Walnuts Appear to Improve Semen Quality in Healthy Men

The daily addition of 75 g of whole-shelled walnuts to a typical Western-style diet appears to have positive effects on the vitality, morphology, and motility of sperm in healthy men, according to the findings of a randomized, parallel, 2-group, dietary intervention trial.
Wendie A. Robbins, PhD, and colleagues from the University of California, Los Angeles, published their findings online August 15 in Biology of Reproduction.
The authors note that despite the connection between food and reproduction throughout history, the evidence of the effects of diet on male fertility is lacking. "Dietary habits and essential nutrients to promote successful reproductive outcomes have been identified for the maternal peri-conceptional and peri-natal period, but healthy dietary habits and essential nutrients for paternal reproductive fitness are less clear," the authors write.
"Evidence is particularly limited for men who routinely consume Western-style diets that may lack optimal nutrients and [polyunsaturated fatty acid] profiles needed for healthy sperm and fertility," they continue.
Via flyers posted on campus, the authors recruited 120 healthy men between the ages of 21 and 35 years who routinely consumed a Western diet, 3 of whom only participated in a pilot trial. After randomly assigning the remaining 117 participants to the control (no dietary supplementation, n = 58) and walnut supplementation (n = 59) groups for a 12-week trial, the authors revealed that sperm vitality (difference after 12 weeks, 5.5% ± 10.0% vs 0.51% ± 7.4% in walnut vs control groups, respectively; P = .003), motility (difference after 12 weeks, 5.7% ± 13.4% vs 0.53% ± 10.4, respectively; P = .009), and morphology (normal forms: difference at 12 weeks, 1.1% ± 2.7% vs 0.1 ± 2.3, respectively; P = .03) were significantly improved in the walnut group compared with the control group.
The authors excluded men with known food allergies, histories of reproductive disorders or vasectomies, current smoking habits, or current usage of antioxidant supplements, medications for chronic illnesses, or illicit drugs.
In addition, serum omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid levels were significantly improved in the walnut group after 12 weeks (P = .0007 and .0004, respectively), although no differences were observed in sperm fatty acid levels after 12 weeks of walnut supplementation.
The prevalence of sex chromosome disomy and sperm missing a sex chromosome were significantly lower in the walnut group after 12 weeks of supplementation (P = .002 and .01, respectively). Sperm α-linolenic acid levels were inversely correlated with the proportion of sperm missing a sex chromosome (Spearman correlation coefficient, −0.41; P = .002)
No differences were observed between the baseline characteristics of the control and walnut groups, excluding lower follicle-stimulating hormone levels in the walnut group (P = .04). The limitations of the study included the collection of blood samples only during daytime, preventing evaluation of the effects of diurnal variations in sex hormone levels.

Would Sperm Improvements From Walnuts Persist for Infertile Men?
The authors noted that this study could not clarify whether the effects observed in healthy adults will be applicable to those with fertility issues. "Whether adding walnuts to the diet will go beyond the shifts in sperm parameters as seen in this study to improving birth outcomes for men within fertility clinic populations or in the general population is not yet known and will require further research," the authors write.
Dolores Lamb, PhD, director of the Center for Reproductive Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, and current president of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, noted that walnut supplementation may represent a useful strategy for some men with fertility problems.
"Importantly, if indeed subsequent studies show improvement in fertility potential, this is a simple dietary intervention that could be easily recommended for men with sperm deficiencies caused by poor viability, poor morphology (for some specific defects), and lowered motility," Dr. Lamb told Medscape Medical News by email.
"While there is no doubt that many men with abnormal morphology, vitality, or motility would not be helped by this intervention because of the clearly multifactorial basis of male infertility, nevertheless, if a subset of infertile men can be helped, this would be a positive advance," she concluded.
This study was funded through a grant from the California Walnut Commission. Dr. Lamb has received grant support from the National Institutes of Health and from the William and Ella Owens Medical Research Foundation.

Penis Size & Different Types

Most men have no idea of how big -- or small -- their engines really are. In fact, the average man thinks that his penis is below average. So AskMen decided to help shed some light into the whole average penis size mystery.

Every man is unique in his own way, including his penis size. Some men are long and thin, while others are wide and short, and some lucky ones -- according to some women -- are both long and large. But how do you know where do you stand? How do you compare to the average man?

And the average size is...

Take a few minutes in the bathroom to look at what you've got. Is it wide? Long? Short? Don't compare yourself by checking out what the guys in the gym locker room have, as it is quite useless. Instead, take a measuring tape and calculate the length, girth, and erection angle of your penis.

After you measured yourself, you can compare your answers with the averages compiled from a recent study in the U.S.:

The Erectus Lengthus: The maximum length of the penis achieved through the state of arousal and excitement. The average size measured from the base of the shaft to the tip is 5.8 inches.

The Maximus Girthus: While still in an erect state, wrap a tape measure around the base of the penis. The average is 5 inches around or 1.6 inches in diameter.

The Erectus Angle: While still in an erect state, stand with your back leaning against a wall and estimate your angle. A 180-degree angle points directly up at your chin; a 90-degree angle would point directly in front of you; and a zero degree angle would point directly down out your feet. The average angle is 106.8 degrees.

The Flacidus Lengthus: Measure immediately after undressing, you don't want cold or warm air from the room to distort your measurement, as shrinkage or expansion may occur. The average length is 3.43 inches.

Does size matter?

This is probably one of the most frequently asked questions around the world, and that's too bad, because it's really a pointless question. Penis size is important if and only if you think it is. If a woman desires a large penis, then penis size is important to her, and only to her. If you feel your penis should be larger, then penis size is important to you, and only to you. But size is only part of what physically stimulates a woman during sex.

