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About body
Understanding the basics
When it comes to sex, many of us are aware of our anatomy but we often over-simplify what goes on beneath the surface of our bodies. Some of us still talk about things ‘down below’ and while there’s a certain quaintness about using such terms, they are inaccurate and misleading.
An informed working knowledge of the parts of the body used for sex can give greater control over what we do sexually, and help put sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and other problems in context. For example, did you know that pain while getting fucked is often due to the cock ‘prodding’ nerve endings at the base of your spine or sensitive arse muscles inside your body? The pain will often go if you change the position or relax the muscles.
And when it comes to the basics of all the other ‘stuff’ we can get stuck quickly, so we’ve included sections on
- DIY check-ups
- grooming (looking good)
- nutrition and exercise
- sleep
- mental health
It’s all connected and while we are hardly the ‘experts’ we’ve tried to provide a basic understanding of pieces of the puzzle, together with some tips, to help you remain healthy, happy and horny.
Back to topCock and balls
Cock design
The cock is made up of three inflatable cylinders of a honey-combed spongy tissue, two on the upper side (as you look down at it) and one on the underneath. When your cock is soft the cylinders are like long flat balloons. The vein that you can see running down the top of your cock pumps blood into these balloons when you get an erection. Down the centre of the cock is the urethra, the tube through which we piss; more of this later.
Penis | Wikipedia
What do you call yours?
baby-arm | baloney pony | beaver basher | beef whistle | bell on a pole | bishop | bratwurst | boner | chopper | cock | cum gun | custard launcher | dagger | dick | dick of death | dipstick | dong | dude piston | fire hose | fuck rod | fudge sickle | heat-seeking moisture | knob | missile | hog | hose | jack hammer | Jimmy | John | John Thomas | junk | knob | lizard | love muscle | love rod | love stick | manhood | member | old man | one-eyed monster | one-eyed snake | one-eyed trouser-snake | one-eyed wonder | one-eyed yoghurt slinger | weasel | pecker | peepee | Percy | peter | Pied Piper | piss weasle | piston | pork sword | prick | private part | purple-headed yoghurt flinger | purple-helmeted warrior of love | quiver bone | ram burglar | rod | sausage | schlong | shaft | third leg | thumper | todger | tool | trouser snake | twinkie | vein | wand | wang | wang doodle | wee wee | wick | wiener | willy | wing dang doodle | winkie | yoghurt gun
Free FM “Singing Penis”, 1998 | Young and Rubicon Advertising, Australia | Disciple | 9 Nov 2009 | 1m 8sManhood: The Bare Reality | Laura Dodsworth | Pinter & Martin | 2017 Back to topEvery one of Laura Dodsworth’s penises is unique: introvert and extrovert, straight and bendy, wobblers and bobblers, growers and showers. There are contented penises that have led full lives, and disappointed penises that have let down their owners – or been let down by their owners.
In Dodsworth’s new book Manhood, every penis tells a story. There is the trans man who invested in the biggest and best; the underpowered poet hung up on his for years, until he decided to celebrate it with The Big Small Penis Party; the man who as a teenager thought he had genital warts and considered killing himself, until he found out they were normal spots; the business leader whose small penis taught him humility; the sex addict whose wife tried to cut it off; and the vicar who enjoyed his first threesome while training for the priesthood.
Me and my penis: 100 men reveal all | The Guardian | 27 May 2017
Cock size and shape
For centuries, men across the planet have placed great importance on penis size with many cultures equating size with masculinity and symbolising qualities such as virility, fertility, strength, ability and courage. However, a few/ some/ all men [delete which don’t apply] worry that their cock is smaller than it should be or that it won’t satisfy.
As a result of an recent International study of more than 15,000 penises around the world, we now have a scientific answer to this enduring question. For the average man:
- Hard/ Erect: 13.12 cm (5 3/16 inches) in length and 11.66 cm (4 5/8 inches) around
- Soft/ flaccid: 9.16 cm (3 5/8 inches) in length and 9.31 cm (3 11/16 inches) around
- For those of you who have no idea what inches are explore here. Fractions are displayed as ¼, ½ and ¾ of an inch; but also as eighths: 1/8th, 2/8th, 3/8 etc; and sixteenths: 1/16, 2/16, 3/16 etc. Inches are sometimes denoted as double quote marks after the number so six and a half inches would look like this: 6½” You can find a handy cm/mm to fractions of an inch calculator here. Although the introduction of the metric system makes calculations easier, cock size measured in inches remains prevalent, like the pint. While we love centimetres “Why don’t you suck off my 7 inches” sounds that little more appetising.
Given only the first couple of inches (or first few centimetres) of the arsehole is touch-sensitive, a shorter or thicker cock can be just as good at stimulating those nerve endings as anything larger. While big long cocks can have your arse poked skywards in seconds, they can knock into the rectum wall and sphincter muscles causing discomfort and pain. So the moral of this tale is quite simple: don’t ignore smaller cocks and beware of bigger ones in the hands of dickheads who think they know what they’re doing.
Also, you can’t judge the true size of a penis while it’s soft or not erect. Some men with relatively small penises grow to a larger size when erect, while their larger counterparts don’t show as much growth when hard. Thus the term: ‘grower or shower.’ Peaking sideways-on at his dick at the urinal gives the impression of greater length, unlike when you are looking downwards at your own.
