Sex Facts: Your Sexual Health Consultant Takes On Common Questions

Unfortunately, most of us got little sex education as youth and the bit we got wasn't all that good! Some of the lucky got a booklet or gym class film explaining "Plumbing 101" which left us with a multitude of more questions. And lets face it, porn hasnt been the best sex education substitute. Yet, thats what the average couple uses to build their sexual lives together.

We spend more time, preparing for a hobby or researching how to stain the deck, than we do on making ourselves sexual experts. Some figure it should just be "natural" or they subscribe to the 'on-the-job training' philosophy, but thats a weak orientation at best.

There are a lot of sexual myths out there and a whole lot of just erroneous information. Our sexual experts help with providing comprehensive, medically accurate information to our patients. We are lucky to have skilled sexologists with a rich history of working with diverse groups.

Our team of sexual health experts report that its amazing how adults, when provided knowledgeable sex educators, will begin to review, adjust and evaluate a lifetime of bad sex education. Many report that having someone to consult with gave them a better sense of who they were as a sexual person and control over their sex lives.

Do you want to be a better lover? Do you need solid sex information? Do you have questions, about your sexuality? We provide our clients resources, and access to leaders in the field.

Some common questions we get asked:

1. When is it normal to lose your virginity?

The average male loses his virginity at age 16.9; females average slightly older, at 17.4. And a new study shows that genetics may be a factor: inherited traits, such as impulsivity, can make a person more or less willing to have sex at an earlier age.

Sources: Kinsey Institute; California State University

2. How can I reach orgasm every time?

While 75 percent of men always reach orgasm during sex, only 29 percent of women report the same. In addition, most women are unable to climax through vaginal intercourse, instead needing clitoral stimulation.

Source: National Health and Social Life Survey

3. How many sex partners is too many?

What's your number? According to a survey of adults aged 20 to 59, women have an average of four sex partners during their lifetime; men have an average of seven.

Source: National Center for Health Statistics

4. Do I really need to worry about an STI if Im in a relationship?

At least 50 percent of sexually active men and women will have a genital HPV infection at some point in their lives. HPV, or human papillomavirus, comes in both low- and high-risk forms; low-risk HPV can cause genital warts, and high-risk can cause cervical and other cancers. In 90 percent of cases, the body's immune system will fight off the disease within two years.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

5. Does size matter?

Relax, guys. No matter what those, ahem, movies might suggest, in the United States, the average erect penis is five to seven inches long, and four to six inches in circumference.

Source: Kinsey Institute

6. How come I cant keep it hard?

Approximately 5 percent of 40-year-old men and between 15 to 25 percent of 65-year-old men experience erectile dysfunction.

Source: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases