Penis & Testicle Concerns / Question
Published: November 25, 2003
Dear TeenHealthFX,
Firstly let me congratulate you on a fantastic site- I guess I'm not really a teen in as much as I'm 23- but I have probably had a lot less sexual experience than most of your younger readers and I find all of the articles I read here very interesting and accurate. I have, however, 2 questions for you - the first is regarding problems maintaining erection - I have been with my girlfriend (18) for just on 2 months and we love each other madly - we have recently commenced a sexual relationship but I am experiencing difficulties getting and maintaining a full erection - during masturbation I can usually maintain a full erection - however sometimes I have difficulty with this - although I can still ejaculate with a "semi-erection" I'm pretty sure that my problem is just nerves - I get a "semi-erection" pretty easily and I am very attracted to my gf. Is it possible to wear oneself out too much on foreplay - or perhaps do I need more foreplay? The final question is regarding "split foreskin" I recently had a friend ring and inform me he had done so and what did I suggest - I told him I'd never heard of it and to ring a doctor and get it checked out - I asked another friend and they told me that this happens to everyone who hasn't been circumcised - errr - everyone? Yikes - now I'm worried - can you perhaps tell me a little more about this problem.
Signed: Split Foreskin
Dear Split Foreskin,
Thanks for your complement about our site!
In terms of your first question about maintaining an erection, TeenHealthFX wants you to take a deep breath and relax. Experts believe that psychological factors cause 10 to 20 percent of cases of erectile problems, and this is a very common occurrence in teenage boys. These factors can include things like stress, anxiety, guilt, depression, low self-esteem, and fear of sexual failure. You might not even realize that these things are weighing on your mind - but they can still affect your ability to maintain an erection. Some advice is to take more time with foreplay and use your imagination to help you relax. In general, if you have masturbated and held an erection without a problem, your difficulties with your girlfriend are probably related to psychological issues. However, if you have had problems with keeping an erection even during masturbation, you may want to talk to your doctor about it. FX knows that it can be scary to talk to your doctor about these types of issues, but they are used to it and have heard it before. Your doctor will not share this information with anyone and it is important for you to be able to communicate with him/her about these types of issues now and in the future. And, of course, it is important to reinforce the fact that practicing safer sex is a crucial part of having a sexual relationship.
As far as your second question goes, it is definitely possible to split your foreskin during rigorous sexual activity, either masturbation or intercourse, but FX does not think that it happens to every uncircumcised male in this world. In a lot of cases of "split foreskin" the piece of skin that attaches the foreskin to the penis (called the frenulum) rips, and because of the high blood flow the penis receives, this can produce a lot of bleeding. If this happens, it is a good idea for you to see a doctor, as he or she can better assess the situation and provide care if needed.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
About a third of women who seek services related to unprotected sex, such as pregnancy testing or emergency contraception, do not receive STD counseling, testing, or treatment.