Many women report that too many men are hung up on the size of their penises. The vagina is only about five inches long, and even a small penis can touch every square centimeter within the vagina. The secret to pleasing and impressing a woman sexually has nothing to do with penis size. Instead, concentrate on the movements, and rhythms of your thrusts. Most women will agree that penis size is not enough to please them. So stop worrying about your penis size and concentrate on your technique.

THE LONG AND THE SHORT: According to the Kinsey Institute, the biggest erect penis on record measures 13 inches. The smallest tops off at 1 and 3/4 inches.           

Sex: Fact and Fiction

If there were a roll call for the founding fathers of sex myths for men, a couple of no-brainers would surely make the list: porn legend John Holmes, whose yule-log-size penis still casts a shadow over anxiety-prone males. Ditto NBA-great Wilt Chamberlain, whose claim of having slept with 20,000 women makes Don Juan look monastic.

And then there's purveyor-of-sex-myths Walt Disney.

"I think Walt Disney creates a lot of mythology," says Seth Prosterman, PhD, a clinical sexologist and licensed marriage and family therapist practicing in San Francisco. "In Disney movies, people fall in love and walk into the sunset, and you get this myth that intimacy is a given once you fall in love, and sexuality is natural and follows that."

In reality, says Prosterman, "Sex is something that we learn throughout a lifetime."
If sexuality is a continuing education, a lot of us are scrambling to make up course credits. And in a realm that's clouded by ego, myth and advertising that preys on anxieties, getting the facts about sex can be difficult. What is the average size of the male penis? How long do most men last during intercourse? Can men have multiple orgasms? Does the G-spot exist, and if so, how do I find it?

Penis Size: The Hard Facts
"Drastically enlarge the penis length and width to sizes previously thought impossible!" reads a website for the Penis Enlargement Patch. (One envisions a lab-coated mad scientist pouring chemicals on his own penis, then shouting "Eureka!" and phoning the Guinness Book.) Almost anyone with an email account has been deluged by spam for such miracle-growth patches and pills, and the endurance of sex myths may explain the pervasiveness of such ads.
"We equate masculinity and power with penis size," says Ira Sharlip, MD, clinical professor of urology at the University of California at San Francisco and president of the International Society for Sexual Medicine. "Of course, there's really no relationship." Still, Sharlip says, "all" of his patients want to increase their penis size.
The idea that bigger is better is "not just total mythology," says Seth Prosterman, who has counseled couples since 1984 and notes that some of the women he's worked with do prefer a bigger penis -- aesthetically or "fit-wise." But, he adds, "For the vast majority of partners, penis size doesn't matter."
So what, exactly, constitutes a big penis? Let's whip out some data:

• The average penis size is between five and six inches. That's for an erect penis.
• The flaccid male organ averages around three and a half inches.

Sex Fact: We Are Not Our Penises

If you had an anxiety hiccup before you read the "erect" qualifier, consider it a metaphor for the danger of jumping to conclusions about penis size -- or about the primacy of the penis altogether.
"The idea that the penis is the most important part of your body underlies so many of men's sexual problems," says Cory Silverberg, a sexual health educator and founding member of Come As You Are, an education-based sex store in Toronto. "One of the biggest sex myths for men is the notion that we are our penises, and that's all that counts in terms of sex."
"It's a myth that using the penis is the main way to pleasure a woman," says Ian Kerner, PhD, a sex and relationships counselor in New York City whose book She Comes First offers a guide to "female orgasms and producing them through inspired oral techniques." In his book, Kerner cites a study that reports women reaching orgasm about 25% of the time with intercourse, compared with 81% of the time during oral sex.

OK, OK, Size Isn't Important. But How Can I Increase My Penis Size?
Despite the facts, the din of penis-enlargement marketing only seems to grow louder. ("Realize total and absolute power and domination in bed with your partner, with your new-found penis size and sexual performance" screams the ad for the Penis Enlargement Patch.) Men keep chasing after the mythical, mammoth-sized member.
Silverberg says male clients at his store, and in his counseling work, constantly ask him about penis pumps, whose powers of elongation, he says, are a "myth," although he adds that some men who've used them report satisfaction, a phenomenon he explains this way: "I think spending more time paying attention to our genitals will probably increase our sexual health."

Just the Facts on the G-Spot

If sex myths have such power over men's thinking about their own anatomy, they have even more sway when it comes to female partners' bodies -- especially the much-debated G-spot.
Named after a German doctor, Ernst Gräfenberg, who first wrote about an erogenous zone in the anterior vaginal wall, the G-spot was popularized by a 1982 book called ... The G-spot. This region behind the pubic bone is often credited as the trigger for a vaginal (vs. clitoral) orgasm, and even a catalyst for female ejaculation.
At the same time, the G-spot is commonly derided as perpetuating the myth ensconced by Sigmund Freud -- namely, that the clitoral orgasm is a "lesser" form of climax than the vaginal orgasm, which requires penile penetration. As Ian Kerner summarizes, "In Freud's view, there were no two ways about it: If a woman couldn't be satisfied by penetrative sex, something must be wrong with her."
The G-spot's existence is still debated, and whether it's fact or fiction depends on whom you ask.

"The G-spot exists," says Seth Prosterman. "It's a source of powerful orgasm for a percentage of women."
"I don't think the G-spot exists," says Ira Sharlip. "As urologists, we operate in that area [where the G-spot should be] and there just isn't anything there -- there's no anatomical structure that's there."
Prosterman and others point out the importance of thinking of the G-spot in context -- that it may be an extension of the clitoral anatomy, which extends back into the vaginal canal. Kerner writes that the G-spot may be "nothing more than the roots of the clitoris crisscrossing the urethral sponge."
Helen O'Connell, MD, head of the neurourology and continence unit at the Royal Melbourne Hospital Department of Urology in Australia, says, "The G-spot has a lot in common with Freud's idea of vaginal orgasms. It is a sexual concept, this time anatomical, that results in confusion and has resulted in the misconception that female sexuality is extremely complex."
In the end, whether this debated locus of pleasure is fact or fiction may not matter that much. O'Connell, who is also co-author of a 2005 Journal of Urology study on the anatomy of the clitoris, says that focusing on the G-spot to the exclusion of the rest of a woman's body is "a bit like stimulating a guy's testicles without touching the penis and expecting an orgasm to occur just because love is present." She says focusing on the inside of the vagina to the exclusion of the clitoris is "unlikely to bring about orgasm. It is best to think of the clitoris, urethra, and vagina as one unit because they are intimately related."

