A Below-the-Belt guide to the male body 4BOYS Sexual development can happen Sexual development is often at any time between ten and 18, marked by a whole range of The peniS has but usually begins around 1 or two main parts, a head (or 14. It makes no difference when glans) and a shaft. The head of the penis – particularly its you start. It doesn’t affect what BOdY rim – is much more sensitive you will be like as an adult. changeS than the shaft. you get hair Normally a man’s penis is soft and hangs down. But when he gets sexually taller grows on and more different excited (and often when he's not aware of it), he gets an erection: muscular parts of your body • the penis goes stiff - legs, genitals, • it grows longer and wider arms, • it sticks outwards and your face, shoulders chest upwards from the body. widen A penis is used for two jobs, peeing and sex. When your penis is 4 erect you can’t pee easily because a muscle closes the bladder your genitals your nipples and off. The shape of an erect penis varies. It usually curves upwards (penis and your breast area can testicles) voice become sensitive slightly, and may point to one side. Erections (hard-ons, boners, get for a shorttime bigger deepens stiffies) occur in males of all ages, including babies and old men. body changes is it bone? is it muscle? does the penis fill joints usually carry may be on into your late how do with semen? No. It fills with blood. There are no painful teens or early erections muscles in the penis, that’s why you can’t move it 20s. whether happen? you’re an early or very much. The penis is a kind of sponge that fills late developer with blood when a man is sexually excited. or whether you mature slowly or quickly, body changes continue until you are fully erectiOnS are developed. unreliaBle spots and Erections can come and go without warning. blackheads may grow on They can happen at a moment’s notice, face, neck, sometimes in embarrassing circumstances. chest and back And they can vanish just as easily. Alcohol can cause an erection to droop. These are some of the more obvious changes. But there are others, So can fear of pregnancy, being laughed at, emotional as well as physical . or of coming too soon (premature ejaculation). The fOreSkin is a sleeve of skin that surrounds SiZe the head of the penis. When you get an erection, the foreskin stretches. The head of the penis Many young men think that their penis is smaller than is then completely exposed. anyone else’s. This is unlikely. Adult penis sizes do vary, but not by as much as you might think. The soft penis usually shrinks when it is cold or when the If you don’t wash under the You should be able man is anxious. to pull the foreskin As a rough rule, the larger a penis is when soft, the less it foreskin, a yellowish-white creamy back to expose the substance called smegma builds head of your penis. grows when hard. If it is small when soft, it will probably grow more when hard. up. This is normal. But if you A tight foreskin don’t want to smell like a mouldy can make your own penis will look it will look larger in smaller to you than to cheese, wash it every day. erections painful. a full-length mirror. others because you are looking down at it. If you have a tight foreskin, you could try to ease it back. 6 While you are soaking in Pull it back and hold the bath, gently pull the it in a stretched foreskin away from you. position, briefly. This may gradually stretch the foreskin. If there seems to be a problem, talk to your doctor. In some cases, the foreskin can be so tight your doctor may advise using a special cream or having a small operation to loosen the foreskin. Adult penis size is Complete removal of the foreskin is called usually between 8.cm and 10.cm (–4 When penises are Nothing circumciSiOn inches) long when soft, erect they are very Some men in the world today are circumcised, will make a and between 1cm and similar in size for usually for religious reasons. For example, most penis any larger 18cm (6– inches) all men. Jewish and Muslim boys are circumcised in or smaller. long when hard. childhood. It makes no difference to a man’s ability to urinate (pee) or ejaculate (come). Men have two Balls hang in a soft bag of skin – the ScrOtum. The scrotum hangs outside the body because sperm need to be BallS kept cooler than your internal body temperature of ˚C to be (testicles, testes, bollocks, able to fertilise an egg. Sperm are damaged or killed by heat. nuts, nads) hanging in a bag (scrotum) outside the body, just behind the penis. The balls produce tiny, tadpole-shaped sperm that fertilise a woman’s egg to The scrotum is usually darker in colour But when it is warm, the balls make a baby. than the rest of the skin, and is hairy. hang loose, and the surface of The balls are connected to When it’s cold, the scrotum puckers the scrotum is smooth. the penis by a long, thin up and becomes very wrinkled. tube called the vas deferens. Sperm are stored in the epididymis, then are passed 8 along the vas deferens to the prostate gland. Here they mix with fluid to make semen. Both semen and pee from the bladder pass down a tube take gOOd care Of your BallS testicular cancer through the penis. This tube Spots, bumps and moles are common on (cancer of the balls) is called the urethra and it the scrotum and penis, and don’t usually is the most common runs to the tip of the penis. mean anything. cancer in men aged one ball (usually the left) often If you play a sport where a blow, boot, or Each 1–44. (This makes hangs a little lower than the ball could damage your testicles, wear a it different from most testicle other. this is so they don’t bash plastic protector, or box. into each other when you run. other cancers, which is mainly affect older roughly people.) the size Almost 100 per cent of a of all cancers of the small testicles can be cured plum. if detected early enough – that’s why Balls should be you should examine about the same See your doctor if lumps and bumps yourself every month. weight and size. suddenly appear on or in your balls. Here’s how to examine yourSelf. maSturBatiOn Most boys and men rub themselves to get an erection and to have an orgasm (come). Masturbation (wanking, jerking off) can start at any age, though it can’t lead to ejaculation until you reach puberty. A relaxing warm bath or shower makes examination easier. is it Feel each ball in turn. Use both hands. BAD for With your thumb on top and your index finger beneath, gently roll the ball. You will you? find a hard sausage-shaped ridge on top of the ball. This is normal (it’s called the epididymis, where sperm are stored). It’s completely harmless, no matter how you do it, or how often. It won’t make you go blind or mad, and you won’t get hairs on the palms of your hand. Several times a day is not unusual, nor is less often. It helps you to know your body better, and what you like and don’t like. But you don’t have to do it. 10 11 fantaSieS while masturbating? everyone has them. is it ok to masturbate ‘Weigh’ each ball in your before an exam cupped hand. One ball should or a hard It’s easier to check for lumps and not be heavier than the other. sport? bumps when you’re standing up and Testicular cancer doesn’t happen There is no way you gravity makes your balls hang down. very often and it can usually be cured. can ‘lose energy’ Stand in front of a mirror to look for this way. A few Most lumps and bumps will not be Most young any swelling or change in size. One cancers, but one might be. If you have sportsmen won’t Wet dreamS ball (usually the left) may hang slightly any warning signs, talk to your doctor. masturbate or have men will sometime or other wake to lower than the other. sex the night before find they have come in the bed. It may a match. Others take ONE BALL GROWING be embarrassing to mess the sheets, A DULL SENSITIVE BLOOD the opposite view. SMALL HARD ONE HEAVIER COMING WARNING BALL THAN THE There’s no scientific but it’s completely normal. ACHE IN PAINLESS FROM SIGNS! YOUR GROWING OTHER evidence against If you’re anxious, wear pants. LUMP LARGER THAN THE masturbation. BALLS AREAS THE OTHER PENIS Most young men ejaculate (come, have an orgasm) for the first time around the start GoING FURTHER ... ejaculatiOn of puberty. When is the right time to i want to have sex, but my It takes some by surprise. Others work at it. have sex? partner doesn’t... There is no ‘right age’. Putting pressure on someone to If you believed everything you read or have sex could ruin what could have ...\ heard, you’d think that every young been a beautiful relationship.