Your acne is probably just a result of your high androgens that make you have a high sex drive. I don't think masturbation would cause your acne.

Orgasms are the sole trigger of my acne, and to my knowledge, it also affects a subset of males. That said, I have no idea if females could have a similar reaction.

Anything is possible, but the only way to know for sure is to give up orgasms and see what happens.

Hormones CAN affect acne. It must also be said that the onset of acne also happens to coincide with the most hormonal part of a person's life - adolescence. It's not your sex drive (which is more or less *coincidentally* linked with your rise in hormones, since it's just being young and growing), it's the roller coaster that is youth altogether. Linking an increase in sex drive with acne is no more logical than linking an increase in hunger to acne during your younger years (which can last into your very early 20's). You eat more because you are a growing, hormonal machine. You want sex more because you are a growing, hormonal machine. These are not specifically linked to acne, they all just happen to happen around the same time as acne.

Also, it's perfectly normal for women to have sex drives as high - or even higher - than the surrounding boys. It's only societal conditioning that makes us believe we should have "smaller" sex drives. You're not abnormal. You're growing. This is good.

Hormones CAN affect acne. It must also be said that the onset of acne also happens to coincide with the most hormonal part of a person's life - adolescence. It's not your sex drive (which is more or less *coincidentally* linked with your rise in hormones, since it's just being young and growing), it's the roller coaster that is youth altogether. Linking an increase in sex drive with acne is no more logical than linking an increase in hunger to acne during your younger years (which can last into your very early 20's). You eat more because you are a growing, hormonal machine. You want sex more because you are a growing, hormonal machine. These are not specifically linked to acne, they all just happen to happen around the same time as acne.

Also, it's perfectly normal for women to have sex drives as high - or even higher - than the surrounding boys. It's only societal conditioning that makes us believe we should have "smaller" sex drives. You're not abnormal. You're growing. This is good.

 

Hormones CAN affect acne. It must also be said that the onset of acne also happens to coincide with the most hormonal part of a person's life - adolescence. It's not your sex drive (which is more or less *coincidentally* linked with your rise in hormones, since it's just being young and growing), it's the roller coaster that is youth altogether. Linking an increase in sex drive with acne is no more logical than linking an increase in hunger to acne during your younger years (which can last into your very early 20's). You eat more because you are a growing, hormonal machine. You want sex more because you are a growing, hormonal machine. These are not specifically linked to acne, they all just happen to happen around the same time as acne.

Also, it's perfectly normal for women to have sex drives as high - or even higher - than the surrounding boys. It's only societal conditioning that makes us believe we should have "smaller" sex drives. You're not abnormal. You're growing. This is good.

 

Im 23 though? Im not just going through puberty if that's what your trying to say. lol

I tried to edit this in, but it wouldn't let me. (I feel like an old woman, I don't know how anything works here anymore!) You also mentioned you have PCOS - which can cause acne, and severely at that. That might be the hormonal imbalance you are looking for. Lots of women have acne with that - my own sister finds herself breaking out badly during her PCOS flares.

I just think it's a shame when people find ways to connect their sex drive to something as unpleasant as acne - we're here to get better, not find ways to subtly shame ourselves.

I just think it's a shame when people find ways to connect their sex drive to something as unpleasant as acne - we're here to get better, not find ways to subtly shame ourselves.

 

Just for the record I'm not here to "subtly shame" anybody. The fact is, orgasms give me acne.

I think it's a shame you're not open to accepting that for some people the connection is real.

This seems to happen to guys more than girls. But I suppose everyone is different. I've never noticed any effect. I've gone through times where I was celibate (even when it comes to being by myself) for weeks and times I was gettin' mine every single day. No change.

Masturbation has been linked to things like hairy palms, blindness, acne, and an inability for females to orgasm during intercourse. None of these are true and were, in fact, developed as a way to discourage masturbation. The surrounding moral panic (and resulting physical myths) behind masturbation is designed to induce shame. We as human beings are already hung up enough about our sex drives, I see no need to add the horrors of bringing acne onto yourself as a result on top of the pile.

I see no need to add the horrors of bringing acne onto yourself as a result on top of the pile.

 

So you believe remaining ignorant is preferable to accepting the reality of a situation. That's not a philosophy I personally respect, but to each their own.

I find it ironic however that you are encouraging ignorance, even as you claim to be fighting against it.

The OP asked for people's advice and opinions. I am giving mine. My disapproval of masturbation related acne treatment has not been enough to dissuade hundreds of members from testing the theory themselves. As it should be. I have seen, time and time and time again, members dissolve into messes of sex-shamed puddles and I greatly dislike that. We are here for support and should not encourage people to feel bad about themselves, especially about a matter as touchy as masturbation. (No pun intended.)