How Long, Part 2: How Premature Is Premature Ejaculation?
The possibilities for exploring a woman's erogenous zones may be tremendously exciting -- which leads to another source of sex myth and male anxiety: How long can I last? And how long should I be able to last?
Premature ejaculation is "the most common form of sexual dysfunction in younger men" according to Ira Sharlip, and its prevalence is around 20% to 30% in men of all ages.
The medical method of determining premature ejaculation is called "intravaginal ejaculatory latency time" (IELT), a stopwatch-timed duration measured from the beginning of vaginal penetration until ejaculation occurs. However, Sharlip adds, this quantitative measure doesn't tell the whole story: "There are men who ejaculate within a minute but say that they don't have premature ejaculation. And then on other end of spectrum, there are patients who are able to last for 20 minutes, and they say they do have premature ejaculation."
In other words, the definition of "premature" may be largely in the eye (or mind) of the beholder, and depends on a man's sexual satisfaction and his perception of his ability to control when ejaculation occurs.

If you just can't wait for the numbers, though, a study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found "a median IELT of 5.4 minutes."
Ian Kerner says a common cutoff time used to define premature ejaculation is two minutes, but he adds that many of the men he works with "are not guys who can last a few minutes; they're having orgasms during foreplay, or immediately upon penetrating. They have a hard time lasting past 30 seconds."
But a quick trigger is normal, says Kerner. "Men were wired to ejaculate quickly -- and stressful situations make them ejaculate even more quickly. It's been important to the human race. If guys took an hour to ejaculate, we'd be a much smaller planet."
Sex therapists and physicians offer a number of techniques that can help men manage their anxiety and prolong their time to ejaculation. Several drugs -- like some antidepressants and topical creams -- have been prescribed by doctors to extend time to ejaculation.
And, contrary to the common perception that distraction or decreasing stimulation is the answer (slow down, think about baseball), some say that giving in to sensation can help address the issue as well. "The way to learn [to last longer] is by getting used to intense stimulation," says Prosterman, "to increase the frequency of intercourse, and feel every sensation of being inside your partner and enjoy it."

Come Again? The Mythical Multiple Orgasm for Men

While multiple male orgasm is possible anywhere two or more men are gathered and talking, actual male multiple orgasm is another story. Unlike the more established phenomenon of female multiple orgasm, men's claims of successive climaxes can stray into the realm of sex myth. At the very least, male multiple orgasm is difficult to verify and may depend on the definition of orgasm.
Prosterman says that the book The Multi-Orgasmic Man popularized "an Eastern meditative process that involves wrapping the PC [pubococcygeus] muscle around the prostate. There's a valve on the prostate that switches on and off before urination and ejaculation. The PC muscle stops this valve from opening, allowing an orgasm without ejaculation. The idea is to keep doing that five or six times in a row.
"Out of hundreds of guys I know who've tried this," says Prosterman, "I know only one who's been able to do it."
Is this man Mr. Lucky, or just prone to poetic license?
A 1989 study in the Archives of Sexual Behavior recorded the testimony of 21 other men who claimed to be multi-orgasmic, but Ira Sharlip says "that doesn't happen," referring to the phenomenon of "multiple orgasms in succession over a short period of time -- like minutes." And there's no such thing as separating ejaculation and orgasm, he says.

Orgasm or Orgasm-esque?
What may be at issue here is the definition of orgasm -- which, according to a 2001 Clinical Psychology Review article, has been strikingly inconsistent. "Many definitions of orgasm "depict orgasm quantitatively as a 'peak' state that may not differentiate orgasm adequately from a high state of sexual arousal," the study's authors wrote.
In other words, those men who report multiple orgasms may be able to achieve orgasm-esque states before they hit the point of ejaculatory no-return. And many men report that strengthening the PC muscles through Kegel exercises allows them to edge closer to this "point of inevitability" without cresting the mountaintop of ejaculation and descending into the gentle valley of the flaccid and the "refractory" period, where the penis is temporarily unresponsive to sexual stimulation.
This refractory period -- commonly 30 minutes or more -- is an unfortunate reality. While you're "waiting," spending that time caressing, kissing, massaging, and nuzzling isn't so bad. If you are trying to have a second round because your partner wants it, keep sex toys in mind.
And if that recovery period isn't super quick, you can still enjoy multiple orgasms -- you may just need to cancel your afternoon appointments.

Sex Fact: It's Not Always about the Numbers
In the end, there seems to be a recurring theme in moving beyond sex myths: Don't get too hung up on the numbers.
So often the key to sexual satisfaction is not about penis size, stamina records, or a technical isolation of the G-spot. Rather, it's about understanding yourself and your partner's desires and recognizing that, unlike those Disney characters, real people aren't born with a perfect, divinely granted understanding of sex.
As O'Connell remarks on the perils of over-privileging of the G-spot, "It is best for partners to explore the precise areas that turn someone on and how a partner likes to be given pleasure. That applies to both men and women, and the idea that there is any consistent 'magic spot' in either sex is just tyrannical."