For better and worse, gay men have turned size into an art form. It’s a major currency among gay men and threaded through our culture, our scenes, our community and whatnot, and a core part of who we are as men who fuck other men. A pre-requisite box on many (if not all) gay hook-up apps and websites, porn websites don’t miss a trick either with dedicated categories: big dick, massive monsters, donkey dicks, over-sized dicks, destroyer dicks. It’s difficult to know whether to laugh, wince or cry.
There isn’t a single person on this planet that hasn’t heard general statements relating penis size to race and ethnicity. Though in some cases the generalizations are true, they are merely stereotypes. There are men in all ethnic groups that negate such generalizations. In other words, don’t judge a book by its cover! You may be disappointed with the results… or pleasantly surprised.
Am I normal? An analysis of penis lengths | David Veale, Sarah Miles, Sally Bramley, Gordon Muir, and John Hodsoll
Are chemicals shrinking your penis and depleting your sperm? Here’s what the evidence really says | The Conversation | 3 May 2021
I have a small penis, will I ever be able to ‘measure up’? | The Guardian | 31 Jul 2022
Gay guys with small penises share their hookup horror stories | Vice | 6 Mar 2020
Sorry, size queens, but it’s time for a rude awakening | Queerty | 4 Jan 2020
What penis size do gay men prefer when it comes to anal sex? | Quora | 24 Mar 2019
Me and my penis: 100 men reveal all | Life and style | The Guardian | 17 May 2017
What engineers can learn from the design of the penis | The Atlantic | 18 Mar 2016
Average penis size revealed in study results The Guardian | 4 Mar 2015
Penis size: is there a correlation with sexual satisfaction? | The Independent | 4 Mar 2015
Human penis size | Wikipedia
Does Penis Size Matter? | YouTube | AsapSCIENCE | 17 Jul 2014 | 2m 49s
The 6 Craziest Genitals Found In Nature | YouTube | AsapSCIENCE | 17 Jul 2014 | 3m 29s What kind of Dick do you like? | Dick Code/ Dickipedia
Select features you like, and find the owner of your dream Dick.
(Dick) food for thought
“Guys with dicks are so demanding. You want to slap ’em.”
“If it’s more than a mouthful then it’s a waste.”
“I know mine is smaller but you adapt. I mean, so many men.”
“Guy’s don’t want me, they just want my dick. Fun for a while, but then it’s depressing.”
“You think it’s easy staying hard, satisfying all these arses. I need a spa and a splint.”
“I just care who it’s attached to.”
“I care about if they know how to use it or not.”
“I wish mine was smaller. I scare people off.”
Curved penis
It’s common for the penis to curve slightly to the left or right when it’s erect. But if you have a more significant bend in your penis this may cause pain, difficulty having sex, and/ or erectile dysfunction. These can sometimes be symptoms of Peyronie’s disease, a condition caused by scar tissue, called plaque, that forms inside the penis. However, most men with Peyronie’s disease can still have sex.
According to the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS), Peyronie’s disease affects approximately one in every 16 men (6%), however many urologists believe it’s under-reported, possibly affecting as many as one in 10 men (10%). Most men affected are over the age of 40.
Many men don’t need treatment, as they don’t have pain or the condition doesn’t affect their sexual function. The condition can sometimes improve without treatment. Various non-surgical treatments are available, including medicines and injections of steroids into the affected area. But there’s limited evidence of their effectiveness. Surgery may involve:
- removing or cutting away the plaque and attaching a patch of skin or a vein to straighten the penis
- removing an area of the penis opposite the plaque to cancel out the bend (this can lead to a slight shortening of the penis)
- implanting a device to straighten the penis
Peyronie’s disease | Wikipedia
Peyronie’s disease: symptoms and treatment for the curved penis condition explained | Huff Post | 2 Nov 2017 Explanation of Peyronie’s Disease | The Drs (USA) | 2 Dec 2016 | 3m 43s Back to top
Foreskin
The end of the cock is covered by a sleeve of stretchy skin called the foreskin. It protects the cock while soft, keeping it moist and sensitive. When we are born, the foreskin is usually stuck to it until we are about 3-4 years old when it starts to peel back by itself. By the time we are in our teens it can be pulled back and forwards without any problems.
A tight foreskin phimosis and balantitis
Some guys have very tight foreskins so are unable to pull it back over the head of the cock without discomfort of pain. This is a condition called phimosis.
- Piss gets trapped under the foreskin which then balloons. Even when you’ve done your best to shake off the excess there can be dribbling, and this can be distressing and unsightly.
- Cleaning your dick (head) regularly can be slow and painful (see smegma).
- Wanking and sex generally can be painful and stressful.
Don’t suffer: go to a sexual health clinic, or GP, to get it sorted!
Phimosis is usually accompanied by balantitis, a swelling and tenderness of the head of the cock. Treatment usually involves antibiotics but in some cases circumcision is required.
Phimosis | Balanitis | NHSPhimosis | Balanitis | Wikipedia
A stuck foreskin paraphimosis
A related condition, paraphimosis is when the foreskin gets stuck in the pulled-back position causing pain and swelling. Some larger foreskins catch piss as it comes out of the urethra, where it can then remain trapped and lead to dribbling when you think you’ve finished.
Getting into the habit if pulling the foreskin right back every time you piss followed by a thorough shake and squeeze is the obvious solution.
Again, don’t suffer: head off to a sexual health clinic, or GP, to get it sorted!
