Dear princessguera,

Outercourse — sex play without intercourse — can cause people to become aroused, and breathing quickly or breathing hard is one sign of sexual arousal.

A number of things can happen as you become aroused and your body prepares itself for possible sexual contact:

• Your heart begins to beat faster and your blood pressure rises.



• The muscles in your body grow tense, and your nipples may get hard.



• A girl's breasts enlarge.



• Increased blood flow to the genitals will cause a girl's clitoris to swell and a guy's penis to become erect.



• A girl's vagina lubricates, and a guy will notice his testicles drawing closer to his body as his scrotum thickens.



• People with light complexions may also have a "sex flush" — they redden around the chest and neck.

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.