I’ve heard guys talk about wet dreams. What are they? Is it true that they are spiritual attacks and that one requires spiritual healing?

Most boys have wet dreams otherwise referred to as nocturnal emission. This occurs when a boy becomes sexually excited in his sleep. He has an erection and ejaculates sperm. This usually happens while he is having a sexual dream. When he wakes up in the morning, he finds that his bed is wet with a white, sticky fluid called semen. In some societies, wet dreams are associated with myths, which are not true. Wet dreams are a natural biological process through which the body releases sperm that are ready to leave the body. It is nothing to worry about and does not require any spiritual healing.

My breasts have begun to develop but one is larger than the other. What can I do?

The development of breasts is one of the most obvious signs that one is becoming a woman. During puberty, the breasts start to swell and become more noticeable. Many people have unequal breasts. In fact, it is rare to find that both breasts are equal. This is because normally, the whole of one’s body is different –one side of one’s face is different from the other. So there is nothing wrong with you if one breast is bigger than the other. All breasts work the same way, no matter their size. Usually, the first change that occurs is a darkening of the area around the nipple (the areola). Then the nipples get larger and begin to stand out more (although some turn in instead of sticking out – inverted nipple). The next change that occurs is the growth of the breast and often one breast will start growing first while the other lags behind. These processes are normal and they happen to every girl-child.

I am 21 years old but I have small breasts. Can this affect my ability to breast-feed in future?

Your breasts are made up of glands and fat tissue. The size and shape of your breasts depend mostly on the amount of fatty tissue they have. If there is a lot of fat in your breasts, they will be large, if there is little fat they will be small. Actually there is nothing you can do to make your breasts bigger, except through surgery. Heredity plays a major factor in the size and shape of your breast and body as a whole, so if your mum for example doesn’t have large breasts, you cannot expect to have one. Breast size does not affect breast-feeding in any way. Small breasts do just as good job of making breast milk as large ones, so be proud of your breasts and stop worrying about their size.

Do most boys masturbate and is it bad for you? How about girls?

Yes, most boys (and men too) masturbate. Not all do though. It’s normal if you do and normal if you don’t. Some men start to masturbate when they’re kids and continue throughout life; some start during puberty, while others don’t start till they’re older. There are some men who never masturbate. Girls and women also masturbate, though it is generally believed that girls are not as likely as boys to masturbate. And no, masturbation is not harmful. Many years ago, it was believed that horrible things would happen if one masturbated, but now we know better.

I am 16 years old and my periods are very irregular. Am I normal?

You are perfectly normal! Young women who’ve just started having their periods are particularly likely to have irregular periods. It takes a while for our bodies to adjust to menstruating. You may have your first period and not have another one for six months, or you may have your second period two weeks after your first one. It often takes two or three years to develop anything near a regular pattern, and some women never do get very regular.

If a boy doesn’t masturbate or have sexual intercourse, what happens when his scrotum is filled with sperm?

If a boy doesn’t ejaculate, either through masturbation or sexual intercourse and his scrotum gets filled with sperm, the sperm will be expelled either through a wet dream or mix up with urine and expelled as urine.

My friends say masturbation is sinful and morally wrong. Is this true?

One person’s idea of what is sinful or morally wrong may be very different from another person’s, depending on one’s values and/or religious beliefs. In the past, many religions held that masturbation was sinful, but most leaders have changed that view today. It really is an individual thing, something you’ll decide by yourself. If you’re bothered by the notion that masturbation is sinful, you may want to talk with your religious leader or another adult.

Each time I menstruate, I get serious pains in my belly. Why is it so?

This pain you describe is referred to as menstrual cramps. Almost all women have cramps at sometime or other in her life. They may happen before or during menstrual periods and may just be a mild achy feeling, or sharp and severe pain. No one knows why women have menstrual cramps, though some say it happens because the uterus contracts rhythmically while women are having their periods to help expel the menstrual blood.

At times, I see a whitish substance in my panties. What could be the cause, or do I have an infection?

The discharge you see is most likely the result of the natural cleansing action of your vagina. It may happen just before or after your period and you shouldn’t worry about it. If however the discharge is yellowish or greenish, foul-smelling or makes you itch, then you have an infection and should see a doctor at once.

My friends say some boys are born with just one testicle. Is this be true? If yes, will a boy with only a testicle be able to have children?

Yes, it is true some boys are born with just one testicle, but this doesn’t happen often. Also, a boy or man could lose a testicle due to injury or accident. Whatever the reason for the absence or loss, the other testicle takes over the function of the missing testicle and produces enough sperm so that the man will be still able to make a woman pregnant. His sex life and everything else about him will remain completely normal.

I have some white pimples on my penis. I’ve never had sex. Why do I have them?

It’s most unlikely that it’s a sign of an STD since you say you’ve never had sex. The skin of your penis, just like the skin on other parts of your body is subject to all sorts of pimples, bumps, scars, etc. The white, pimple-like bumps that you have may just be blocked oil glands in the skin of your penis and is nothing to worry about. Of course, anytime you have some problem that bothers you, it’s always a good idea to have it checked by a doctor.

I have this lump in my scrotum. Though it doesn’t hurt, I’m worried that it could be a sign of something serious?

Most lumps or bumps in the scrotum are the result of cysts. Cysts are collections of fluid. Some will go away by themselves, while others require surgery to remove them. Although majority of lumps in boys’ scrotum are not serious, it’s a good idea to have them checked by a doctor.