Paraphimosis | WikipediaCircumcision
When men are circumcised (usually as new born babies) the foreskin is surgically removed. While the principle reasons for this are religious grounds and to improve personal hygiene, as was mentioned earlier, men with excessively large or tight foreskins are often treated by circumcision.
Although the vast majority of American men are circumcised, more recently, circumcision has decreased in popularity and, in the UK, circumcised men are in the minority. After circumcision, the head of the cock loses its soft moist texture and becomes darker, tougher, dryer and more like normal skin.
Understandably, men can lose some sensitivity and it can take a long time to cum (not that it‘s necessarily a problem). If required, techniques can re-develop a circumcised foreskin, particularly if the foreskin has been mutilated by poor circumcision. A specially shaped plaster will encourage the skin to re-grow (over several years) and skin grafts can also restore the foreskin.
Circumcised vs. Uncircumcised – Which Is Better? | ASAPScience | 18 Jan 2018 | 4m 23s
Circumcision | Wikipedia Back to top
Smegma (dick cheese)
Smegma gets a very bad rap, which not fair because we need it!
The dick produces it to keep the dick head moist. It’s a natural lubricant which reduces the friction between the foreskin and the dick head (glans) allowing the foreskin to be pulled back and forth smoothly, and smooth movement between them during sex.
In its fresh wholesome state it’s the functional lubricant as nature intended. If it’s allowed to build up, however, it changes into an unpleasant bad-smelling creamy substance made up of stale piss, bacteria, yeasts and discarded skin cells. This is the bit we tend to remember!
Excess smegma leads to irritation and soreness which is why you should clean beneath the foreskin (gently but thoroughly) at least once a day.
Smegma | NHS“Could these movements be comfortably performed if the surfaces between glans and foreskin were dry and harsh? Of course not. There would be difficulty, delay, and need for manipulation. Nature has therefore provided a ‘natural ointment’, smegma to ensure easy lubrication and protect this delicate region of the male genital organ.” | Joyce Wright, MD | Sexology (New York), vol. 37, no. 2: pg: 50-53. September 1970.
Smegma | Wikipedia Doctor explains SMEGMA – aka build up of white material under the penis foreskin & how to clean it! | Doctor O’donovan | 4min 9sec Back to top
Washing dick
Washing your dick and balls daily – as part of your shower or bath routine – should be sufficient to maintain good hygiene. And while you’re there don’t forget your arse, arse crack and arsehole.
It’s beyond us where men get this strange idea that for something to be clean it has to be scrubbed to within an inch of its life. (You are not cleaning the dog or the oven). Being gentle but thorough is much more important than scrubbing vigorously.
You should be cleaning the outside only, not ferreting around where you shouldn’t be. Trying to clean inside your dick (urethra) or inside your arsehole can cause irritation and be dangerous.
Many men use lashings of warm water and a thorough but gentle technique. However, if you are using soap, it should be mild, un-perfumed, and you may wish to consider one that is a pH balanced.
Your skin has a pH level of around 5.5. The pH level of most skin cleansers tends to be a little higher so it can break down the dirt and oil on your skin. However bar soap, for example, can have pH levels of 9+ which is too high if you’re trying to keep your skin moist.
In warm water the cock and ball sack should be soft and stretchy, which also makes it easier to gently pull back the foreskin to clean. Only pull the foreskin back as far as is comfortable and take extra gentle washing if you are uncircumcised.
When you are done, gently return the foreskin to its natural position and pat dry with a clean towel (not one you’ve picked up off the floor).
Tempting though it may be, do not talc or use deodorants as they can cause irritation. Besides, fresh ‘au naturel’ is both manly and stunning!
Back to topErections
An erection (hard-on, stiffy, boner) is not under our voluntary control in the same way as we can pick something up or wiggle our toes. It is caused by emotional, physical and hormonal signals in the form of electrical impulses which pass near the spinal cord and trigger an erection.
As we grow more sexually aware and experienced we accumulate a library of triggers or reminders which turn us on sexually: a look, body odour, being stroked, or the sight of a shaved head, for example. What turns us on is very personal to each of us, and during our sexual lives most of us will have at one time or another been surprised by something which, unexpectedly, has given us a raging hard-on.
When you get an erection, the cylinders in your cock fill with blood making it hard. Minute valves regulate blood into the cock when you get an erection, locking the blood inside while it’s stiff, and releasing the blood back into the body when it goes soft again.
There is also a misconception that as you get older you lose the ability to get or maintain an erection. It’s true that it can take longer to get turned on, and that physical reasons why you might not get one are more likely the older you get. But many men don’t see this as a problem and recognise that as we go through life our body and its needs change.
Curved erections Peyronie’s disease
Some guys get an erection that curves. This is caused by excess fibrous tissue on one side of the cock preventing it from becoming fully erect. The expansion of the cock on the other side then forces the erection to bend one way. In most cases the curvature is minimal and doesn’t cause any discomfort or problems – it just looks as if it’s got a mind of its own.
Cast your eye back over a few dicks and you’ll probably remember a few bananas requiring some oral massage! However, the curve can be so severe that it causes pain and fucking is not possible. The angle of curve can decrease without treatment but medication and/or surgery may be required.
Peyronie’s disease | Wikipedia
Persistent erections priapism
A persistent erection – not connected with sex – is called priapism. The condition can be extremely painful and usually occurs when blood fails to drain out of the spongy tissue inside the cock. In some cases the cock will start to go blue! Urgent medical treatment at an accident and emergency department is usually required immediately.
