Male pattern baldness for men can start at as early as age 20 (sometimes even younger), but usually starts between the ages of 25 and 35 (Andrology Australia).

You have probably heard from most doctors that masturbation is perfectly normal and healthy. But is it really? Several studies in the last few years have linked masturbation with dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone directly related to hair loss.

The Harms of Masturbation

Studies showed that male orgasms (ejaculation) leads to a increase in testosterone, which in turn is converted to DHT and raises the levels of DHT in the body and scalp. In the US National Library of Medicine- National Institutes of Health- scientists measured the DHT levels of subjects before and after masturbation and found that the levels of DHT rose in all subjects after they masturbated. Depending on genetics, some people may be more sensitive to DHT in their scalp, leading to shrinking hair follicles, hair loss, and balding.

In short, the more you masturbate, the more testosterone in your body is converted into DHT, and the more hair is affected by DHT. Again, genetics also plays a role in this, but whether you have good genetics or not, masturbation has an overall negative effect on hair. The degree of hair loss simply varies from person to person.

What about sex?

According to Tobias S. Köhler, MD, MPH, FACS an associate professor at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield, not all orgasms are created equal. Köhler claims that masturbation and sex doesn’t have the same effects.

Sex has many benefits, including improvements in blood pressure, heart and prostate health, and blood circulation (EndHairLoss), while excessive masturbation can lead to poor concentration, decreased vision, mood swings, sleep problems, stress, depression, and more.

The study not only measured the DHT levels in subjects before and after masturbation but also the DHT levels of subjects before and after sexual intercourse. They found that a higher percentage of testosterone was converted into DHT after masturbation, but a normal percentage of testosterone was converted into DHT after sexual intercourse. In other words, after sexual intercourse, there was no abnormal changes in testosterone to DHT conversion but after masturbation, the percentage of conversion increased.

Moral of the Story

If you have poor hair genetics or hair loss problems, masturbation can lead to greater hair loss due to the increase in DHT after masturbation. Meanwhile, studies showed that sexual intercourse, opposed to masturbation, does not necessarily raise the level of DHT after orgasm.

A Modern Solution

Everyone masturbates. It’s a guilty pleasure, but one that is hard to control, especially for young men. For those who wish to masturbate without harming the health of their hair, but cannot find a partner for sexual intercourse, there is a unique modern solution: Sex dolls.

Many silicone and TPE sex doll owners have claimed that having sex with a sex doll feels almost or exactly the same as having sex with a real person. It is a worthy alternative for those who cannot find a real partner. Within a few weeks, most doll owners claim to have grown an emotional attachment to their dolls. It sounds strange now, but when someone desires companionship, a lifesize doll can fill that gap in many unexpected ways. Combined with a good imagination, having sex with a doll tricks the mind and body into thinking you’re having sex with a real person, and in turn, the testosterone -> DHT conversion levels are less affected after orgasm. DHT levels will either stay the same similar to after real sex or increase at a lower rate than masturbation. Either way, sex dolls may be an effective solution for men to masturbate safely without increasing their DHT levels after orgasm. Plus, you also get the wonderful benefits of sex.

If you’re already balding, getting a sex doll will unlikely regrow your hair, but can give you sexual pleasure while keeping your DHT levels under control.

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