Size concerns, erections, and circumcision
I'm a light-skinned 25-year-old black male, and like most men, I am way too obsessed with my penis.
I have this one dark bump that's on the upper part (the lighter-skinned part) of my shaft. It's not painful in the least, and it is extremely smooth when I rub my finger over it. If I couldn't see it, I wouldn't know it's there. Please help.
Sure – stop looking at it! Problem solved.
I'm 44 and get erections all the time. That's not all bad, I know
– but I even get them when I play with 11-year-old my son. A while back, my wife and I brought the subject out in the open with him, so to speak. I told him that it's something that happens to me, but that he shouldn't worry about it. Although I don't think he does, it bugs me down to my soul. More than anything, I want to feel normal about it. I'm wondering if it's a common thing that guys just don't talk about, or if I'm some kind of a freak who really needs help.
I've read that it can be harmful for a penis to be erect for more than 4 hours without a break.
Is that true? I've done this a few times, and it doesn't feel any different afterward than if I've had an erection for a much shorter time.
I am 15 years old, and my foreskin cannot retract past the head of my penis.
I learned that this condition is called "phimosis." I read that it's a rare condition that can cause serious problems. This scared me to death. I don't want to get circumcised. The inability to retract my foreskin causes me no problems whatsoever; I can masturbate just fine, I have no problem ejaculating or urinating, and I'm sure that when I have sex it will be completely normal and enjoyable. Is it safe to say that I can just leave my penis the way it is, and not consult my doctor?
I had surgery last month for prostate cancer.
It was successful, except for the post-operative erectile dysfunction. Literature indicated that a vacuum pump can be good therapy to help the penis restore an erection. Your site suggested that all pumping has risk, and it sounded like you recommended no pump at all. Is that true?
I'm a 14-year-old uncircumcised male and have been masturbating for about a year.
I have noticed a red line on the underside of my penis that looks like a kind of scar. I have no recollection of any operation on my penis. Is the red line related to masturbation?
I recently learned in health class about a disorder called Peyronie's disease, which is an irregular bend in the penis.
My teacher says one of the causes is masturbation. Is this true?
No, your teacher is wrong – masturbation does not cause Peyronie's disease. The term refers to a buildup of scar tissue in the erectile tissue of the penis, which causes a sharp bend in the penis during erection. It is most commonly caused by trauma, perhaps sustained during an injury, and generally doesn't develop gradually over time.
I am fairly concerned about the shape of my penis.
The base is fine, but at the middle of the shaft, it is thicker. Then it goes back down in thickness at the head. This bothers me, and I want to know if there are any ways to fix this, or to just deal with it.
What is that large, blue vein called that lies on the dorsal (top) side of the penis?
- age 31, Oklahoma
It's actually called the dorsal vein of the penis. Honest.
I am 14 years old, and I have a large, puffy vein on the surface of my penis.
It goes straight and then it curls, and when I am erect, it kind of unravels. I have no problems with it, but I am insecure of the way it looks and of what a girl might think. I am also insecure because I don't know exactly what the vein is. Do you have any idea?
Yes, it's a vein! It's normal! For God's sake, please stop obsessing about the minor anatomical details of your penis!
