Dear napky123,

During puberty, guys start getting erections more often — either in response to arousal, or during wet dreams. They also begin to develop sperm and to ejaculate. The first time this happens is called spermarche. It happens at different times for different guys.

Men may occasionally have an orgasm without ejaculating, or ejaculate without having an orgasm. For a few men this may be more common than it is for most.

Ejaculation occurs when semen spurts out of an erect penis. There are many forms of sex play that can cause a guy to ejaculate. There are even a few guys who ejaculate just from having sexy thoughts and fantasies. A guy may also ejaculate as the result of a spontaneous erection or wet dream, which can be caused by sexy thoughts or by a state of deep relaxation.

If you are an older teen and you have never ejaculated, you might want to talk to a health care provider. To find a Planned Parenthood health center near you, call 1-800-230-PLAN or find us online.

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.