Are all boys just like animals?

QHi, Doc. I am female, age 19, and I just do not understand boys.

I have met several guys who I would really like to be friends with, but just when all seems to be going well, the ‘sex thing’ gets in the way. They all want to grab my breasts or take my clothes off.

I have not allowed this, Doc, because I want to keep myself pure for as long as possible. They do not seem to understand that.

There was one guy of my own age who wasn’t like this. We dated a couple of times and he didn’t try to get into my pants or try to get me to give him a ‘hand job’. Then, guess what, Doctor? He turned out to be gay!

So what do you think, Doc? Are all guys just like animals? (except the gay ones, of course!)

ANo, they aren’t, but they do mostly have a very basic sexual urge. Something deep in their brains gives them a strong drive to try to have sexual intercourse with girls. Of course, this is why the human race has survived for so long. Males want to have sex with females, and it very often happens that the result is another new human being – that is, a baby.

But there are plenty of decent, nice guys around; guys who don’t feel that they have to pull your clothes off or penetrate you. Some of them even share your praiseworthy ideas about trying to postpone sex for a while.

For instance, one finds a lot of these responsible and reasonable guys in church organisations, charity outfits, and voluntary clubs.

So I think you should just keep your eyes open for nice, likeable boys who share your moral views about sex. Don’t despair!

QI am a guy of 19 years, and I am still more or less a virgin. I tried to have sex with a girl last week, but to my astonishment, she looked at me when I stripped off and just laughed. I think she was laughing at my penis or my erection.

This was awful, Doc. I lost the erection immediately and could not go on.

What could be wrong with me, please?

AI doubt there is anything wrong with you. You see, laughter is a frequent reaction in teenage females when they are embarrassed or unsure about a situation. My guess is that she probably didn’t know what to do next, and just laughed out of embarrassment.

It is no wonder that her laughter made you lose your erection. That would be a normal reaction in a lot of guys.

Really, you have no evidence that there is anything wrong with your penis or the rest of your body. If, despite my advice, you are still fretting, I suggest you go to a friendly doctor and ask him to give you a quick checkup, including your sex organs.

You may well say, ‘But I couldn’t show the doctor my erect penis’. However, these days, there is a way around that problem. Just take a photo of your erect penis with your mobile phone. You can show the picture to him and he can readily confirm that there are no abnormal bends or anything else amiss.

QDoc, how does one take the contraceptive Pill? I do not understand.

ADifferent brands of Pill vary a little, but most (not all) have 21 tablets in a pack. The idea is that you take one every day, so the pack lasts you for three weeks.

Then you break for a week. During the break, you will have your menses. After the break, you start on a next pack.

So that’s the basic idea. For further information, check with your doctor or a nurse.

QHelp me, Doc! I have found a small, brownish wobbly thing on the end of my penis. It is like a tiny piece of soft seaweed. Is this a venereal disease?

AThis is almost certainly a genital wart. It is caused from a virus, which is caught during sex.

It is no big deal, but you should get it removed. Please go to a doctor, who will examine you and confirm the diagnosis.

The doctor will probably prescribe one of two ‘paints’, which will get rid of the wart. They are called podophyllotoxin (podophyllin) and imiquimod. Please do not have sex until after you have been cured!

QI am not a virgin, Doc, but until last Tuesday, I hadn’t had sex for two years. That Tuesday night, I was at a party near Port Morant and I let a guy ‘fool around’ and finger my vagina.

The next day, I found spots of red blood on the inside of my pants and I have continued to bleed slightly each day since then.

Have I caught something from that young guy?

AI doubt it. These are the classic symptoms of a small cut in the vagina, or just outside it. Typically, they are caused by the guy’s fingernail. Such mishaps are common when the male is not too experienced.

If the bleeding hasn’t stopped by the time you read this, ask a doc to have a look at you. But it is unlikely that you will need any treatment. You probably just need time to heal.

QDoctor, I am male, 20, and last week, I had sex with an older lady. She fell asleep afterwards. While she was sleeping, I must confess that I carried on caressing her with my fingers. Suddenly, I found that I had a little T-shaped thing (about the length of a match) in my hand. I was so alarmed that I just hid it under the bed.

What was it? Have I done her any serious harm?

AThis was her ‘coil’ or IUD (intrauterine device). These contraceptive devices do occasionally come out during love play.

No, you have not done her any harm, but she now has no protection against pregnancy! Please call or text her immediately and tell her that her coil has come out. This is urgent.

QHello, Doc. If I went on the contraceptive jab, how long would it protect me for? Would I still have periods?

AThe most common form of ‘the shot’ is called Depo-Provera and its contraceptive effect lasts for 12 weeks. So you would need another jab every three months.

Regarding the menses, these do tend to be a little chaotic while you are on the jab. Your periods could be one of the following: normal; excessively heavy; irregular; absent. So be prepared in case you develop menstrual problems. I must admit that I do have quite a small male organ. Several guys at college have bet me that I could get it through my girlfriend’s engagement ring!

Would it be safe to try this?

ANo! Have nothing to do with this foolish bet. Young guys quite often try crazy things like putting their penises through metal rings. What sometimes happens is that the organ then swells up – and it becomes impossible to remove it without metalcutting equipment.

Don’t let this happen to you.

Email questions to Doc at saturdaylife@gleanerjm.com, and read more in the ‘Outlook Magazine’ tomorrow.