An overly tight cock ring which you can’t remove while you have an erection can cause similar symptoms. If it’s made of rubber you can cut it off – carefully. Metal cock rings, however, are more problematic and the fire service has been known to have been called out. (Trying to remove it with a blow torch is not recommended!)
Priapism | NHSPriapism | Wikipedia
Vasodilators | Wikipedia Back to topBe careful what you wish for…
“My partner and I went to a pool party. Suitably high, our host went online and invited over another guy who stripped off and jumped in the pool. No need to guess what happened next! The guy said that he liked his dick to be really hard during sex, so he injected it with a clear liquid. He was very careful, and had all of the medical equipment, clean syringes, antiseptic spray etc. My partner was fascinated and asked if he could have it done too. The guy obliged. After a lot of fun sex we left the party and went home to bed.
The next morning my partner’s cock was still rock hard and showed no signs of going down. He did some research online and got worried, and so we went to A&E. The doctor saw him straight away (so thankfully no wait). When she asked what the liquid was and how much was injected we had to admit that we didn’t know… and we felt like stupid kids. They put him on an anti-inflammatory drip and drew blood from his arm to lower his blood pressure… but his dick stayed up like a flagpole. So then they drew blood from all around the base of his cock, after warning him that there was a chance he may never get a full, solid hard-on again – my partner is a ‘top’ and so this was really unwelcome news. The erection wavered briefly, but then arose like a phoenix! After that they told us there was no choice but to operate, and took him to the Intensive Care Unit.
Maybe it was the fear of an operation, but after being wheeled into the ICU (dressed in the usual ‘flattering’ backless gown) his dick finally became softer and so the doctors decided there was no need to operate after all. A relief, of course, but my partner’s dick was really bruised and sore. They kept him in hospital overnight for observation, and administered more anti-inflammatory and saline drips.
Back at home, his cock was tender for many days afterwards, and still now feels different (lumpy) around the base from where they drew a lot of blood. After some very tentative, and frankly painful sex (for him), it turns out that his erections are still strong and his cock works fine: good news for us… but we certainly learnt a lesson the hard way (pun intended!).
Pedro, June 2015
Impotence (getting it up, or not)
The truth is that most men will experience impotence at some time or another. It’s a fact of life, it’s not uncommon and it’s often temporary. Not being able to get an erection (or ‘get it up’) is usually referred to as erectile dysfunction or impotence.
Physical impotence
This is usually the result of exhaustion, stress and anxiety, recreational drugs or too much alcohol. Other reasons include:
- Certain prescription medications, eg: sedatives and anti-depressants
- High blood pressure and/or high cholesterol and heart disease
- Other illnesses, eg: diabetes, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis
- Faulty plumbing in your cock and/or traumatic injury and surgery
- Smoking and /or being overweight
Psychological impotence
If you can get an erection but not necessarily when you want to, the problem is likely to be a psychological one. Reasons are likely to include lack of sexual stimulation, fear of performance, low self-esteem, stress and depression.
It may sound obvious, but if you’re not turned on you’re not likely to get an erection. For example, you may not find someone as attractive as you used to, or something which once aroused you sexually may have lost its allure (which is one of the reasons why we experiment sexually).
The significance we place on sex, performance and physical perfection creates high expectations – of ourselves and our partners – which can be impossible to meet. Consequently, a fear that we cannot perform adequately can affect our ability to get a hard-on, although it doesn’t mean you don’t feel horny. This can make the situation doubly frustrating.
Physically, if we’re uncomfortable with our bodies or the way we look, or if we don’t feel good or relaxed about ourselves, getting an erection can be a major problem. Ironically, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and what turns you off about yourself can easily turn someone else on.
Steps to solving impotence
Embarrassment prevents many men from seeking help, making them miserable and putting a strain on their personal and social life. Acknowledging that there is a problem is the first step. In the first instance, it can be helpful talking it through with a friend or your partner, difficult though this may be.
Then you should visit your sexual health clinic or GP. Determining the source of impotence will determine treatment, which includes changes to existing medication (if you are taking any) additional medication and/ or counselling/ therapy.
PDE5 inhibitors
PDE5 inhibitors help the body’s natural response to sexual stimulation by blocking an enzyme in the smooth muscle cells in the cock. Brand names include
- Viagra (sildenafil)
- Cialis (tadalafil)
- Levitra (vardenafil)
- Stendra/ Spedra (avanafil)
DO NOT use poppers and PDE5 inhibitors.
While we can see the appeal of intense feelings of horniness and a raging hard-on, the combination can make your blood pressure drop dangerously low, resulting in dizziness, fainting, heart problems and potentially a coma and/ or death.
Vasodilators
Vasodilators are a group of drugs which can increase blood flow by expanding blood vessels, increasing the blood flow to the cock, and giving you an almost instant erection. The drug is identical to a naturally occurring substance found in your body that helps keep the blood vessels open and increases blood flow. Brand names include Caverject® (a small injection in the side of the cock) and Muse® (a pellet inserted into the end of the cock).
PDE5 inhibitors | WikipediaVasodilators | Wikipedia
Erection problems | LGBT Hero
Erectile dysfunction (impotence) | NHS
Erectile dysfunction | Wikipedia Back to top
Piss (pee, urine)
Our body continually produces waste, some of which is filtered out in liquid form as urine. Each of us produce about 1.5 litres (2.6 pints) a day which is sent from our kidneys to the bladder, a globe shaped organ, which holds about 400-800ml of urine. Sensitive receptors send signals to our brain as it fills up which we translate as ‘I need to piss soon/ now’. When we’re ready it’s channelled through the prostate, along the urethra, and out of the end of the cock through a series of muscles which control the flow.
