Embrace Your Inner Eros

Medically reviewed by Sophia Yen, MD, MPH – Written by Pandia Health Editorial Team

Sometimes, we all get the urge to indulge ourselves in our alone time – which is totally healthy and necessary! Unfortunately, female masturbation is often stigmatized as unappealing or weird, as if people with uteri are not allowed satisfy themselves.
Here’s a true story from a Pandia Health community member: 

I was walking with a group of friends and two of my female friends were talking about getting vibrators. This had gained the curiosity of one of the males present who then asked, “Wait… girls masturbate?” All of us looked at him shocked, half expecting him to end that question with a “just kidding I know you guys do” — however, he did not. As a member of Pandia Health, I knew I had to step in and educate others on the fact that female masturbation is very much a thing. 

Benefits of Masturbation

Like men, women have sexual urges too; and quite frankly, we ourselves are the best at pleasing our desires. Why? Because we know exactly what our bodies wants! There’s no need to be ashamed about masturbating – in fact, it should be normalized. Believe it or not, there are a lot of benefits that come with masturbating! Here are a few reasons from Planned Parenthood:

• Exploring your body and learning how to give yourself sexual pleasure can be empowering and help improve your body image.
• Masturbation can lower stress and help you relax – it can even help some people fall asleep.
• Having an orgasm releases endorphins — feel good chemicals in your brain. Orgasms can be a natural painkiller and can even help with period cramps.

You read that last one right, ladies – sexual pleasure can help reduce the pain of period cramps! If you want to get rid of your period completely, though, check out our #PeriodOptional campaign! Spend more time having fun with yourself without worrying about bleeding once a month 😉 (Hint: if you are going to participate in self-pleasure, be sure to put down a towel so your sheets don’t get  stained)

With all the positives presented, why hesitate? It can be a scary thing to venture on your own but being comfortable with your body is the first step to loving yourself even more. Plus, there are so many benefits to masturbation!

Now, you might be asking, “What’s the best way to satisfy myself?” Well, only you have the answer; however, we can offer you some different suggestions that might spark your sexual pleasure journey. 

Hands

If you aren’t ready to buy a sex toy, no worries! Using your hands can be a trusty and reliable method. Remember to wash your hands before touching yourself so you don’t get anything dirty in your private area. When exploring yourself down there, start with slow motions to get yourself stimulated; keep in mind that you are working with a sensitive area so you don’t want to rush in full throttle just yet.

Popular motions to use on your love button are slow circling motions, back and forth zig-zags, and pulsing pushes while swirling your finger gently. When you are in the groove, start to pick up the pace slightly. That doesn’t necessarily mean get more aggressive and push as hard as you can (unless that’s your preference), but rather gradually pick up the tempo while applying slightly more pressure.

Usually, speeding things up will help you reach your climax with more excitement and pleasure. Click here to read more about additional advice and tips when using your hands to pleasure yourself!

A Vibrator

This one is the simplest and friendliest for beginners but that doesn’t make it any less exciting! Most vibrators will have multiple modes where the vibrations slowly increase to a faster tempo. When using a vibrator, don’t be afraid of expanding your radius. Engulf your private area to the vibrations while tilting the vibrator to hit across your desired area. 

Remember that the clitoris isn’t the only focus – there are actually thousands of nerves surrounding it that can also send electric pleasure. The easiest way to utilize a vibrator is by laying on your back and spreading your legs; when you feel like you want to turn up the spiciness level, flip over onto your stomach and grind on your vibrator by rocking your hips slowly – this is low key a workout, too! Oh, and don’t forget to wash your vibrator with warm water and soap after every use!

A Dildo

Ready for something a bit bigger? Consider purchasing a dildo! If getting a silicon product, make sure to use a water-based lube so you don’t ruin your product. It’s important to do research on your purchases beforehand to make sure you don’t accidentally ruin them. When using a dildo, it’s crucial to lube it up before inserting it; using it without lubricant will be harsh and leave you feeling like you just got a burn inside your privates. 

Just like the vibrator, it’s easiest to insert the dildo when on your back if it’s your first time. Make sure you’re aroused, stimulated, and relaxed before inserting. Don’t rush or else you face the possibility of hurting yourself, and as we’ve said before, it’s important to be comfortable. When you feel ready to move on, you can place the dildo (the ones with the suction cups at the bottom) onto a surface and place yourself on top. Then using your hips and knees, you slowly rise up and down while intertwining small circular motions with your hips. 

As you get more comfortable and attuned with yourself, you can pick up the pace to your desired speed. If it helps to ease the potential awkwardness play some of your sexy tunes to get you in the mood and have fun!

Vibrator + Dildo:

One last way is by combining both the vibrator and the dildo together. There are two ways to go about this: either use them simultaneously by holding one in each hand or buy a vibrating rabbit dildo. Don’t worry, it is not an actual rabbit but rather a dildo with a branch stemming out that is used to rub your love spot. This way, you can use one hand with the product and the other to feel yourself. 

Pandia Health Supports Your Sexual Journey

We implore you to go out of your comfort zone and try indulging in your sexual urges! Though we do say to do what’s comfortable, it will never hurt to try something new as long as you know when it’s no longer something you are happy with. For more resources, check out these sex positive influencers!

If these tips helped to spice up your alone time, feel free to pass this info along to  your friends and normalize female masturbation! Plus, sign up today for Pandia Health to get your birth control delivered to you for FREE! It’s a quick and easy process that will save your time in the future, and perhaps that time can be used for some self loving;)  

Disclaimer: The above information is for general informational purposes only and is NOT a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor/primary care provider before starting or changing treatment.