Dear ponyteen,

You're not alone — one of the biggest concerns for many teens (and many adults, too) is the size of their penis. Many guys want to know whether the size of their penis is normal. The answer is everyone is different.

Sometime during puberty, a boy's penis starts to get bigger. Just like all other aspects of puberty, there isn't a set age at which this happens, but rest assured it happens to everyone. There isn't a normal size for any particular age. However, 90 percent of all adult erect ("hard") penises are between five and seven inches long. Also, the size of a guy's penis when it's flaccid ("soft") doesn't really have anything to do with what it will be like when it's erect. Smaller flaccid penises tend to grow more during an erection than penises that are larger when they're flaccid.

Sex partners should treat each other as equals who are honest and protect each other from emotional and physical harm. Someone who makes fun of us for how we look is probably not someone we want as a partner in the first place. And remember, being sexual with another person is about a lot more than our sex organs, or penetration with a penis.

Hope this information helps!

Take care,

teenwire.com^® Editors

This column is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have a medical problem, please call toll-free 1-800-230-PLAN for an appointment with the Planned Parenthood health center nearest you.