Too much scrubbing
I am uncircumcised. And I make sure to keep myself clean on a daily basis. But, periodically, my foreskin becomes dry and it gets painful to even retract it past the head to clean it. This pain lasts a few days, and then it's back to normal. What causes this?

Mike

Hi Mike,

The root of your problem may be the very fact that you do clean yourself on a daily basis. Overenthusiastic scrubbing of the penis can strip it of its natural lubricants, particularly if you're using soaps or other chemical agents in doing so.

Although most of us guys give it plenty of attention, the penis really isn't a very demanding organ. As far as hygiene is concerned, regular rinsing with warm water should more than suffice. So if you have been using soap, lay off it for a while, and you should see the problem disappear. If it still hasn't after a couple of weeks, it'll be time for a trip to the urologist.

Donald Zimmer

Off-keel libido
About eight months ago, I was told that I had a micro tumor on my pituitary gland. I went for two MRIs, both of which came back negative. My doctor sent me to a specialist who said that it was probably not a tumor, and that my hormone levels were just off. He then gave me medication to adjust my prolactin and testosterone levels. Since then, I have found that I have had a greater desire for sex, and have been masturbating more often. I was wondering if this is normal?

Dave

Dave,

My instinct here is to think that the medication your specialist prescribed may have overcompensated for your hormonal imbalance. We're not entirely sure why the male pituitary gland produces prolactin, but we do know that when it doesn't produce enough of it, one result is an excessively high libido. This side effect may also account for your doctor's initial misdiagnosis, as insufficient prolactin production shares certain symptoms with pituitary gland tumors.

When coupled with a testosterone imbalance, the libidinal effects of prolactin will obviously be heightened even more. You're best off booking another appointment with your specialist, so he can prescribe you something to help even the hormonal keel again.

Donald Zimmer

Too little, too late?
My girlfriend thinks she might be pregnant. The deed happened about five days ago. What contraceptive items are available to me?

Peter

Hello Peter,

If your girlfriend is correct, and it has in fact been five days since the impregnation, I'm afraid that the clock may have already run out on you. The most popular postcoital contraceptive, the morning after pill, is only effective for up to three days after conception. The insertion of an intrauterine device (IUD) can also remedy an unwanted pregnancy after the fact, but only in the five days after impregnation (five days being the usual period between ovulation and implantation).

That would leave abortion as you and your girlfriend's only remaining alternative, which is obviously quite a big decision. But first things first: Make a trip to your local Planned Parenthood clinic and have a doctor confirm that she is indeed pregnant. Before you begin stressing over the decision, make sure that it's one that actually needs to be made.

Donald Zimmer

Growth limits
At what age is my penis going to stop growing? It is 5.5" right now, so is that the size it will be when I'm older?

Easton

Easton,

Penis growth starts and ends with puberty. For most guys, this means that it starts sometime between the ages of 10 and 14, and usually ends around the time of one's 18th or 19th birthday. Another measuring stick (so to speak) is one's body height; within a year or two of having reached your final height, your penis will have reached its final size.

If you're currently in your late teens, there's a good chance that your penis is already as long as it ever will be, and its growth from hereon in will be restricted to its girth.

Donald Zimmer

Myths of the female orgasm
When my girlfriend and I are in bed, I try everything that I can to please her. And although it is apparent that she is enjoying it, she has told me that she can't have an orgasm. She said that it's her and not me, and that she has never had an orgasm. I would like to know if it is possible that she is unable to have an orgasm or if it is failure on my part.

Justin

Hi Justin,

There is the possibility that your girlfriend is physically incapable of achieving orgasm, but it is a very, very slim one. There was a time when it was popularly accepted that females could go their whole lives without experiencing sexual climax (and if they did, it was considered to be of little consequence). But the forces of science and equal rights have since converged to dispel this myth.

In fact, as recently as 2002, Italian researchers determined that high quantities of a protein called PDE5, which plays a role in sexual functioning, cluster around the G-spot area. This discovery essentially provided the G-spot with something that it had never had before: a scientific basis.

So where does this leave you? Well, it wouldn't be fair to pin the responsibility for her orgasm entirely on your shoulders -- it does take two to tango, after all. Presuming that she isn't one of the rare few who is physically incapable of orgasm, however, the pressure is on a bit now, isn't it?

Fear not, Justin -- you're in the right place! You'll find plenty of ways to help her reach her peak right here.

Donald Zimmer

In bad taste
Whenever I suck on my girlfriend's nipples, I always get a bitter taste in my mouth. I was wondering if this is natural. If it's not, what causes this taste, and how can I change it?

Dave

Dave,

An antibiotic known as Flagyl can endow the nipple with a bitter taste, as can an infectious condition called mastitis. In order for either to occur, however, the nipple in question must belong to a woman who has given birth, as the taste is transmitted by way of breast milk. Your girlfriend needn't have had a child recently in order to produce the milk and its accompanying taste; if a woman has breastfed within the last 20 years or more, it's possible as well.

If your lady has never been through a pregnancy, the conditions listed above are likely not the cause. If that's the case, you may just be dealing with a taste that is unique unto her, just as certain odors are unique to others.

Donald Zimmer