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Q: How do I give a blow job?

I've actually had this question raised twice since my cunnilingus do's and don'ts post went up, so I've bumped it to the top of the queue …

So, you want to give good blow jobs? I'm going to start sounding like a broken record if I keep saying "pay attention to you partner's reactions" in all of my how-to posts, but that really ought to be at the top of any sex how-to list. And I assume pretty much everyone understands that fellatio involves putting your partner's penis in your mouth … That said, here are a few more specific tips, in no particular order:

No teeth. That point may change if you're with the same guy for a long time, and he trusts you and enjoys more intense stimulation, but for the most part you're just going to scare people if your teeth touch their penis. Practice making an "O" shape with your mouth while keeping your lips pulled in over your teeth.

Don't choke yourself. Sure, people make a lot of noise about deep throating, and it's a great little trick of you can manage to do it comfortably, but don't push yourself until you gag. If you can't comfortably get the man's penis all the way in your mouth, use your hand to squeeze the shaft of the penis while your mouth works on the head … much like I recommended men concentrate on the clitoris when going down, the glans of the penis is the most sensitive part for the man.

Keep things wet. Most lubricants taste like crap, so you don't really want to pump your hand full of lube when you start, but you definitely don't want to chafe any sensitive parts while you're down there. Saliva is your friend here. If you can take his penis all the way to the back of your mouth a few times, your saliva will naturally get a bit thicker, and therefore much more useful as a lubricant. But if you can't manage that without gagging, just work up some excess saliva one way or another, and spread it around with your tongue. And no, he won't mind if you drool on him a little here … ;-)

Spit or swallow, but make up your mind. While most men would certainly prefer you swallow, he's not going to be crushed if you spit. If you're going to spit, have a tissue handy before you start. If you're going to swallow, have a drink ready if the taste bothers you. Whichever you choose, just don't make a lot of faces or icky noises … nobody wants their partner acting like oral sex is some kind of disgusting "duty" they're barely tolerating. (Personally, I'd say swallowing is easier … no mess, no bother. Even if you think it tastes nasty, do you really want to have to swish it around in your mouth long enough to spit it all back out?)

You don't have to finish. If you're terribly worried about the spit or swallow thing, or if your jaw feels like it's about to crack, or you're getting a neck ache, or just really not enjoying yourself, stop. But stop nicely. Most guys are pretty understanding if you say your neck is getting sore … and I've found that climbing back up the guy's body and getting down to a little girl-on-top business usually works just fine. ;-)

Use your hands. Besides just squeezing the base of his penis, you can use your hand to fondle his testicles (be gentle though! they're quite sensitive!). Another good one: wrap your hand around his shaft, and keep your hand against your mouth as you slide your mouth all the way off his penis, squeezing your hand a little at the very top, then slide your mouth back down (lips against your hand) as far as you can (… and do make sure everything is nice and slick when you do it). Many guys seem to need a certain level of 'fast and hard' towards the end to orgasm, and that technique is a relatively easy way to go fast without worrying about gagging yourself or dislocating your jaw.

Pace yourself. You don't have to go all-out from the start. He's not going to mind if you familiarize yourself with the territory before getting serious about the grand finale. Play around a little. Listen to the noises he's making, and if he suggests something he'd like you to do, give it a try! When he's acting really excited, or actually says he's getting close to orgasm, then you can start on the 'fast and hard' (or whatever it is that really seems to get him going).

You have a tongue, so use it. You don't have to do a Deep Throat impersonation the whole time, or pretend you're a Hoover vacuum. See if you can swirl your tongue in a circle around the head of his penis. Flicker your tongue against the skin just below the underside of the head. Lick up and down the entire shaft a few times. Find out what he really likes, and do it a while longer. Playing with your tongue is a great way to take a break from the head-bobbing action if your neck is getting a little tired.

Let him watch. You might be worried about how you'll look while you're performing fellatio, but the man on the receiving end is not going to be critiquing your hairdo, believe me. Leave a light on (even just a candle, if you're feeling shy), and kneel between his legs so he can look down at you while you're doing it. Look up at him once in a while too, and make a little noise to show you like what you're doing.