Condoms: A Virtual Orgy of Sizes, Shapes, and Tastes

A Condom to Suit Your Taste

These days, condoms are available in a virtual orgy of shapes, sizes, textures, and even flavors. "So, you say the taste of latex got you down?" the condom wizard asks when I inquire. "Hungry for a savory, succulent love pop?" For those with a taste for such things, condoms now come in grape, cola, banana, and even cherry flavor.
There are condoms treated with spermicide and others with a lubricant that supposedly prolongs sexual pleasure and prevents premature ejaculation. There are extra-strength condoms, made of slightly thicker latex "for those rough and tumble moments," the wizard explains (wink, wink). Word has it a German company is even developing a spray condom. To don this puppy, apparently, you slip your erect penis into a sort of can, which sprays latex from all sides. No word on when spray condoms will be available.

How Effective Are Condoms?Playfulness aside, using a condom if you're sexually active can be a matter of life and death. As part of safe sex, condoms have been shown to protect against HIV/AIDS, as well as a variety of other sexually transmitted diseases, including hepatitis B, gonorrhea, syphilis, and the virus that cause genital warts. They are also effective at preventing unwanted pregnancies, of course.
How effective? That's surprisingly hard to say, acknowledges Markus Steiner, PhD, MSPH, an epidemiologist at Family Health International and contributor of a chapter on condoms in the textbook Contraceptive Technology.
"Condoms only work if they are used consistently and correctly, and that's something that's very difficult to study in people," says Steiner. Studies estimate that of 100 couples using condoms consistently and correctly, 2% would become pregnant during the first year of use. In real life, however, people and condoms slip. The actual rate of unintended pregnancy among couples using condoms for contraception is closer to15%.
What about sexually transmitted diseases? Again, condoms only work if they are used properly and consistently. When they are, though, they can dramatically reduce the risk of serious infections. Health experts credit the widespread use of condoms for reining in the HIV/AIDS epidemic in many parts of the world. Some studies show that condoms are more than 90% effective at preventing HIV transmission.
10 Tips for the Best Condom Protection
Condoms would be even more effective if they were always used correctly. This is particularly an issue in teen condom use. What goes wrong? Dumb things, mostly. Not using a condom every time sexual intercourse occurs is the most common problem, according to Steiner. Another problem: failure to use condoms throughout intercourse. In recent surveys, some men admit to donning condoms well into intercourse or removing them prior to ejaculation. (How dumb is that?) The culprit most people blame --condom slippage or breakage -- is actually quite rare, according to Steiner, occurring only about 2%of the time.
Counting on a condom to protect you from sexually transmitted diseases or preventing unwanted pregnancy? Here are 10 tips:

• Store condoms in a cool and dry place out of sunlight. Your wallet's fine for the weekend, but don't depend on a rubber you tucked away a year ago.
• Check the expiration date. (Yes, condoms usually do have expiration dates, marked "exp.") If yours has expired, toss it.
• Don't reuse condoms. (Come on, guys, there are other ways to save money). Use a new condom if you switch from vaginal sex to anal sex, and vice versa.
• For latex condoms, use only water-based lubricants (K-Y and Astroglide, for instance). Don't depend on natural skin or lambskin condoms to protect against STDs. They have small pores that may allow HIV, herpes simplex virus, and hepatitis B virus to pass through.
• If you're sensitive or allergic to latex, try a synthetic condom (usually made of polyurethane). These typically have a longer shelf life and can be used with both water- and oil-based lubricants. The downside: The ability of synthetics to fully protect against STDs hasn't been proved.
• Avoid condoms with spermicide. These are no more effective than plain condoms at preventing pregnancy, and they have a shorter shelf life. What's more, they can cause irritation that may actually facilitate transmission of STDs, including HIV. Make donning of a condom part of the pleasure of foreplay. That way you're less likely to lose your erection.
• Over too soon? Try a brand of desensitizing condoms, which are lined with benzocaine to slightly dampen skin sensitivity and prevent premature ejaculation.

Whatever you choose, remember the old Boy Scout motto and be prepared. The worst condom failure is not having one when you really need one

Shaving Tips for Beginners

Guys, now that you’re hitting puberty, you might notice your facial hair starting to come in. You’ll also start seeing hair grow in places that you’ve never seen hair before -- under your armpits, around your groin, on your belly, and on your chest (maybe even on your back). All the extra hair is the result of hormones called androgens, which kick in at puberty.
Unless you’re the "mountain man" type, it’s probably time to consider shaving your face. In our society, shaving with a razor is the most common way of removing facial hair.Here are some shaving tips just for teen guys:

Shaving Tip 1: When to Start Shaving

First, talk to some men in your family -- perhaps your father, or an older brother who has already started shaving -- and ask them if you are ready. You should start shaving when you decide that you have enough hair growth on your face to actually shave off. You'll notice darker hairs forming on your chin and around your upper lip.

Shaving Tip 2: What Type of Razor to Use

You need to find a razor that is safe and that works well for you. Get your dad, mom, or older sibling to take you to a drugstore or discount store. You’ll find two popular types of razors: electric and manual. An electric razor usually has a cord attached, although many "electric" razors come in a rechargeable, cordless design. A disposable razor usually has several blades stacked one on top of the other, which can provide you with a very clean shave. Here are some details about each type:

• Electric razors. Electric razors are convenient. But many models do not shave as close as the disposable razors. If you select an electric razor, choose one that has flexible heads to conform to the contours of your face. Some electric razors dispense lubricants that help soften and protect your skin. But be aware that even when you use an electric razor, it can still irritate your skin. Take time and find one that’s right for you.
• Disposable razors. If you choose a disposable razor, you will also need some type of shaving cream or gel to apply to your face before shaving. These creams and gels help lubricate your face and help reduce the risk of nicking or cutting your skin. There are many creams and gels to choose from. Some even include moisturizers and vitamins to help keep your face from drying out. Experiment with several creams and gels to find the one that’s right for your face.

