to a sore and irritated penis. Men who tend to engage in dry masturbation may find the skin of the penis becomes red and irritated. This happens because without the presence of lubrication, the hand creates a lot of skin on skin friction, which can cause microscopic abrasions and tears. Dry masturbators may also find they are prone to little dry patches of skin on their Johnson, which may flake or itch. Dry skin can certainly be annoying - and unsightly - but a bigger concern to the dry masturbator is the chance of damaging the tissue of the penis. This excessive friction may burst the tiny blood vessels under the skin, damage the tissue, and even cause plaque buildup to develop on the penis. Overtime, this tissue damage leads to the development of scar tissue, which gradually shortens the penis on the areas where it builds up, as scar tissue is not as elastic as healthy skin. Unfortunately, this scar tissue also causes the penis to curve in the direction of the scar, so now the penis is shorter than it used to be and curved! Talk about a lose-lose situation! The condition is known as Peyronie’s disease, and while it has many factors that contribute to it, too rough and aggressive treatment of the penis - which may occur during dry masturbation - may accelerate the condition.

How to keep the penis healthy

There is obviously not a direct and immediate cause and effect relationship wherein dry masturbation instantaneously leads to a shorter, curved penis. However, given the risks of this type of activity, it may be wise to add some lubricant to the old masturbatory routine - at least most of the time. Men who simply can’t get enough dry masturbating may be able to engage in the behavior on occasion without serious repercussions, but should consider trying to retrain their penis to appreciate a nice lubricated touch. For men already noticing dry, irritated skin, the daily use of a penis vitamin lotion (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil) can reverse the damaging effects of dry masturbation. Selecting a lotion with Acetyl L Carnitine and alpha lipoic acid can also help to heal the unseen damage of dry masturbation by healing the penile tissues and repairing the cells to help avoid the dreaded penis curve.