Have fun with it. No matter what your level of skill, the guy will enjoy it more if you're enjoying yourself too. Go ahead and use some whipped cream or chocolate syrup if it sounds like fun, go down on him in the shower, or try the 69 position some time. Giving head isn't all about being a hard core blow job queen … any kind of sex is best when everyone's having fun!

Q: I've been told my by girlfriend that my scrotum is far and away the stretchiest she's ever seen. It seems normal to me. I can stretch it out from roughly the size of a golfball to what would be enough to fit baseball inside of it. Is it really that unusual for that body part to be that elastic?

It's not that unusual at all. Really, you sound pretty normal. I've seen one man with a scrotum even stretchier than that, and a few that were not nearly as much so, but in any case I've seen it really is pretty amazing how far that skin can stretch.

Since the testicles can not produce sperm properly at human body temperature, the scrotum evolved to keep the testes away from the main body cavity where they can stay cooler. That is why your scrotum seems to get even stretchier in warm weather, and contracts when temperatures get cold … and as every guy knows, the "stretch factor" can vary widely for each individual man, depending not only on the ambient temperature, but also his current level of sexual arousal.

But all that aside, when everything is relaxed, the scrotum is probably the most remarkably elastic areas of skin on the human body.

Q: How long does a guys bodily fluids usually hang around inside the vagina?

Well, as far as the actual fluid is concerned, unless the woman was doing a headstand when the guy pulled out, most of the semen ends up on the bedsheets almost immediately (or the living room carpet, or the kitchen table, or wherever you happen to be at the time …). However, the little sperm are surprisingly hardy buggers.

I'd always heard sperm can live up to 72 hours in the woman's body, but I went looking to confirm that for this question, and now I'm seeing a lot of sources that say they can live 5-7 days! That's bad news for folks trying to avoid pregnancy via the rhythm method … you're off limits for up to a full week before ovulation, and then the egg can live a further 24+ hours after that.

For strictly hygienic purposes (since this question was originally titled "sexual hygiene"), I couldn't find any specific information on how long the seminal fluid can possibly stay in the vagina after intercourse, but most of it does seep out shortly afterward (especially if the woman gets up and walks around, to use the toilet, for instance). For the day following intercourse, some women wear a thin pantyliner to absorb any additional fluid. Douching afterward is also an option, if you're worried about cleanliness (although douching is NOT recommended as a birth control measure, because the pressure of the douche water can actually help push the semen further into the vagina!).

And of course, using a condom pretty well negates the whole question … so if it's a major concern of yours, do consider that option.

Q: How do I give a woman oral sex? What do they like?

There's never a truly universal answer to a question like that … as soon as I say "and they definitely DON'T like THIS", someone will pop up and beg to differ. However, there are a few general hints that will at least get you started on the right track. Then if you meet a woman who really wants you to bite her or something, feel free to get creative. ;-)

Do know your anatomy. The clitoris is what you're going for here. 3DVulva.com can show you the way if you're in doubt. However, do also keep in mind that not all women like direct clitoral stimulation. If your partner squirms away a little, or says "ouch" or anything, try a new angle … off to one side, or on the clitoral hood instead of the actual clitoris itself.

Don't act like a kid with an ice cream cone. Some full-contact licking is nice here and there, but the tip of your tongue is your real weapon of choice in this endeavor. Practice this on your own: try to flicker the tip of your tongue up and down rapidly against your fingertip, without losing contact. The longer you can keep going, the better.

Do shave first (unless you have a full beard). Sandpaper is not a woman's friend down there, and having to worry about whether or not you're giving her stubble burn while simultaneously paying attention to what your tongue is doing is just going to stack the cards against you from the start.

Don't use your teeth. Men ask the same thing of women … quid pro quo.

Do use your hands. The g-spot is not a myth. There is an area along the top of the vagina (if the woman is laying on her back), about halfway up the vaginal wall, that is a definite hot button for many women. Using a finger in a "come here" motion in that area can be quite the bonus maneuver for some women … other women find it a bit overwhelming, but might still quite enjoy 'straight' digital penetration.

