411 For Guys!

Not planning on any upcoming camping trips but wondering why a tent has risen in your pants? Ok guys, so that’s not really a tent in there, you know that.  Rather, it is something you probably have questions about and it is called an ERECTION.  There are probably a ton of questions running through your mind and you are way too embarrassed to ask anyone or get caught searching for the answers.  These may be some of the other questions you have:

• OMG! What is that sticky stuff on my underwear and my sheets? Whoa! Did I just wet myself?
• Why am I suddenly so stinky all the time?  I take 2-3 showers a day and an hour later I am sweating and stinky again.
• How do I stop from being stinky all the time?
• The guys on my team talk about shaving and what is the best type of shaver to use.  I don’t have any facial hair.  Is there something I can do to grow some so I can keep up with the guys?
• How do I know that my penis is a good size?  Am I too small? Am I huge?

If you are a guy, these are probably some of the things you do think about, along with many, many others. You don’t want to ask your dad, or your best friend, or your coach and certainly not your mom. It’d be way too embarrassing and you don’t want them to know that you don’t know the answers.

In a nutshell, all these questions and the many others you may have, are all normal.  So, no need to be too worried.

Let’s start with the tent issue.  You may wake up in the morning and have an erection.  You may be watching a movie and get an erection.  You may be taking a nice leisurely bath and all of a sudden your penis shoots up out of the water like a submarine scope. (This actually probably happens when you are much younger, maybe not.) What the heck is going on?

Guys can start getting erections as early as infancy or as a toddler.  But many usually start having them around age 12 or older. An erection is when the penis becomes hard because the sponge-like tissue in the penis fills up with blood.

The penis will stick out from the body.  You may have also heard this called a hard on or a woody.  This is normal. Erections start at different times for every guy. So, don’t worry if you are 11 and you have your first erection or if you are 17 and have your first one. You will probably experience many erections in your lifetime and not only when you are sexually aroused.

Next on the list

Why does it feel like a water balloon just exploded in my underwear and is all over my sheets? Ahh- you’ve just experienced a wet dream.

The liquid is called semen and is a discharge caused by increased development of a hormone called testosterone- a major male hormone. Wet dreams are completely normal.  Having wet dreams doesn’t mean you think about sex all the time or too much. Again, all a part of going through puberty.

Sprays, deodorant, cologne, soap!

As guys go through puberty many different hormones are changing and increasing.  Your sweat glands go into full gear and sometimes you end up not smelling so great all the time. This is when you can pull in some assistance and back up from soap and water, deodorant, body sprays and cologne.

All in moderation, of course. Not a good idea to use a half a bottle at one time.  This, too, will make people shy away from you.  As you are probably starting to figure out there is usually no happy medium or perfection to this. However, hygiene at this stage is very important! So, always try to do a periodic sniff check throughout the day.

Another part of hygiene is shaving. When a guy develops facial hair is different for every guy. Again, you may start growing facial hair at twelve or not until you are 20.  This is ok.

This is also where you may want to ask for some basic training from your dad, older brother or family member, your grandpa or an adult male you trust.  There are certain guidelines for shaving.  Here are some:

• What type of shaver should I use? Should I use an electric one or a hand held?
• Do I need to use shaving cream and aftershave?
•  What direction do I use the shaver?

As for the last question? You’ll have to stay tuned to see if size really matters.