Aim (no pun intended) to make your pee a light to pale yellow. Darker pee usually means you are dehydrated and, if it persists, other problems. If your pee is clear then you may be drinking too much water.
Eating asparagus is known to turn pee darker yellow or green; artificial food colouring can also turn pee green. Beets or beetroot, blackberries and rhubarb can make your pee turn red; or it could be blood. Get checked out if you have any doubts or concerns.
Urine | WikipediaBlood in urine | NHS
Urinary tract infections in adults: symptoms | NHS Watersports | MEN R US What Does Your Pee Say About You? | AsapScience | 7 Jun 2015 | 2m 58s
Why do coffee and alcohol make you pee more? | AsapSCIENCE | 12 Jun 2012 | 1m 53s Back to top
Balls (testes)
Your balls hang together, at slightly different heights, in a small stretchy sac. Their purpose is to produce and store sperm and testosterone. They are positioned away from the body, allowing air to circulate around the sac keeping the sperm-making facilities at their best, 5°C lower than the rest of you.
Your balls are so clued-up and manoeuvrable that they have the good sense to pull themselves into your body when it’s cold, stretch themselves away when you’re hot and have time to enjoy themselves being sensitive to licking, sucking and smacking.
Inside each ball are 500 metres of coiled up spaghetti-like tubing in which sperm are produced at a daily rate of 400 to 500 million. When they are ready, they are moved and stored for action in the epididymis situated behind each ball.
The balls also produce testosterone, a natural anabolic steroid hormone, which increases at puberty and causes the characteristic changes, eg: stubble, breaking of the voice, etc.
The Silent Interview | One for the Boys with Samuel L Jackson | 19 Jun 2013 | 40s Testicular Cancer Canada ‘Cop’ | Bold | 2016 | 45sAgainst the testicular cancer | Mods | 2010 | 45s
Stand up to cancer | Channel 4 | 2016 | 2m 17s
Testicular cancer Canada shower | Jason Jeffrey | 2016 | 56s Testicular cancer | NHS
Testes | Wikipedia
Testicular cancer | Cancer Research UK
Testicular cancer | Macmillan Cancer Research Back to top
Cum (spunk, semen)
Cum is made up of sperm (made by the balls), the fluid in which they swim (made by the prostate gland) and a milky-creamy thickening agent (made by the seminal vesicles and bulbourethral glands).
The fluid contains nutrients to keep the sperm alive and kicking as they battle their way towards the female egg – they’re on a lost cause there then! These include zinc, potassium, glucose, and vitamin C which gives cum its sweet, salty and very individual taste.
As you’re preparing to shoot your load, muscle contractions pump the cum from the epididymis, along the vas deferens, into the urethra which runs along the inside of your cock.
Each time we cum, we release about 2-5ml (half a dessert spoon) which contain between 50-150 million sperm. When we cum repeatedly, we produce more fluid, less sperm – which is why it tends to be clearer and more liquid.
The science of orgasms | AsapSCIENCE | 5 Sep 2012 | 2m 44sSexual arousal in men
When a man gets an erection, his body goes through 4 stages of sexual response: arousal, plateau, orgasm and resolution.
Stage 1: sexual excitement or arousal
A man gets an erection with physical or psychological stimulation, or both. This causes more blood to flow into 3 spongy areas called corpora that run along the length of his penis. The skin is loose and mobile, allowing his penis to grow. His scrotum – the bag of skin holding the testicles – becomes tighter, so his testicles are drawn up towards the body.Stage 2: sexual plateau
The head (glans) of his penis gets wider, and the blood vessels in and around the penis fill with blood. This causes the colour to deepen and his testicles to grow up to 50% larger. His testicles continue to rise, and a warm feeling around the area between the testicles and anus (perineum) develops. His heart rate increases, blood pressure rises, breathing becomes quicker, and his thighs and buttocks tighten. He’s getting close to orgasm.Stage 3: orgasm and ejaculation
A series of contractions force semen into the urethra, the tube along which urine and semen come out of the penis. These contractions occur in the pelvic floor muscles, in the tube that carries sperm from the testicles to the penis (vas deferens). They also occur in the seminal vesicles and the prostate gland, which both add fluid to the sperm. This mix of sperm (5%) and fluid (95%) is called semen. These contractions are part of orgasm, and the man reaches a point where he can’t stop ejaculation happening. Contractions of the prostate gland and the pelvic floor muscles then lead to ejaculation, when semen is forced out of the penis.Stage 4: resolution phase of sex
Sexual arousal in men | NHS
The man now has a recovery phase, when the penis and testicles shrink back to their normal size. He is breathing heavily and fast, his heart is beating rapidly, and he might be sweating. There’s a period of time after ejaculation when another orgasm isn’t possible. This varies between men, from a few minutes to a few hours, or even days. The time generally gets longer as men get older. If a man gets aroused but doesn’t ejaculate, this resolution stage can take longer, and his testicles and pelvis might ache.
