Ejaculation

About 24 months after the beginning of pubic hair growth, a boy usually has his first ejaculation of seminal fluid (either as a wet dream or as a result of masturbation).

When a male ejaculates, his muscles contract and sperm and semen mix and are pushed into the urethra and come out of the opening in the glans — or tip — of the penis. The semen usually comes out in three or four spurts. In all, about a teaspoon of semen comes out of the penis during ejaculation.

Ejaculation after masturbation is important. Stopping the ejaculation by covering the end of the penis with a finger or thumb can cause retrograde ejaculation, which means the semen travels back up the urethra and can be forced up the tube that leads to the bladder or the prostate gland.

In either case, there may be pain and discharge from the penis. If this happens, see your doctor.

Orgasm

The feeling you get when all the muscles are contracting during ejaculation is called an orgasm. When a male is about to have an orgasm, his penis is stiff and erect, the skin on his scrotum gets tighter and his scrotum draws up close to his body.

His heart beats harder and his breathing gets deeper and heavier. Some of his skin may flush, his nipples may change color or get hard, and the muscles around his anus may tighten up. The whole orgasm lasts about ten seconds.

Masturbation

Masturbation means deliberately stroking one's sex organs. If a male masturbates long enough, he usually ejaculates, or he may stop before he ejaculates.

A boy may masturbate to orgasm, or climax, before his body is able to ejaculate. Ejaculation doesn't not happen in males until they start making sperm, during puberty.

Wet Dreams

A wet dream is a term to describe an ejaculation during sleep. Wet dreams are caused by sexual excitement felt in dreams and are common to ALL men. The first time you have one can be shocking but don't be worried. It is a perfectly normal experience.

Wet dreams tend to be associated with the teen years as your body undergoes hormonal changes and you begin to have stronger sexual feelings. Wet dreams become fewer as a man experiences orgasms through masturbation or becomes sexually active with a partner.

This is the main reason why non-teens tend to have fewer wet dreams but it doesn't mean that it can't happen. Don't forget that whether you do or don't have a wet dream doesn't mean you are abnormal in any way.

Last Reviewed: October 2018