Masturbation can be a very, very touchy subject — so we have to hand it to the nearly 1,000 people who got candid about it in a new survey.

Conducted for Superdrug Online Doctor, a new study explores just how often men and women really fly solo, and what it is that really gets them hot and bothered.

Unsurprisingly, almost everyone does it — but their methods, turn-ons, and preferred locales may raise a few eyebrows.

Ménage à moi: Almost 1,000 people participated in a survey about their masturbation habits

Dirty minds: Three fifths of women use their own hand to do it, compared to two fifths who turn to toys

An overwhelming majority of those surveyed said they did the deed without a partner — and those are just the ones who admitted to it. In all, 88 per cent of women and 96 per cent of men said they masturbate.

And it's not just the number of men who do it that's greater — it's how often they do it. Women said they masturbate on average two days per week, for 13 minutes each time. Men cop to four days per week, for 14 minutes each time.

That means that men spend almost an entire day (19 hours) more per year shaking hands with the devil.

As far as how they do it, that varies, too. Sixty per cent of women use their hand, while 40 per cent use a toy. Meanwhile, 90 per cent of men used their hand over a toy.

Double clicking the mouse? Men are also much more likely to use porn, with 67 per cent turning to it (compared to 38 per cent of women)

50 Shades, anyone? Men and women have different go-tos for getting revved up

Men are also much more likely to use porn, with 67 per cent turning to it (compared to 38 per cent of women).

Women, on the other hand prefer to look for material in their own heads, fantasizing about a partner (14 per cent), a stranger (12 per cent), or a friend (6 per cent).

Interestingly, men and women both seem to think the opposite sex's masturbation habits are close to their own than they actually are.

Men think women rely on porn considerably more than they actually do, while women think men use it less than they do.

Nearly a quarter of men and women both think their partners got most aroused by fantasizing about them — which isn't the case for either six. Only 6 per cent of men and 14 per cent of women said that was their go-to solo-sex thought.

Not hitting the spot? 56 per cent of women (and 19 per cent of men) said they had better orgasms when masturbating compared to having sex

Surprising: Women are considerably more likely to fantasize about a stranger than men are

Men may also be disappointed to know that ladies get more out of solo play. A quarter admitted to preferring masturbation over sex (compared to 16 per cent of men), citing higher satisfaction and better orgasms.

Women overall said they got off better when going solo, too: 56 per cent of women (and 19 per cent of men) said they had better orgasms when masturbating compared to having sex.

Finally, both sexes revealed the unexpected places that they'd taken a solo journey through their own sensuality: A quarter have done it in public, 15 per cent said they'd done it at work, and an additional 15 per cent said they'd done it at a friend's house.