Erections
Erections
What is an erection?
As your penis begins to get thicker and longer, you’ll start to have erections. This is when the penis hardens and lengthens and sticks out from the body. This will usually happen when you have romantic or sexual thoughts, or if you masturbate. Or if your girlfriend or boyfriend touches your penis and makes you feel aroused.
During puberty, however, erections can happen more often, sometimes without any stimulation at all. For example, lots of men and boys have erections in the morning when they wake up.
Most erections are not straight, and tend to either curve upwards or to either side. Many boys worry that their penis is smaller than other boys', but most penises are around the same size when erect.
Can everyone get an erection?
Sometimes you may find it difficult to get an erection. Or you may have an erection, but find that your penis does not stay firm long enough for you to be sexually satisfied.
This can be quite common and the main reasons for problems with erections include having too much alcohol to drink, being nervous about a new sexual partner, or being worried about other things your life.
If, however, you find that getting or keeping an erection is happening again and again, you should go and see your doctor to see if you are experiencing Erectile Dysfunction. This is much more common in older men, but can sometimes affect younger men too.
What is Erectile Dysfunction?
When you have an erection, your body releases certain chemicals. These chemicals cause an increased blood supply to flow into the penis.
The blood is not allowed to leave the penis very easily and this is what makes the penis go hard, and keeps it hard so that sex can take place.
If any part of this process is interrupted then a man can find it difficult to get or keep an erection.
If you are worried about getting or keeping an erection, you should go and see your doctor. You might feel a bit embarrassed, but your doctor won’t be embarrassed at all- they will have seen lots of other people with the same problem.
What is a wet dream?
A wet dream happens when a boy becomes sexually aroused while he is asleep. He gets an erection and then ejaculates semen – (the sticky liquid that sperm is part of is released from his body through his penis). Sometimes boys can remember having had a sexual dream. But often they just notice a wet patch on their nightclothes or on the sheets when they wake up.
If you have wet dream, you should always wash around your penis and testicles when you wake up. This is because you could develop an infection if this area of the body is not kept clean. It is a good idea to wash your testicles and penis every day, particularly behind the foreskin (if you have one).
Wet dreams are not something to be embarrassed about; they are natural and happen to lots of people. There is also no need to worry about not getting wet dreams as not everyone does.