How ejaculation Works | Pe Gain | 21 Dec 2017 | 1m 11s Semen | Wikipedia
Facts about ejaculation | Very Well Health | 11 Oct 2018
Why semen changes color | Healthline | 24 Sep 2018
Twelve fascinating facts about semen | Self | 14 Mar 2016 Global sperm counts are falling. This scientist believes she knows why | Financial Times | 22 Jun 2023
How pollution is causing a male fertility crisis | BBC | 28 Mar 2023
Humans could face reproductive crisis as sperm count declines, study finds | The Guardian | 22 Nov 2022
Sperm counts worldwide are plummeting faster than we thought | National Geographic | 15 Nov 2022 Natural Harvest: A collection of semen-based recipes | Paul “Fotie” Photenhauer
Natural Harvest: Semenology – The Semen Bartender’s Handbook | Paul “Fotie” Photenhauer Back to top
Prostate gland
Situated next to the wall of the rectum, the prostate gland is about the size of a chestnut, and is connected to the bladder by one tube and to the urethra by another. While its purpose is not fully understood, amongst other things it produces the milky fluid in which sperm swim and live (making up about 30-40% of semen volume).
It also produces substances which give semen its characteristic smell and help pump the cum towards the end of the cock. It’s packed full of sensitive nerve endings which is why getting fucked or fisted can be a big turn-on.
Prostate cancer tests and treatment: A guide for gay and bisexual men | Cancer UK
Prostate problems | MEN R US
Prostate gland | Wikipedia
Anal Pleasure for Men | Sex Coaching
What Prostate Orgasms Feel Like, According to 10 Men Who’ve Had Them | Men’s Health | 4 Jan 2021
Backdoor Buddy – A Man’s Guide to Prostate Stimulation | Man Of Many | 30 Nov 2019
Advice on safety of gay sex after prostate cancer | BBC News | 10 Jun 2019
‘Better Than Pooping’: What It Feels Like to Have a Prostate Orgasm | Vice | 28 Apr 2016
Related videos about the prostate and anal sex
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Digestive system
Mouth and throat
Your mouth is the beginning of your digestive system. The throat is situated behind the mouth and joins the pharynx to the oesophagus, the tube which takes food to the stomach. The mouth is covered with soft mucous membrane and smooth muscle generally resilient to bacteria and other infections.
Our tongue is a multi-skilled muscle which helps us to speak, kiss, and taste and position food for chewing before moving it to the back of the throat for swallowing. But like every muscle, it can grow tired with over-use and can be strained, which is why prolonged cock sucking and rimming can be exhausting and no longer a pleasure.
The tongue is covered in taste buds which can determine four primary taste sensations: sour, salt, bitter and sweet. All other flavours such as chocolate, pepper and coffee are combinations of these four, accompanied by the sense of smell. The tongue has several taste zones: salty and sweet (to the front and tip of the tongue), sour (to the sides) and bitter (to the back).
Saliva
The mouth contains three pairs of saliva glands: beneath the tongue, on either side and to the top of the mouth. Chemically, saliva is 99% water and 1% a digestive enzyme and (in addition to chewing) helps to break down and lubricate food before swallowing. Saliva also destroys bacteria to protect the mucous membrane from infection and the teeth from decay. Saliva is produced continuously to lubricate the mouth and to keep the tongue and lips moist. During stress, the production of saliva decreases to conserve water. A dry mouth contributes to the sensation of thirst and drinking will not only moisten the mouth but also help restore the body’s water and chemical balance (homeostasis).
Gagging, coughing and choking
Sensitive muscles towards back of the mouth detect sharp, rough or large objects and will trigger the gagging reflex to prevent them from passing into the throat. The coughing reflex also aims to remove foreign or unwanted objects from the throat and oesophagus such as large or sharp pieces of food, dust and pollen.
Consequently, deep throat sucking comes with practice as you re-programme your brain not to reflex. It’s also worth remembering that when we swallow, a small flap (the epiglottis) in the oesophagus usually closes the opening to the larynx which leads to the lungs.
When food or drink ‘goes down the wrong way’, the flap doesn’t close in time and we start to cough to get it out of the airway and back on track down the oesophagus to the stomach. Choking, on the other hand, is when we don’t get enough air and our body reflexes, demanding more.
Mouth | Throat | Saliva | Wikipedia Back to topEnd to beginning
Your arse is just the beginning – or rather the end – of your digestive system, which extracts nutrients and goodness from the food we eat. What’s left is waste which we get rid of as shit.
Many people believe that the digestive system is just a small tube linked to the stomach where shit sits and waits for the rectal express to the toilet. In fact, from mouth to arsehole, it’s a nine metre (30 foot) rubber-like tube, lined with muscles which massage the food and waste along, regulated by a series of locks and chambers.
Back to topStomach
After swallowing, food travels down the oesophagus to the stomach – a ‘J’ shaped organ about 30cm long – where it stays for up to 6 hours. Here, acids and enzymes digest food until it becomes a semi-liquid soup which you have probably seen as vomit (with diced carrots).
The speed at which food moves on from the stomach depends on what you’ve eaten and what’s going on further down the line. Nerves which connect the arse to the stomach transmit messages to control the flow of food and waste. For example, you may experience discomfort or pains in your stomach if you are constipated or being fucked or fisted. Conversely, when you eat, you often want to go for a shit.
Stomach | Wikipedia
Back to topSmall intestine
In a semi-liquid form, food is passed along the duodenum to the next stage of digestion: the small intestine, a long rubbery tube, 2.5cm (1”) across and some 6.5m (21‘) long. It’s here that the nutrients and goodness in food are extracted.