Shaving Tip 3: Avoid Cuts

Truth is, you’ll probably cut your face a few times when you first start shaving (every guy cuts his face at some time). But here are some safety tips on shaving with a disposable or safety razor:

1. The best time to shave is after taking a warm bath or shower to make sure your skin is hydrated and soft.
2. At the bathroom sink, splash warm water on your face to stimulate your skin before applying shaving cream or gel. This will make it easier for the razor to make contact because the hairs will stick out some.
3. Lather up! Apply shaving cream or gel (without alcohol) on your face. The shaving cream or gel produces "lather," which helps protect the skin as the razor cuts the hair.
4. Go with the grain of your hair, not against it. For most guys, whiskers on the face grow "down." So shaving downward on the face removes most of the hair. Shaving against the grain (or upward) can cause rashes or red bumps.
5. Don’t rush. It’s very important to shave slowly and gently. Let the razor blade do the work.
6. Don’t push down too hard with the razor. If you do, you're likely to cut your face. It’s better to go over a part of the skin twice -- lightly -- than to press down hard. Ouch!
7. Use soft, short strokes on your jaw and chin. Again, don’t apply too much pressure.
8. Ask your mom or dad to get you an antiseptic styptic pencil. To use: dip the white pencil in water and then apply it to any nicks or cuts to stop bleeding immediately.
9. Change razors or blades frequently. A dull blade can irritate your skin and cause rashes. You are also more likely to cut your face with a dull blade.
10. After shaving, wash your face with soap and water. Then follow up your shave with a face lotion or moisturizing aftershave product. This will help prevent your skin from drying out. If you’re heading outside, be sure to apply sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 (higher if you have fair skin).

Despite what you might have heard, shaving daily does not make the hair grow back thicker. But if you have ultrasensitive skin, you might be prone to folliculitis, a bacterial infection, or irritation from the shaving process. This can lead to scarring, so use caution.
Unless you have very thick facial hair, you don’t have to shave every day when you first start shaving. Try to shave the darker hairs that are starting to come in, and wait for the full-face shave. There will be plenty of time for daily shaving when you’re an older teen or young adult.
As you get older, your hair will start to come in much faster, requiring you to shave frequently. Guys who get thick stubble, producing a "shadow" of newer hair growth, often prefer shaving more than once a day.
Remember, everyone is different. Genetics play a big role in how much hair you have. You may know some guys who barely have any facial hair. Maybe they have what’s called “peach fuzz," or light, fine hair all over their face. Likewise, there are many teens who can grow a full beard early in their high school years.
If you do have excess body hair on your back or other areas that you want to get rid of, talk to your health care provider. There are processes such as waxing that can remove unwanted hair.

Grooming Tips for Teen Guys

So guys,when it comes to grooming there are few points that you simply can not ignore.
Although those are simple,they tend to be get fogotten by many.

Good Breath

Good news for teenagers with bad breath: It's usually caused by bacteria in your mouth. Doesn’t sound like good news?  It is, because it means you can take some simple steps to improve your breath. Brush your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes each time.  Floss daily to rid your mouth of the bits of food that attract bacteria between teeth.  Also brush your tongue to remove the bacteria that gather there. You may also choose to use an antiseptic mouthwash.

If none of this works, your bad breath may be caused by something other than bacteria. See your doctor to rule out any medical problems.

The chewing process can help stimulate saliva, which keeps your mouth cleaner.  Chewing sugarless gum helps stimulate saliva, while chewing celery, carrots or other crunchy vegetables also can help clear away loose food particles as well as stimulating your salivary glands.

For a Better shave

Shave in the same direction that your hair grows to avoid irritation and get a closer, smoother shave.  Other tips for a smoother shave: Wet your face before you shave with hot or warm water or shave immediately after you shower; shave the smoother parts first, then come back to concentrate on the trickier areas, such as your upper lip, chin, and neck; and use shaving gel.

Shaving has no effect on the rate of a hair's growth, and it doesn't make hair grow back any thicker.  However, it can sometimes make hair appear to be thicker because shaving cuts the hair shaft at a blunt edge. This gives hair a more course appearance and makes regrowth more obvious.

Against Acne

Benzoyl peroxide, one of the most common over-the-counter medicines for acne, is often very effective.  Other helpful ingredients found in many over-the-counter products include salicylic acid, alpha-hydroxy acids, resorcinol, and sulfur.  If none of these works, see a dermatologist.
 
Beware the many myths about acne: Chocolate and greasy foods don’t cause it, and sunlight can't clear it up. 
Your hair's oils are important for your hair, but they can be a problem for your skin.  Shampooing daily can reduce the likelihood that hair oils will be transferred to your face, where they can clog pores and contribute to acne.
Home surgery is not recommended for pimples.  Squeezing, popping, or lancing a blemish risks pushing the infected material deeper into your skin -- which could create an even bigger eyesore, create a more serious infection, and possibly cause permanent scarring or discoloration of the skin.  Stick to recommended medications or see a dermatologist.
Dermatologists caution acne patients against using products that can irritate the skin -- including ordinary astringents, toners, and exfoliators that contain scrubbing particles.  Instead, simply wash your face twice a day with soap and warm water or use a product containing an ingredient used to treat acne, such as benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid.

Body odor

The best way to prevent body odor is to bathe or shower every day to wash away the bacteria that are the source of most body odor.  Antiperspirants can help cut down on body odor by blocking or drying up your perspiration, and deodorants and colognes can help cover up your body odor with another fragrance.  But there's no substitute for daily showers or baths.

Hormones kick in at puberty that stimulate your sweat glands to produce more perspiration.  Because you sweat more, your skin attracts more of the bacteria that cause most body odor.