Don't make faces or unpleasant noises. A lot of women are really concerned about how they smell or taste … and this is definitely the time to remember Mom's advice: "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." This is probably the #1 reason some women are uncomfortable getting oral sex. If there is genuinely a problem in this department, during cunnilingus is definitely not the time to talk about it. (On the other hand, making comments about how good the woman smells or tastes is a definite Do!)

Do tease a bit. Start out slow and soft. You don't have to go straight for the clit right at the get-go. Build a little suspense by tickling the whole area with your tongue first. Get everything wet, and get her good and turned on. Then go for the jackpot.

Don't worry if she doesn't have an orgasm from cunnilingus. If you're new at it, or she's a little nervous about it, the big O probably won't happen. While meeting a man who can give you an orgasm orally is a truly wonderful thing, oral sex also a fantastic bit of foreplay (or a very very nice intermission!) even without the grand finale.

Do give her some control. Unless you're playing bondage games, letting your partner move around while you're going down benefits both of you. She knows where it feels best, so let her show you. Pay attention and you'll notice where she moves her legs and how the wiggles her hips, and you'll pick up some hints about her favorite angles and positions.

Don't be afraid to ask. The quickest way to learn what someone likes is to ask them. Hopefully, your female partner is open enough to tell you when she does or doesn't like something, so feel free to ask her if there's anything in particular she'd like you to do … although you can still learn a whole lot just by paying attention to the way she reacts to what you're doing, if one or both of you is too shy to discuss it.

As with anything, all women are different. Some like harder, more direct clitoral stimulation, some like a more gentle approach … some women would be happy if their partner did nothing but cunnilingus all the time, some women prefer it as a foreplay-only activity … some women orgasm easily via oral sex, some women will never come that way. Just experiment, pay attention, and practice, practice, practice!

An anonymous visitor submitted the following comment, in response to my answer to Average Penis Size, don't worry about it. I thought it raised some good points, and deserved a proper response:

Dear Miss Sex Advice,

You missed the mark when you told the 11 year old not to worry about
his penis size. Sure, you told him the answer every text book says. But the thing is, at his age, it's the *only* think he worries about. And with all the viagra commercials and emails around, it's no wonder.

What you didn't tell him, was that even when he gets older, penis size doesn't matter one lick. The truth is: women don't care about the size of a penis. Bigger is not necessarily better no matter what the kids in the locker room say or the hundreds of emails in the email box.

Just thought I'd write in with that little tidbit.

While I fully agree that "bigger is not necessarily better," I'm afraid I can't get behind "women don't care about the size of a penis," and I feel I'd be doing the kid who originally asked a disservice to feed him one of the oldest and most misleading lines in the book. Like I said in the first question asked on the site, women do care about penis size. I am a woman, and I have known a lot of women in my life, and almost all of us care about penis size. We're like Golidlocks and the Three Bears: some are too big, some are too small … but the good news is that most of them are well within the range of "just right". And the even better news for you guys is that every woman has a different standard of too big, too small and just right, so there's plenty of options out there for everyone.

Sure, an 11 year old boy is going to worry about whether or not he's normal size no matter what anyone says … just like I worried about whether or not I'd ever grow tits when I was 11. That part is normal, and I think the best answer for a boy worrying about his penis size is the same as the best answer for a girl worrying about her breast size: You're too young to know what size it/they will be when you grow up, and no matter what size it/they end up being, it will work out fine. Some guys really like big tits, some guys prefer small ones, and some guys don't give a good goddamn. So it goes with women and penises: Some of us like 'em big, some of us prefer smaller ones, and some women really don't care.

Q: With the variety of genital piercings, which piercings provide what stimulation for women and men, and to their partners.

Given the wide (and ever-increasing) variety of genital piercings available today, I'd have to be much more of an expert to give a detailed run-down on every single one. Instead, I've broken down popular genital piercings by general area, and given an overview of each category, followed by a link to more detailed information from one of the pioneers of body piercing in the US.