Small intestine | Wikipedia
Back to topLarge intestine
What remains resembles a rich vegetable soup, which passes into the large intestine. This is rather like an inverted ‘U’ shaped pipe which joins the small intestine at the bottom right-hand corner, near your appendix. This is made up of the ascending, transverse, descending, and sigmoid colons. It is here that the waste becomes more solid as the water and salt is absorbed back into the body.
The sigmoid colon is best described as the final packaging and holding bay for shit. The rectum is the dispatch area and the anal canal to your arsehole is the main exit. By the time shit leaves the sigmoid colon and reaches the rectum, it is normally produced in discrete turds of a soft consistency and reasonable size.
Large intestine | Wikipedia
Back to topRectum, anal canal and arsehole
Rectum
Around the connecting tube between your sigmoid colon and rectum is a ring of muscle that angles the tube in such a way as to close it off. This sphincter muscle regulates the shit leaving the sigmoid colon; without it, your rectum would fill up continuously and you would be shitting all the time. Your rectum is a stretchy four to five inch (10-13cm) muscular tube that can stretch to the size of a clenched fist (when full of shit) or a hand.
Anal canal and arsehole
Below your rectum is the anal canal, 1-2 inches (2-5cm) long which ends in your arsehole. The surface of the rectum and the anal canal is usually covered with a thin layer of mucus or natural lubricant designed to help with shitting and which also helps offer protection from infections. If you rub the surface, you quickly exhaust the supply of mucus which is why you need additional lubricant when putting anything up the arse.
At the bottom of the anal canal is another sphincter muscle made up of two smaller interconnected rings of muscle. One of them is not under your direct control but responds to internal body messages when the rectum is full or when you cough – the muscle tightens. When the muscle doesn’t work properly you leak. You have more control over the other muscle which you can relax or tighten at will. Try it now – you see control is everything!
Rectum | Anal canal | Wikipedia
Back to topShitting
The weight of shit stretching the sides of the sigmoid colon signals the top sphincter muscle to relax briefly allowing a measured amount into the rectum. This is also called a movement. If you’re ready to go and sitting on a toilet, the bottom sphincter muscle relaxes and lets the shit down the anal canal and out through your arsehole.
Defecation | WikipediaBowel movement: the push to change the way you poo | The Guardian 30 Nov 2018
Back to top
More on digestion
Digestive System | Diabetes UK
Human digestive system | Wikipedia
Common digestive problems and how to treat them | NHS
The Poop Cycle | AsapSCIENCE | 1 Aug 2013 | 3m 12s Back to top
Shit and poop
Over a lifetime, we each produce an average of 5 tons of poo but when it comes to shitting, having a poo, a dump, or crapping (whatever you call it) we can get surprisingly coy and embarrassed.
It’s an essential bodily function, often ignored, and yet poo shape, size, colour, and consistency can tell a great deal about your health and how well your digestive system is working. Poo can also hold clues to more serious issues like infections, digestive problems, and cancer.
Whether your poos come too often or not often enough, it can make you uncomfortable, bloated, or even interfere with your body’s ability to absorb enough nutrients from your food. And staying regular is crucial for staying healthy as it plays a major role in how you feel physically and emotionally.
Gay men tend to be less embarrassed and knowledgeable because many of us also use our arses for sex. But, even if you don’t have botty sex this section is relevant for you too.
Size and consistency
The Bristol Stool Scale or Bristol Stool Chart is designed to classify the form of human faeces into seven categories. Sometimes referred to in the UK as the ‘Meyers Scale’, it was developed by Heaton at the University of Bristol and was first published in the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology in 1997.
Type 1: ‘Rabbit Droppings’
Separate hard lumps like nuts. Very constipated.
Type 2: ‘Small Bunches of Grapes’
Sausage-shaped but lumpy. Slight constipated.
Type 3: ‘Corn on the Cob’
Like a sausage but with cracks on the surface. Normal.
Type 4: ‘Sausage-Like’
Sausage or snake-like, smooth and soft. Normal.
Type 5: ‘Chicken Nuggets’
Soft blobs with clear cut edges. Lacking fibre.
Type 6: ‘Thick Porridge’
Mushy and soft with ragged edges. Inflammation/ infection
Type 7: ‘Soup Or Gravy’
Watery, no solid pieces, entirely liquid. Inflammation/ infection
Digestion time
Mouth to arsehole, your digestive system is a continuous tube around 30 feet/ 9 metres long. From swallowing food to pooping, general consensus seems to be it takes 24 to 72 hours to digest food, though time varies from person to person and the food you eat.
The colour poo
If you have any concerns about the colour of your poos then see your GP. If this is just too embarrassing, or you don’t feel you have ‘that’ sort of relationship, you may find going to a sexual health clinic or A&E easier. In the meantime, we have compiled this guide which you may find helpful:
- BROWN is the target colour because of stercobilin, a by-product of the haemoglobin in broken-down red blood cells; and bile, a fluid secreted into your intestines to help digest fat.
- Eating beetroot, cranberries, tomatoes or red food colourants may make your poos look RED
- Green leafy vegetables such as spinach or green food colourants can colour your stools GREEN
- YELLOWY greasy rank smelling poos can indicate excess fat or the tummy bug giardia
- PALE CLAY coloured poos can indicate a lack of bile or can be caused by some medications
- BLOOD in poos can indicate bleeding in the lower digestive tract or rectum so, if you’ve been fucked recently, the blood may be from this. However, it can be a symptom of cancer.