Jock Itch

Jock itch is caused by a fungus, called tinea, that thrives in damp, dirty environments. Your best defense is to shower or bathe regularly, making sure to dry yourself off completely.
 
Tinea, sometimes known as ringworm (though it isn't a worm), is the same fungus that causes athlete's foot. Athlete’s foot is commonly accompanied by jock itch and fungal infection of the nails.  Any step you take to avoid athlete's foot, such as wearing sandals in public bathing areas, where the fungus may have been left behind by someone else, also can help prevent jock itch.

Dandruff

You can't "catch" dandruff from sharing a comb or a brush.  Dandruff  is really a catch-all term referring to flakes of skin that are shed from your scalp. It can have many causes, but none of them is contagious.  In teens, it often results from a skin condition called seborrheic dermatitis, or seborrhea. Most causes of dandruff usually respond to treatment with over-the-counter dandruff shampoos.  More severe cases may require a prescription.

Hair care

The very end or tip of a hair shaft is prone to damage and splitting -- so-called "split ends."  Blow-drying or too-frequent brushing or combing can actually cause this damage.  But regular haircuts rid your hair of the damaged tip, leaving your hair looking healthier.

Trimming Nails

Ingrown toenails can be caused by ill-fitting shoes or toe injuries, but they are most commonly the consequence of a nail that has been trimmed too close to the skin.  This allows the skin to cover the nail, and when the nail grows back, it grows back under the skin.
 
To avoid ingrown toenails, avoid trimming your nails too close to the skin and keep them trimmed in a straight line across the toe rather than rounded at the edges.  This reduces the chance they will grow back ingrown.

Manage your stress

Stress can be the enemy of your appearance in many ways.  It's been shown to cause flare-ups of both dandruff and eczema, a common skin problem marked itchy and inflamed skin. While stress doesn't "cause" acne, it can make it worse.  Overall, stress makes it more challenging to maintain good grooming.  If you're a teenager, you face plenty of stress and you have a lifetime of stress ahead of you. If you start learning stress reduction techniques now, you'll not only feel better, you'll look better.

How to Use a Condom

As we all know condoms are both contraceptive and protective against sexually transmitted diseases.
They are widely available and easy to use.But there are few points that you should keep in mind before you are going to use it properly.

Condoms go by many different names. Your health teacher calls them "prophylactics." Your friends may say "rubbers."

No matter what you call them, condoms have the same purpose. They prevent STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) and they prevent pregnancy. That's why you need to wear one every single time you have sex.

Condoms are a good birth control option because they're cheap, easy to get, and you don't have to plan ahead to use them. That's probably why more teens use condoms than any other type of birth control.
Not sure how to use a condom, or exactly how it will protect you? Read through these FAQs.

Are condoms effective at preventing STDs?

Wearing a condom doesn't guarantee that you won't catch an STD. Not having sex is the only way to be 100% sure you won't get a disease.
But if you wear a condom every time you have sex, you will greatly reduce your risk of getting an STD.
Condoms are very effective at preventing STDs like gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, and HIV (the virus that causes AIDS). These are serious diseases, so you need to protect yourself!

Are condoms good at preventing pregnancy?

Yes, condoms are very good at preventing pregnancy. They're effective about 85% of the time. That means for every 100 people who have sex using just a condom, 15 will have an accidental pregnancy. The only way to prevent a pregnancy 100% of the time is to not have sex.

What kind of condom is best for preventing STDs?

There are many different types of condoms. Look at the condom display at your local drugstore. You'll see latex condoms, lambskin condoms, and polyurethane condoms. There are ribbed condoms, colored condoms, and even flavored condoms.
It doesn't really matter which texture or color condom you choose. Pick the one you like best.
However, the type of material used to make the condom is important. A condom made from latex is your best bet for preventing STDs. Lambskin and other animal skin condoms don't protect as well.
If you're allergic to latex, you can use a condom made from polyurethane. It's also good at preventing STDs.
Doctors used to think that condoms coated with a sperm-killing chemical (spermicide) protected better against STDs. Now they think it may not help against STDs. It may actually make it a little easier to get HIV. You're better off using a condom that does not contain a spermicide.

Where can I buy condoms?

You can buy condoms at your local drugstore,pharmacy or supermarket. You don't need to be a certain age to buy condoms.

How do I use a condom?

If you are sexually active, keep a few condoms with you so you'll always have one when you need it. Put on a new condom every single time you have sex.

Use a condom when you have vaginal, oral, or anal sex. Put on a different condom for each type of sex you have.

Keep the condom on the whole time you're having sex. Don't take it off at any point. If it breaks, stop and replace it right away.

How do I put on a condom?

For a condom to protect you and your partner, you need to use it right. Otherwise, it might break.

• Make sure the condom is in good condition. It shouldn't be torn. Look at the date on the package to make sure it hasn't expired.
• Start by putting the condom on the tip of your erect penis. The rolled side should be facing out. If you are not circumcised, pull your foreskin back before putting on the condom.
• Leave a half-inch of space at the tip where the semen can collect when you ejaculate. This helps prevent the condom from breaking. Some condoms have reservoir tips that leave the space for you.
• Holding the tip of the condom, roll the condom all the way to the bottom of your penis.
• Use enough lubrication so the condom doesn't break. You can use a water-based lubricant, such as K-Y Jelly or Astroglide. Don't use an oil-based lubricant such as Vaseline, body lotion, baby oil, or massage oil because it can weaken the latex and cause the condom to break.

How do I take off a condom?

Taking the condom off the right way is just as important as putting it on the right way. You don't want any of your semen coming in contact with your partner, even after you have sex.
To take off the condom after ejaculating:

• Before your penis gets soft, grab the rim of the condom.
• Gently pull out from your partner.
• Slide the condom off your penis, making sure you don't spill any semen.
• Wrap the condom in a tissue and throw it away in a place where other people won't touch it.