Female Genital Piercings

Clitoral Hood Piercings

Perhaps the most popular female genital piercing, a clitoral hood piercing can potentially hugely increase orgasmic response and sexual enjoyment for the wearer (but do little-to-nothing for the partner). These piercings go through the thin hood of skin over the clitoris, NOT through the clitoris itself. Probably the most common clitoral hood piercing is the VCH or Vertical Clitoral Hood, where the jewelry lies vertically (if the woman is lying on her back) underneath the hood, resting along the top of the clitoris itself, and piercing through the skin of the clitoral hood just above where it joins the base of the clitoris.

Labia Piercings

These piercings are predominantly decorative, although if they are placed alongside the vaginal opening, they can provide some additional stimulation for a male partner. Either the inner or outer labia can be pierced on most women, but inner labia piercings are more common. Labia piercings also create the possibility for kinky D/s play, where a "master" can bind his/her partner's vaginal opening with small chains, locks or other devices.

Clit Piercings

An actual piercing through the clitoris itself is almost always a bad idea. Many women do not have a large enough clitoris to safely get it pierced, and most piercers are not experienced enough with genital piercing to safely attempt such a risky placement. I once met a woman who'd recently removed her clitoris piercing … a knot of scar tissue had formed as the piercing healed, and she found herself in excruciating pain any time she came close to reaching orgasm. Removing the jewelry had not solved the problem. Now, I do not care if that only happens to 1 in 10,000 women who get a clitoris piercing. That is just NOT worth the risk to me. No siree.

Other Female Genital Piercings

There is also the "fourchette" piercing, which goes through the skin just below the vaginal opening, and some women get piercings through their perineum (the skin between the genitals and the anus). Most other female genital piercings depend on the "pinchability" of the skin in the area being pierced. If the skin is easily pinched away from the body, a piercing is more viable than if not. The stimulation provided by other piercings just depends on the sensitivity of the skin for the wearer, and the placement in relation to the vaginal opening for a male partner.

Male Genital Piercings

Penile Glans (Head) Piercings

Easily the most popular male genital piercing is the Prince Albert, where the ring enters the urethra, and the piercing exits just at the base of the underside of the glans. Other glans piercings include the ampallang, which goes horizontally through the entire head, either through or just above the urethra, and the dydoe, which goes through the ridge of the corona (at the top edge of the glans). Most penile head piercings provide a lot of extra stimulation for a female partner (too much stimulation for some women), as well as providing stimulation for the man (varying depending on the piercing location).

Penile Shaft Piercings

Penile shaft piercings are almost all surface piercings (through the skin), without actually puncturing the body of the shaft. A frenum piercing goes through the pinchable skin just below the underside of the head, and is most often worn with either a short barbell or a large ring that encircles the entire shaft just behind the head. A lorum piercing is similar, only done through the pinchable skin at the base of the penis, above the scrotum. Some men get a full "ladder" of frenum piercings along the entire underside of their penis. Basically, a man can be pierced anywhere on the the penis where the skin can be easily pinched away from the shaft itself. Some men also have surgical stainless or titanium ball bearings implanted under the skin of the shaft. Most penile shaft piercings provide a lot of stimulation for the partner (imagine using a very bumpy dildo), and the amount of stimulation for the man depends on how sensitive the skin is at the location of each piercing.

Scrotum Piercings

Probably the most solely decorative of the male genital piercings, scrotum piercings can be done almost anywhere on the scrotum, but are most commonly done either down the center (as an extension of a frenum ladder, in some cases), or off to the side, above the testicles (often in multiples). These don't provide much stimulation for either partner, unless the man wants to hang weights off them.

Other Male Genital Piercings

Any other genital piercings for a man are dependent again on the pinchability of the skin at the spot to be pierced. The guiche, a piercing just behind the scrotum, is quite popular, and some men extend their frenum ladders down the entire shaft, around the scrotum, and across the perineum. Foreskin piercings are a popular option for non-circumcised men, and provide a lot of stimulation for both partners. Piercings anywhere other than the head and shaft of the penis provide little-to-no stimulation for a female partner, and for the man it depends on the sensitivity of the skin at the piercing location.

