Page 56 - (DK) Help Your Kids with Growing Up: A No-Nonsense Guide to Puberty and Adolescence

54 MALE PUBERT Y

The penis SEE ALSO
‹
‹ 46–47 What is puberty?
48–49 Male hormones
The penis has two main functions. It’s the male body part used ‹ 50–51 Changing body
for urination, and is for sexual reproduction. During sex, the ‹ 52–53 Testicles
penis ejaculates a fluid called semen, which contains millions
of the male germ cell, sperm. GOOD T O KNO W
Keeping clean
Anatomy of the penis Keep your penis clean by washing it

The penis is made up of several parts, including the glans, urethra, daily with warm water and soap. If
corpora cavernosa, and the corpus spongiosum. Knowing the function you have a foreskin, be sure to wash
of each part helps teens to understand how the male body works. underneath it to avoid a build-up of
smegma (a smelly substance made of
▽ The penis dead skin cells and oils).
Most of the time, the penis hangs loosely,
and is soft or “flaccid”. The length and width Seminal vesicle Bladder
of a penis can vary greatly, and it’s normal This secretes the Urine from the kidneys is
for them to curve left, right, or upwards. fluid that makes stored here before it is
up 70% of semen. expelled from the body.

Vas deferens
Sperm travels from the
testicles to the seminal
vesicle and prostate gland via
the vas deferens.
Prostate gland
A milky fluid that makes up Corpora cavernosa
30% of semen is secreted This pair of spongy tissues on
from the prostate gland. the top side of the penis fills
with blood during an erection.
Corpus spongiosum
This region of spongy tissue
below the urethra fills with Urethra
blood when the penis is erect. This tube carries urine and
semen to the glans of the penis.
Testicle
Sperm, the male germ cell, Foreskin
is produced in the two testicles. A retractable fold of skin over
the glans.
Epididymis Glans
Sperm matures in the epididymis. The end, or “head”, of the penis.

Shapes and sizes
It’s common for teens
to worry about the shape and size
of their penises, and to compare
themselves to others. The important
thing to remember is that the size
of a penis when it’s flaccid does
not affect its size when erect.

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