- BLACK poos could be the result of iron supplements or black liquorice, it may be a sign of bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract.
Poop is largely made up of water (75%), the bacteria which digests the food; and fibre, fats, other cells and mucus. The reason you can see sweet corn in poop is because the outside of the corn kernel is made of cellulose, an indigestible plant fibre which passes though the digestive system.
Floaters
As you may know, denser and heavier objects sink in water while lighter gas filled objects float, and increased gas in poo allows it to float. Most causes are harmless and go away without treatment and are due to to what you eat, a change in your diet or a tummy bug (gastrointestinal infection). However, less commonly, it may indicate lactose intolerance, the inability to digest lactose which is a sugar found in dairy products, or suggest a more serious digestive condition such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, or celiac disease.
Our poo tips
- Don’t suppress the desire to go; if you need to poo: poo.
- Ensure adequate intake of water/ water-rich foods
- Eat a healthy diet with sufficient fibre
- Eat regularly, don’t skip meals or overeat.
- Eat adequate amounts
- Exercise regularly
- Drink plenty of water and non-caffeinated, non-alcoholic drinks
- Work at feeling emotionally balanced
also
- Ensure you’re getting the right vitamins – a balanced diet should provide this (eg: A, C and D).
- Ensure adequate intake of healthy fats.
- Build and maintain a population of friendly bacteria in your digestive tract.
- Aim for a work-life balance that reduces stress – anxiety can play havoc with our your digestive systems; eg: bouts of diarrhoea and constipation.
Bristol stool scale | Wikipedia
Talking Shit | Wikipedia
How to Have A Great Poop | Mama Natural | 16 Sep 2014 | 4m 38s
Why Do We Pass Gas? | Ted-Ed | 8 Sept 2014 | 4m 57s
Bowel movement: the push to change the way you poo | 30 Nov 2018 | The Guardian
Serial poopers: What makes people poo in public places? | BBC News | 10 Jun 2018
Farting
The digestive system is one of nature’s marvels: an uninterrupted conveyor belt running 24/7 which release enzymes and hormones to extract the nutrients and goodness from the food we eat. What’s left is waste, which we get rid of as shit.
Gas
Gas is the air in the digestive system which leaves the body as burps or farts. Burping or belching come from the stomach which has a different chemical composition from a fart which has less atmospheric gas content (air) and more bacterial gas content.
Gas in the digestive system is usually produced by swallowing air, and the breakdown of foods by enzymes and bacteria in the gut (eg: processing undigested carbohydrates and proteins). These gases are primarily carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen; with smaller amounts of some methane and sulphur.
We have scoured the Internet and you can fart between a few times a day to 10, 20, 30, 40 times times, producing around .5 litre plus of gas, but opinions vary greatly.
Burping
Burping is generally caused by swallowing air when eating or drinking, or inhaling, and is usually a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen. Carbonated/ fizzy drinks (including beer) often make you burp (more) which is primarily carbon dioxide from the drink itself.
Farting
Out of idle curiosity searching on farting on YouTube yielded over 31 million results (some remarkably homophobic but that’s not what the section is about). We all do it, we all hear them, and some of our ‘friends’ have turned it into an art form (Philip). And yet it can remain a surprisingly embarrassing topic, partly because people believe they fart more often than others (or maybe it’s because others are better at concealing them).
What your farts say about your health | Seeker | 13 Apr 2016 | 3m 55s
Foods that can cause gas
- Vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, artichokes and onions
- Grains such as whole wheat, brown rice, barley, bulgur, corn bran and wheat bran
- Legumes such beans and lentils
- Fruits such as apples, peaches, pears, prunes and raisins
- Fruit juice such as apple and pear and other drinks that contain high-fructose corn syrup, a sweetener made from corn
- Milk and milk products including cheese, ice cream, and yogurt
- Processed and packaged foods such as bread, cereal
- Sugars such as table sugar, lactose (in dairy foods), maltose (found in grains), sugar alcohols (such as glycerin and maltitol syrup) used in energy bars, sugar-free sweets, and other processed foods
- Sugar-free products containing sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol
Things to know
- Sulphur rich foods (eg: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts) can produce smelly farts while fruits, vegetables and beans usually don’t
- Skatole and indole which occurs naturally in shit (before you poo it out) also add to the stench of farts
- Farts can travel up to several metres/ feet per second and can be silent or noisy depending on the speed of the gas leaving the body, the position of the arse cheeks and tightness of the arsehole sphincter muscle
- The more constipated you are (with food fermenting in your digestive system) the more you will fart and the smellier they will be
- Depending on whether you are the type of guy who takes ownership you can (1) blame your farts on the dog even if there isn’t one (Debrett’s A-Z of Modern Manners); (2) blame the person who has just left the lift if you’ve farted and someone else has got in; (3) offer them a face mask; or (4) ask them if they can do better.
And ‘yes’ it is true: farts can be lighted but we don’t recommend it as you can burn yourself and singe hair!
Why are you farting? | BrainStuff: HowStuffWorks | 15 Jul 2014 | 4m 18sWays to reduce gas
- Chew food slowly and thoroughly instead of gulping it down
- Avoid straws which encourages air swallowing and drinking out of tins/ bottles with narrow openings
- Reduce carbonated drinks; eg: soft drinks and beer; chewing gum, or sucking on sweets
- Select/ de-select food types (while maintaining a healthy diet)
- Avoid sugar-free products containing sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol
- Reduce your lactose intake