While you may have heard old wives’ tales about masturbation being bad for your health, according to science it’s actually the exact opposite.

Research shows that ejaculating as much as once every day can really limit the chances, while another study suggests a staggering 21 orgasms a month reduces a man’s likelihood of prostate cancer by 20%.

This comes as scientists recently revealed global deaths from the disease are likely to double in the next 20 years.

Orgasming 21 times a month yields impressive results for disease prevention, compared to men who come just four to seven times a month, who have a higher chance of getting prostate cancer.

The study, published in European Urology followed 32,000 men for 18 years and found that the more they came, the lower the risk of cancer.

Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women Hospital scientists also found men reap the benefits from ‘me time’ or wet dreams, with daily ejaculation proving an effective form of masturbation or intercourse.

We wish we could tell you why this is the case but the experts aren’t exactly sure. They have theorised though, and Dr. Anne Calvaresi, the chair of the Urology Care Foundation’s Prostate Health Committee, suggests ejaculation may protect the prostate by flushing out harmful chemicals that build up in semen.

She also explains it is possible men who ejaculate more may have healthier lifestyle habits that decrease their odds of being diagnosed with the disease.

So, if you’re looking to up your orgasm quota, we’ve enlisted the help of Dr Gigi Engle, certified sexologist and sex expert at sextoys.co.uk, to give you some interesting ways to spice up your solo masturbation.

First step first, Gigi says to get the prostate involved and it’s something you can do solo or with your other half.

‘Men can have prostate orgasms without stimulation to the penis. The orgasm from your prostate is a full body orgasm, and you feel a tingly sensation all over,’ Gigi tells Metro.

‘To reach it, you insert a finger or toy into the rectum, hooking up towards the belly button. The prostate feels like a rough-textured gland. The receiving partner may enjoy a variety of different types of prostate stimulation – varying from circular motions, to in-and-out penetration. It’s highly subjective and different people enjoy different things.’

Erectile changes are the most common topic Roos hears

What advice does Roos have for straight men?

A churn of saliva. A clashing of teeth. Way too much tongue.

These are just some of the components of a kiss many of us would rather forget.

So, it might come as a surprise to hear that more and more Brits have been searching for this kind of smooch on porn sites.

In fact, in the past two years, searches for the term ‘kissing fetish’ have surged by 67% on adult content marketplace, Clips4Sale, making it one of the most lucrative categories.

That’s kisses that are ‘wet’ and ‘smokey’, according to search terms, as well as those that you might associate with a good snogger, including ‘erotic’, ‘romantic’ and ‘SFW (safe for work)’.

In the r/dating subReddit, users have been sharing their love of a ‘sloppy and wet make-out session.’

‘I yearn for a sloppy make out session,’ wrote one user, while another said: ‘I love spit swapping, tonsil wrestling, tongue tied make out sessions.’

Our jaws hurt just thinking about it, but sex therapist Courtney Boyer is hardly surprised that kissing fetish is finally having its moment.

‘Kissing sits right at the intersection of emotional intimacy and physical arousal,’ she tells Metro. ‘The lips are packed with nerve endings, so even light contact can send strong sensory signals through the body.

‘Throw in eye contact, anticipation, scent, and emotional connection, and it becomes a powerful erotic trigger.

‘This is often more psychologically charged than overt sexual touch.’

Why are so many Brits getting off to kissing videos?

Courtney explains that, like most fetishes, our penchant for the intimate act develops through early imprinting. ‘Because kissing is often our first intimate act, it can hold emotional and erotic significance that carried into adulthood.’

That certainly makes sense, but what’s the appeal of the ‘washing-machine’ style snog?

Well, Courtney says the wet noises can hold a particular allure.

‘Sound and sensation amplify arousal,’ Courtney adds. ‘Wet kissing noises can heighten realism, and signal a mutual desire and immersion in the moment.’ Essentially, it shows that the pair are really digging the smooch.

Specific searches for things like ‘smokey kisses’ also point to a desire for sex acts that feel a little bit wrong.

‘These refer to kissing where smoke, often from cigarettes or vapes, is shared mouth-to-mouth,’ Courtney says. ‘For some, the appeal lies in taboo, the combination of all senses (taste and smell), and the intimacy of sharing air.

‘It blends rebellion with closeness, which can feel edgy and erotic.’

The fetish can also overlap with kinks like breath play, oral fixations, sensory play and even romantic dom and sub dynamics.

‘All of these center on closeness, control, and sensory immersion, which are core elements of erotic kissing,’ Courtney explains.

Keeping it PG

On the other end of the spectrum, SFW (safe for work) kisses were another frequently searched-for term, suggesting there are those out there looking for a more PG exchange.

‘Despite an increase among the younger generation in more aggressive acts like choking, there is also a growing appetite for softer intimacy,’ Courtney says.

‘Kissing that feels affectionate, slow, and emotionally grounded rather than overtly sexual.

‘In times of stress or digital overload, people often crave comfort, safety, and nostalgia. “SFW” content offers arousal rooted in connection rather than explicitness.’

While the kissing fetish spans all genders, Courtney says that research and clinical insights suggest women are more likely to eroticise kissing because they tend to ‘link arousal with emotion’.

‘That said, men absolutely share the fetish,’ she adds, ‘particularly when kissing is framed as a marker of mutual desire or conquest. It’s less about gender and more about how individuals eroticise intimacy.’

But why the sudden uptick?

With a dramatic increase in demand for kissing fetish videos in the past two years, you do have to wonder what sparked the surge in interest.

For Courtney, post-pandemic psychology plays a major role. ‘Periods of isolation heightened our awareness of touch deprivation,’ she says.

‘Kissing, intimate but accessible, became symbolic of reconnection. At the same time, dating culture has been recalibrating toward slower, more intentional intimacy.’

And while the act of kissing itself has always been erotic, the expert suggests its rise as a standalone fetish is tied to online culture, too.

‘Particularly, it’s the growth of searchable, niche content over the past decade,’ she says. ‘As people realise their specific turn-ons are shared by others, interest and visibility increases.’

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