For the Boys
Male genitals are on the outside so boys usually find out what
they have at an early age. But even though your genitals are
easy to see, you may want to know more about them.
- may be circumcised or uncircumcised
- Both urine (pee) and semen come out here,
but not at the same time.
scrotum
- holds the testicles
testicles
- produce sperm
vas deferens - carries the sperm
seminal vesicles - produce fluid for sperm to travel in
prostate gland - produces more fluid (sperm plus
fluid equals semen)
anus
For the boys.indd 1
If you find any problems
with your parts,
see your doctor.
- covers the head of an uncircumcised penis
- where stool (poo) comes out
AIDS & Sexual Health InfoLine
416-392-2437
PH0908DS04 male age:10-13
penis
foreskin
urethra
Your parts and how they work
28/10/09 12:32 PM
Size
Penises come in all shapes and sizes. The differences are in both
length and width. Differences in length from one boy to another
are more obvious when the penis is soft (not erect). The average
adult erect penis measures 13 – 15 cm. (5 – 6 inches). Your penis,
just like your hands and feet, become larger as you grow during
adolescence. Some guys worry about the size of their penis,
perhaps because of things they hear, or because of what they see
on the Internet. An adult penis is supposed to be able to urinate,
get erect and ejaculate. So, even though you may worry about
size, if your penis does what it’s supposed to do, that’s great.
Foreskin
When you are born, the foreskin is attached to the penis.
As a boy grows, it gets easier to slide this skin away
from the head. Most teenage boys can already do this.
Don’t force it. When a boy can slide the foreskin away
from the head, it’s time to start washing under the
foreskin. Pull the foreskin back when you have a shower.
If there is a build-up of white stuff under the foreskin
(smegma), wash it away.
For the boys.indd 2
Circumcision
Some guys are circumcised; others are not. Circumcision means
that the foreskin, which covers the tip of the penis, has been
removed. These days, circumcision is mostly done for religious
or cultural reasons. If you are circumcised, you still have to wash
your penis, of course. It’s part of good hygiene.
Which way does your penis point?
Some penises lean to the left, some lean to the right.
Some bend when they are erect. (If it bends so much that
it’s painful, your doctor needs to look at it.) Some guys’
erections stick straight up; some are at an angle. For some,
the angle curves up and for others the angle curves down.
All of these variations are OK.
What comes out of the penis?
1. urine (pee)
2. pre-ejaculate - When a guy is sexually excited, a small amount
of clear fluid may come out of the tip of penis, making it slippery.
3. ejaculate - another word for semen. This is the fluid which
contains sperm.
Wet dreams and masturbation
Most boys start having wet dreams during puberty. If you
wake up with something wet or dried on the sheet or on your
pyjamas, that means semen has come out while you were
sleeping. Now’s a good time to learn how to do laundry. Some
boys touch and rub their penis for pleasure. Once you start
producing sperm, if you pleasure yourself (masturbate), you
may have a very powerful feeling called orgasm. If you are
already producing sperm, you will probably ejaculate semen.
Semen (usually) comes out when a guy has an orgasm, though
some guys have an orgasm without ejaculating. The amount
of semen varies, but the 200 – 500 million or so sperm fit into
about a teaspoon of fluid. Semen can be runny or clumpy.
The testicles
The testicles are inside the scrotum. You may have a
wrinkly scrotum or a fairly smooth one, hairy or not at
all. One side usually hangs lower than the other. If either
side feels heavier or swells, see your doctor. To avoid
injury, with some sports, you’ll need protective gear.
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