Dr. Asif Siddique

Masturbation is a vital part of almost every man's life, although the role it plays varies from individual to individual. Some men may go for months without indulging, whereas others find they feel best if they check in with their penis a couple of times a day. (The fact that masturbation can be beneficial to penis health just adds to its appeal.) And one of the beauties of masturbation is its "easy access" - at least when a guy is at home. But what about when he's away from home, on a visit to members of the family? Men who masturbate frequently will still want to do so, and even some infrequent masturbators may find an increased urge, especially in a tense family situation.

With that in mind, the following are offered as helpful hacks for indulging in some solo play when on a family visit.

- Be sure to lock the door. At home, especially if a guy lives alone, there's a lot more freedom to masturbating. And sure, there are some brothers who grew up exploring masturbation together and as adults may not care whether their bro catches them in action. But most men would rather keep the activity on the down low, so while on a family visit, get back into the practice of only masturbating in a room with a secure lock on the door.

- Keep the noise down. Away from home, a guy may have gotten into giving free rein to moaning and groaning and turning the volume up loud as he watches porn. Time to keep the vocal expressions turned down - and to use earbuds if some auditory help is needed.

- Bring lube. Asking to borrow some Vaseline or hand lotion is likely to bring a smirk. A guy should pack his own lube for the trip.

- Do it to de-stress. Yes, visiting family can be fun for a lot of people, but many find that it raises their anxiety levels to new heights. Masturbation is well known as an excellent way to release tension and bring about relaxation, and a lot of guys find themselves masturbating way more when visiting family than they normally do. If that's the case, don't get hung up about it; accept it as a way to help protect a man's mental health! If a guy is at a point where he can talk honestly with his family about things they do or say that he doesn't like, that's great; but if not, he should relieve himself in whatever way is best for him.

- Dispose of evidence. At home, some guys leave used tissues hanging around the bedroom or filling up the wastebasket. When visiting, flush the tissues away, or use a pair of socks and leave them in the suitcase when not in active use.

- Be considerate. Sometimes, the only "safe" place to masturbate is the bathroom. If there are many people and few bathrooms, take that into consideration and either make the masturbation sessions quick or plan on indulging at a time when there's not a line for the toilet.

- Use nostalgia. It's possible that a visit to the family home may bring up memories or earlier sexual encounters or masturbation fantasies. Take advantage of this to "freshen up" what might be a somewhat stale masturbation routine.

Masturbation, whether on a family visit or at home, sometimes results in a raw penis, so men need to daily apply a top drawer penis health crème (health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin). When the crème has a high-end emollient (such as Shea butter) and a natural hydrator (such as vitamin E), soothing relief is imminent. The penis will also appreciate a crème with L-carnitine, an amino acid which helps restore loss of sensation due to rough or excessive use of the penis.