For more detailed information on specific piercings, risks and other considerations, Elayne Angel's website has wonderfully detailed info on most genital piercings, with diagrams and photos of many of them. Click here for female genital piercing info, or here for male genital piercings. Her site also offers some referral information if you're interested in getting a genital piercing and aren't sure where to go to find a reputable piercer.

Q: i am 11 years old. What is the average size for my penis?

Seriously? Don't even worry about it yet. At your age, you're nowhere near done with puberty, and your whole body (including your penis) is going to change a lot between now and then. Give it another five or six years before you even start worrying about whether or not you're "normal" size.

Over half of adult men are between 5.5 and 6.5 inches in length, and almost all adult men are somewhere between 5 and 7 inches. But again, at your age, it will be years before you reach your adult size, so there's no reason to be fretting about it yet!

Q: I'm an anal virgin, so to speak. Can you really lose muscle control if you have lots of anal sex? It would be embarrassing to have "accidents" if you had no control. Also, is it recommended to have an enema before you engage in it? The idea of a feces covered penis isn't too arousing to me.

Both good questions … First off, if you're careful not to damage the anal sphincter muscle, you shouldn't experience any loss of bowel control no matter how much anal sex you have. Like any other muscle, the anal sphincter can be stretched and exercised to accommodate and compensate for quite a lot of activity. ;-) However, it is possible to damage the muscle if you're not taking reasonable precautions, and if the sphincter is damaged, it can lose a degree of function. So, to avoid that, just keep the following things in mind:

1. Lube is your friend. Oh yes, yes it is. You'll want to use a fairly thick lubricant that doesn't lose its "slip" too quickly (forget KY jelly … it's not fit to be used for anything but medical exams). If you're using a latex condom or latex toy, don't use an oil-based lubricant. If you're using any other sort of toy, make sure your lube is compatible with the toy material. You can test a small amount of your lube on the base of the toy, and see if there's a reaction (low grade silicone toys, for instance, can degrade when used with silicone lubricant). I personally use glycerin-based lube, but some women find glycerin can trigger yeast infections … ick! A lot of lube companies make sample-size packets, so try a few different brands out until you find one you like.

2. Take it slow. If you try to penetrate quickly, especially your first few times, it will be really uncomfortable. Stretching the sphincter muscle too fast will cause a truly unbearable burning sensation. This is actually why you should NOT use a "numbing" lube, even though they're commonly marketed for anal play … pain is a warning sign of potential muscle or tissue damage, so you definitely want to be fully aware of it.

I'd actually recommend buying a small dildo or butt plug, and trying it on yourself a few times before trying full anal penetration with your partner. Or, if your partner is game, practicing with a lubed-up finger is also a good way to "ease" into things, without risking pain or muscle damage … and it's a great enhancement to oral sex, for both male and female recipients!

3. Relax. Learning to relax the anal sphincter at will is the biggest thing to master at first. It can help if you "push" against the toy (or finger, or what have you) as it penetrates, because pushing encourages the sphincter muscle to open. Once a small toy or finger is no longer a challenge, relaxing enough to enjoy regular anal sex or larger anal toys shouldn't be any problem at all.

If you're still at all concerned about loss of muscle tone or control, the Kegel exercise is not only a great way for women to build greater vaginal muscle control, but it also tones your anal sphincter muscle as well. If you're not familiar with how to do a Kegel, just squeeze your pelvic muscles as though you're trying to "hold it" when you really have to pee … you'll notice your anus tightens along with everything else. A few Kegels a day, and any lingering worries about bowel control are history.

Now … as for enemas. Personally, I prefer using a small enema (also known as an anal douche) beforehand, for exactly the reason you mention. I also recommend using a condom for convenience as well as disease prevention. I even use condoms on my toys for anal play. Clean up afterward? Toss the condom, give everything a good once-over with an anti-bacterial cleaning wipe, and you're done. Unless you're playing in the shower (or you are turned on by the mess), I think "preventative hygiene" is definitely the way to go.