What if the condom breaks while I'm having sex?

If your condom breaks, stop having sex right away and pull out. Remove the broken condom and put on a new one.

Wet Dreams

Have you ever woken up to find a wet, sticky spot on your underwear or PJs? At first you may have worried that you wet the bed. But if you're going through or have already gone through puberty, you probably had a wet dream.

Doctors call wet dreams "nocturnal emissions." Nocturnal means "at night." Emission is another way to say release.

Wonder what wet dreams are and why you have them? Here are the answers to frequently asked questions that teens have about wet dreams.

What are wet dreams?

A wet dream is when you ejaculate while you're asleep. Ejaculate means to release semen (the fluid that contains sperm) from your penis. Usually a wet dream happens while you're having a dream about sex. You may or may not remember the dream.
You don't have to masturbate to have a wet dream. You can ejaculate without touching your penis.

What causes wet dreams?

When you go through puberty, your body starts producing the male hormone testosterone. Once your body makes testosterone, it can release sperm. This means you'll be able to fertilize an egg if you decide to have a baby in the future. It also means you can get a girl pregnant if you have sex.

During puberty, you'll start having erections at all different times of the day -- in school, while you watch TV, in the shower. You can even have an erection while you sleep.
Semen can build up inside your body. One way that semen gets released is with a wet dream.

Is there something wrong with me because I'm having frequent wet dreams?

Wet dreams are a normal part of growing up. There's nothing you can do to control or stop wet dreams.
Even if you have a lot of wet dreams it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you. Some guys have wet dreams a few times a week. Others may only have a couple of wet dreams during their entire life.
Once you start releasing sperm by masturbating or having sex with a partner, you may have fewer wet dreams.

Does everyone have wet dreams?

You have to go through puberty and your testes need to be able to produce sperm to have a wet dream. Wet dreams during puberty are very common.

Is there something wrong with me if I don't have wet dreams?

Not every teenage boy has wet dreams. The fact you don't have wet dreams doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you.

Do girls have wet dreams?

Although girls can't ejaculate, they can have an orgasm during a dream. Girls don't have wet dreams as often as boys, though.

What should I do if I have a wet dream?

When you wake up, clean yourself. Leaving that sticky sperm on your body could lead to an infection. Wash your penis and testicles with soap and water, including the area underneath your foreskin if you aren't circumcised.
If you feel guilty or uncomfortable about having wet dreams -- or about a certain wet dream that you had -- talk to someone. Sit down with a doctor, parent, counselor, or another adult or friend you trust.

Puberty in Guys

Puberty is the trasition ffrom childhood to the adulthood.There are many physical as well as psychological changes that boys experience as they go through puberty.Sometimes those may be challenging experiences and proper understanding about htem is a vital thing.

Usually, the first sign of puberty is your testes get bigger at about age 11 or 12. You get pubic hair at about 12, and your penis starts getting bigger at around 13. At 13 or 14, guys' voices begin to change, your muscles get bigger, and you start to grow underarm hair. About the same time, there's a growth spurt. Finally, at about 15 or 16, most guys begin to get facial hair. But everyone's different, so some guys go through these stages slightly earlier and some go through them later.

Acne during puberty is worse in guys than girls.
Acne is a normal part of puberty. The body produces hormones that make your face more oily, and that causes pimples. Oil glands in the face are usually more active in guys than girls, so your acne can be worse.
 
You can't stop it from happening, but you can cut down on breakouts by washing your face twice a day; tougher cases may need over-the-counter or prescription medication.

Guys' breasts may grow during puberty. It’s caused by hormones and usually goes away on its own. Also, your nipples may be more sensitive,sore or temporarily swollen.

The growth spurt for guys happens about two years after puberty starts. You'll grow an average of about 4 inches a year. The legs grow first, before your body. Your hands and feet grow before your arms and legs get longer. A burst in shoe size is a sign the growth spurt is about to start. About 25% of your lifetime growth in height happens during puberty.

Both guys and girls need more sleep during puberty -- a little more than 9 hours every night. Even though you need more sleep, teens often get less than they did as kids.

Puberty usually starts about one year later in guys than in girls. Getting taller is a common sign of puberty. If you're in middle school or junior high, girl classmates may suddenly get taller than you. That's because girls start getting taller around age 9, guys around age 11 with a growth spurt at 13 or 14.

Most guys in puberty start making sperm, which means they could father a child. The exact timing of sperm production can’t be pinpointed, but as puberty progresses sperm count goes up.

The part of the brain called the hypothalamus starts the ball rolling by secreting hormones that trigger the testes to make testosterone. This and other hormones cause most of the changes that happen during puberty. Testosterone and other hormones also start the production of sperm.

If there are no signs of puberty by 14, it's called "delayed." It usually doesn't need medical treatment. But a doctor should be seen to make sure the delay is not caused by a medical issue. Sometimes doctors prescribe testosterone to jump-start the process.
It's not known why some people have delayed puberty, but most commonly there is a family history of late bloomers. 

Puberty begins many changes for guys and girls, and not all of them are physical. Many changes happen in your brain. As you grow from childhood into adolescence, you are more capable of abstract thinking, planning things, and setting goals for the future. You also start exploring your personality traits and the kind of person you want to be when you get older. That's called "identity formation."

Testosterone is the main hormone responsible for physical changes in boys. Puberty also makes you produce more estrogen. It's usually thought of as a "female" hormone, but guys have it, too. Guys in puberty make about six times more estrogen than they did before puberty. But you make 20 times more testosterone than before.

What parents say is true: Teen guys eat a lot. Prepubescent boys averaged about 1,300 calories for lunch. Guys age 14 to 17 averaged 2,000 calories, according to a study. You eat more because your body needs more calories and nutrients.

