Dr Ranj answers your top five penis questions
In the new issue of aTEEN, Dr Ranj answers real-life questions from young gay guys about their penises (penii?). When they’re in good working order, they can be a lot of fun – but they can also be a source of endless stress and worry. Here are just a handful of the questions submitted for our sexual health expert…1. I have a ten inch penis and boyfriends are too scared to go near it…
Although the average penis is 5-6 inches long when hard, some people will naturally be smaller or bigger than this. Having a 10-inch penis is unusual (and some may consider lucky!), but it can be tricky to deal with. It just means that you and your partners need to be more careful during sex, and make sure you take it slowly and use plenty of lube when having anal sex. But if this is still a problem, don’t worry, there are lots of other ways that you can enjoy sex too.
2. I have a small penis – about an inch when relaxed (it gets bigger when I get excited). Will it get bigger? Do I need an operation?
This is one of the most common concerns that boys have about their penises. Luckily, we don’t need to worry! Your penis (and testicles) will change a lot during puberty, and this happens earlier for some people and later for others. Also, what is normal varies A LOT and the size of your penis when soft has little to do with what it will be like when hard: you may be a ‘grow-er, not a show-er’! If it’s really bugging you then a chat with your doctor may help reassure you, or they can point you in the right direction if anything does need to be done (which is rare).
3. I was wanking recently and ripped my foreskin. Do I need to see a doctor?
Sounds like you may have got a little carried away and damaged the bit of foreskin that attaches to the underneath of the penis, also called the frenulum (or ‘banjo string’). Although it usually heals by itself (you’ll have to leave your willy alone until it does), it may be a good idea to see someone if the tear is bad, it’s bleeding a lot or it keeps happening.
4. What colour is my semen meant to be – Is it cloudy or clear? Mine is sometimes clear. Is that normal?
What your semen looks like, how it smells and what it tastes like depends on lots of different things… including what you’ve eaten, whether you’re taking any medicines, how hydrated you are, whether you smoke, and whether you’ve got an infection. Semen is usually white/creamy/yellow in colour and being cloudy or clear is normal. If it is bloody or smells bad then get it checked out – you may have an infection.
5. I find it hard to roll back my foreskin, and when I do it gets caught under the head and I panic! What should I do about it?
If you have a foreskin, you should be able to pull it back over the head of the penis relatively easily. However, if it is too tight, it may be difficult to do this or it may hurt – a condition called phimosis. If it’s really tight, it can cause problems with urinating, or get stuck, which means a trip to the doctor. If you’ve pulled it back and you can’t get it to go back at all, try dipping it in cold water or using some lubricant. If that doesn’t work, then go to A&E – you don’t need to panic, but you do need to get it seen to. If your foreskin is too tight and causing problems, you may benefit from an operation (a circumcision) to sort it out.
You can read more reader questions – plus a whole lot more – in the latest issue of aTEEN, out now from pocketmags.com/aTEEN.