Q: During sex I usually stay quiet as a mouse- but I love when my partner talks dirty to me. I'm a little shy and I don't know what to say can you teach me or give me some hints?

Believe it or not, I completely understand where you're coming from. (Yeah, even an online know-it-all can be a little shy in real life!) While I've rarely been accused of being "quiet as a mouse," it's only fairly recently that I've felt comfortable saying anything coherent during sex …

… so I'd basically recommend working up to it step by step. Start with whatever level of noise you're comfortable with, and slowly work your way up from there:

• If you're really uncomfortable making any noise in bed, try starting with a little moaning. An "oooh" when your partner does something you like, an "MMmMMMmmmm" here and there, and maybe an "oh, Oh, OH!" when you're getting close to orgasm. If even that embarrasses you in front of your partner at first, practice while you masturbate. It'll start feeling more natural the more often you try it.

• If "Oh" isn't a problem for you, it's only a small step from there to short sentences … like "Oh GOD" or "oh YES" or "Oh god YES don't STOP", all of which are usually received pretty well. ;-)

• From there, work your way up to throwing in a naughty word here and there, "Oh YES, fuck me HARDER" or something along those lines. Once you've gotten to that stage, you should be getting the hang of it. Don't feel obligated to use words you're genuinely uncomfortable with … just add a "dirty" touch to whatever you already enjoy saying.

• If you're comfortable doing a bit of role-playing with your boyfriend, you might also try having him ask you naughty questions, and prompt you to answer by talking dirty to him …

Him: "You want me to fuck you?"
You: "Yes …" *blush*
Him: "Yes, what?"
You: "Yes … I want you to fuck me." *bluuush*

(Yeah, it looks kind of lame in print … if that doesn't do it for you though, you can of course improvise with whatever words and phrases he uses that really do turn you on!)

Dirty talk can be incredibly fun to listen to and to say, once you start getting used to it. If you already have the inclination to try it, I'm sure you'll be doing great in no time!

Q: Before i was with my current girlfriend, I'd only had sex 4 times. Any pointers for overcoming a lack of experiance? (not nessicarally "tricks" but things to consider, or things to keep in mind)

Hmm. Well, I'd say the most important thing is to pay attention to your partner. It's pretty easy to get carried away with how things feel for you, and not always notice how she's reacting to what you're doing. While you may both still be having loads of fun, there's no substitute for knowing what she really enjoys, and there's no way to learn that without paying attention! Here's a few ideas:

• What kind of noises does she make when she gets close to orgasm? (Or does she get really quiet?) Listen when you change positions and see which ones seem to excite her most. It might also be a question of tempo; does she prefer it when you speed up or slow down? (You don't have to only do her most favorite things, but it's always good to know what they are so you can use them at the right time!)

• Is she forward enough to just tell you what she likes? If so, count yourself lucky! If she blurts out something like "Oh god yes, don't stop," you can safely take that as a hint.

• Read, read, read! There may be no substitute for hands-on experience, but book learning has its place too. A straightforward, well-researched book like "Our Bodies, Ourselves" will teach you a lot of solid fundamentals about female anatomy and sexual response. As much as sex is a matter of personal preference, knowing where nerve endings are particularly concentrated and having a good idea of what a lot of other women have to say about their own sexual experiences will give you a good idea of new things to try, and a better understanding of how it all works.

• If you talk about sex (and you should!), pay attention to how she reacts to different topics. She might be shy about saying no, but you'll definitely be able to tell if she's lukewarm about something. Go with the things that really interest her, don't push the things that don't, and you'll establish trust that may lead to more adventuresome activities in the future.

• Some women enjoy pornography or erotic literature, some don't. If she's open to that sort of thing, it's a great way to explore new ideas that interest you both. Again, just pay attention to what interests her most, and what seems to leave her cold.

There are very few things in life more fun than having a sex partner who's turned on by turning you on, and the more you can do to become that kind of partner for her, the more she's likely to do to return the favor.