Q: Does semen change its color after ejaculation? Mine seems to but I wasn’t sure if that was normal or not.
A: Yes, semen does often change color within a few minutes of ejaculation in the sense that it can dry up and get crusty, this changing in consistency too. That said, it’s not like semen magically changes color to something like pink or purple. It’s a slight change but one that many men and their partners notices.
Typically semen looks somewhat whitish or cloudy. It can be pretty liquidy or more thick and can vary in volume, too. Some men find that they ejaculate larger amounts of it’s been a while since they’ve last ejaculated. Men also sometimes notice changes in their semen properties based on diet, exercise, and their age.
That said, if you notice that your semen ever looks yellow-green or red, as if there’s blood in it, you should mention this to a healthcare provider. Changes in the color of semen can sometimes be a sign of medical conditions that benefit from further evaluation by a healthcare provider. Such medical conditions aren’t always very serious, but they can be, so it’s always a good idea to mention bodily changes to a doctor or nurse.
Q: My partner and I recently learned about the existence of the inside parts of the clitoris and she and I have been wondering…. Can you feel the clitoral branches through the vagina? Like if I use a clean, well lubricated gloved finger, can I actually feel the inside parts of the clitoris? I’ve tried and haven’t found them yet but wondered if maybe I was doing it wrong.
A: Good question. The inside parts of the clitoris are placed more behind a woman’s labia and I know of no data that examines whether some women or their partners feel as though they can feel them through the vulva or the vagina. Everyone’s body is a little bit different and I suppose there may be some people who have that experience similar to how some men can easily feel or trace their vas deferens through their pubic area and other men cannot.
Frankly we scientists don’t even know much about the sensitivity of the inside parts of the clitoris. For example, are they sensitive to indirect touch or pressure, such as through the vulva or vagina? We don’t know. That said, part of the fun of sexual experiences involves exploring on one’s own or with a partner, and I wish you and your partner the best.
Dr. Debby Herbenick is a sexual health educator at The Kinsey Institute and author of Because It Feels Good: A Woman’s Guide to Sexual Pleasure and Satisfaction, Read My Lips: A Complete Guide to the Vagina and Vulva, The I Love You More Book, and Great in Bed. Find our blog, sex information, podcasts and archived Q&A at www.KinseyConfidential.org. Follow us on Twitter @KinseyCon and follow Debby at @mysexprofessor.