Testosterone levels peak late in puberty, and guys tend to do more reckless, even dangerous, things. There's also more of a tendency to violence, according to research, and more fatal accidents. It's known as the "accident hump," and it happens in almost all cultures worldwide.

Guys who go through puberty faster than normal tend to have more behavioral issues -- being more aggressive or disruptive -- than others. Research has shown that guys who go through puberty earlier have more "distress and hostility." Experts think that may be because they don’t have as much time to adjust to the changes in their mind and body.

Do You Need Protein Powders?

Building a shaped muscular body is every guy's dream.

If you go to a gym, you’ve probably heard the guys by the weight machines talking about the protein shakes they drink after a workout and what kind of shake they prefer. Protein powders -- made into a shake or consumed however you like -- are getting more and more popular as a nutritional supplement.

You can buy protein powders in every nutrition store and all over the Internet. You can even find pre-mixed, ready-to-drink protein shakes in many stores. But are protein powders just for bodybuilders, or can the average everyday athlete benefit from them as well?

What Are Protein Powders?

Protein powders come in various forms. The three common ones are whey, soy, and casein protein. “Whey is the most commonly used, because it’s a water-soluble milk protein,” says Peter Horvath, PhD, associate professor in the department of exercise and nutrition sciences at the State University of New York at Buffalo. “It’s also a complete protein, so it’s got all those advantages.” (Complete proteins contain all nine of the amino acids necessary for human dietary needs.) People who are vegan may prefer soy protein, although Horvath notes that its taste is sometimes considered to be more unpleasant, and it doesn’t dissolve as well in water.

Protein powders also come with widely varying price tags. “For the casual athlete who doesn’t have a specific need at a certain time of their training, the cost is not that important,” says Horvath. “So if you’re going to use them, you can get pretty much the same benefit out of the less expensive, more commercially available proteins.

In very specific circumstances, protein powders can be useful. “They’re an easy and convenient source of complete, high-quality protein,” says Carole Conn, PhD, RD, CSFD, associate professor of nutrition at the University of New Mexico. But remember: Most people, even athletes, can also get everything they offer by eating sources of lean protein like meat, fish, chicken, and dairy products.

So when might you want to use them? There are a few reasons why an ordinary athlete might want more protein in their diet, says Barbara Lewin, RD, LD, a dietitian and sports nutritionist who has worked with NFL, NBA, and NHL athletes and trained Ironman competitors:

• When you’re growing. A teenager needs more protein to fuel his workouts because his body is still growing and uses more protein in general.
• When you’re starting a program. If working out is new to you and you’re trying to build muscle, you’ll require more protein than you normally would.
• When you’re amping up your workouts. If you normally work out for half an hour a few times a week, but now you’ve decide to train for a half-marathon, your body will need more protein.
• When you’re recovering from an injury. Athletes with sports injuries frequently need more protein to help them heal.
• If you’re going vegan. People who pursue a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle eliminate a number of common protein sources from their diet, including meat, chicken, and fish, and sometimes dairy and eggs as well.

“All of those are valid reasons for trying to get more protein into your diet, and protein powders are one way to do that,” says Lewin.

But there’s a big caveat, Lewin adds: it doesn’t take that much protein to achieve those goals. Most Americans already get about 15% of their daily calories in protein.But this amount changes from country to country according to their cultural practices.Specially in Asian and African diet,it is realtively low in protein content. To build a pound of muscle, Lewin explains, the body needs between 10 and 14 additional grams of protein per day.

“That’s not really that much. Some of these powders have 80 grams of protein per serving. You don’t need that. All your body is going to do is break it down for energy. And too much protein can be hard on your kidneys and your liver.”

Protein Math

So how can you tell if you’re already getting enough protein? Do the math.

• Recreational athletes need 0.5-0.75 grams of protein daily for every per pound of body weight
• Competitive athletes need 0.6-0.9 grams per pound
• Teenage athletes need 0.8-0.9 grams per pound
• Athletes building muscle mass need 0.7-0.9 grams per pound

The maximum amount of protein that most adults can use per day is 0.9 grams per pound of body weight.
So if you’re an adult athlete who wants to build muscle mass, and you weigh about 175 pounds, the most protein you would need per day is 157.5 grams. That sounds like a lot, but one 4-ounce hamburger contains 30 grams of protein, 6 ounces of tuna has 40 grams, and a single ounce of cheddar cheese has 7 grams. (To find a list of foods with their protein content, use the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Nutrient Database, online at www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=20958.)
But again we should keep in mind that protein content in the diet varies according to their sociocultural habits.

How to Use Protein Powders

If you calculate your protein intake and determine that you’re notgetting enough for your athletic needs (some signs of too-low protein intake: you’re unusually fatigued, feel weak when lifting weights or doing other strenuous activity, or are recovering from injuries slowly) how can you best use protein powders to help you improve your performance?
First, ignore the conventional wisdom, which says to take protein powders immediately after a workout. “Before, during, and after a workout, carbs are what your body needs. They’re what your body uses for fuel, and what your muscles run on,” says Lewin. “Yes, protein is also important for recovery after a workout, but research shows that at that point, the body needs fuel with a 4-1 or 5-1 ratio of carbs to protein.” Since most protein powders have at least 20 grams of protein per scoop, you’d need about 80 grams of carbs to go with that scoop to get the proper proportion of nutrients!

For a better “recovery drink” after a workout, Lewin recommends a fruit smoothie with yogurt or milk, or, surprisingly, chocolate milk. “A glass of chocolate milk is one of the best things for recovery,” she says.

So when should you use protein powders, if you’ve determined you need them to get more protein in your diet? Throughout the day as a snack or meal replacement, says Lewin, but not in the immediate time period surrounding your workouts.

And don’t forget, says Conn: “Protein powders are not really necessary if you have access to a normal, healthy diet.”