She will - as many, many, many members have - do what she chooses to do. This is the entire point of an open forum - to get as many opinions as possible. You and I are both fulfilling that. Thus, we are both doing well by what we are here for.

^^ Again, no one here is "shaming" anyone else or encouraging them to feel bad for masturbating.

Does a person allergic to strawberries feel "ashamed" because they eat a strawberry? No. Masturbation in this respect should be treated no differently.

As you said, you have a chip on your shoulder with regards to "sex-shamed puddles"? and it's limiting your ability to think rationally.

In the end your answer is "Ignore a possible contributing factor", and I just don't see how that's helpful. The more people acknowledge it as a real factor, the more attention it may get from scientists who might develop a more preferable treatment.

Ignoring the problem doesn't make it go away.

So funny how guys are often called horn dogs and what not when the truth that I've known through my own experience is that girls are way more horny. 5 times a day? lol that's a full time job.

It's far from a chip on my shoulder - you'd have to ask around to the older members, but I'm actually pretty sexually open. In as far as I do a have chip on my shoulder, it would be to help members who are struggling with that. To that extent, you have a point.

Masturbation is much different than strawberries. We do not have entire religions, subsects of people, entire morality structures based around the restriction of strawberries - or most allergies, for that matter. Ignoring the tangled contradictions and societal conditioning around it is also a problem. Claiming pure science is the reason to abstain is - absolutely - ignoring those things. If one is to take the full look that you wish to at this subject, than the discussion of why a person feels the need to blame physical manifestations of their sex drive should also be included.

I'm not trying to start an argument here. Not with the OP, not with you. But again, this is a site dedicated to the free share of information and experience. As long as it doesn't risk danger (for instance, threads that have recommended exfoliating with sandpaper - no joke), then varying opinions are welcomed.

Tritonxiv, for most people (not saying you), telling someone they can't masturbate ever again if they want clear skin would be like telling them they could never eat or breathe again if they want clear skin. It would be an impossible task. I also think that most people who have these hormonal imbalances have some other root behind the condition that could be fixed either through diet, a lifestyle change, a hormonal medication, etc. Halting masturbation is just treating the symptom of the imbalance, and not in a way that would be practical for most of us. I realize that you have come to peace with treating the symptom in this way but it isn't a realistic solution for almost anyone. So most people are going to get all wrapped up in worry and guilt and feel terrible every time they masturbate, thinking they have damaged their bodies somehow. This isn't a healthy mindset and the stress of it would probably make acne worse for most people. Elsewhere is right that a lot of these ideas against masturbation do come from somewhere else. This isn't saying that there isn't a true physical reaction for some people.

I used to fight for this ferociously. Now I'm not so sure, because I made a few dietary changes and my skin looks the best it's ever looked (disregarding marks). Perhaps if you're sensitive to hormone fluctuations, you may have something. Though I'm not sure if you're able to test for that sort of thing. It applies to both genders seeing as how testosterone, a major contributor of acne, is also responsible for sex drive and the like. We are creatures of a sexual nature, asking someone to deny themselves in exchange for clear skin doesn't seem right, even if it does contribute.

I tried to edit this in, but it wouldn't let me. (I feel like an old woman, I don't know how anything works here anymore!) You also mentioned you have PCOS - which can cause acne, and severely at that. That might be the hormonal imbalance you are looking for. Lots of women have acne with that - my own sister finds herself breaking out badly during her PCOS flares.

I just think it's a shame when people find ways to connect their sex drive to something as unpleasant as acne - we're here to get better, not find ways to subtly shame ourselves.

 

She does have a high sex drive bc of her high androgens (pcos) but masturbarinf or not will not affect acne. It's the high hormones that cause the acne..and the high sex drive.

She does have a high sex drive bc of her high androgens (pcos) but masturbarinf or not will not affect acne. It's the high hormones that cause the acne..and the high sex drive.

 

This is very valid. The point I was trying to get at - which you put much more succinctly. Thank you!

It's the point I was trying to get to in my first post but was unable to until I saw your post. So thank you.

I have high testosterone due to PCOS as well, and my doctors have told me it's very likely it's causing my acne to be as bad as it is. I also have lip/chin hairs that I'm constantly shaving/waxing/plucking. I was prescribed Spironolactone, which helps decrease the testosterone in the body and helps with acne. That's worth looking into if you have PCOS/high testosterone.

Elevated hormones = Elevated sex drive = Acne.

I heard something about having sex empties excess hormones which reduces acne, but who really knows.