He had always wanted to ask an andrologist but had never done so

Table 2 Answers to the most frequent questions of young Italian men

Sexuality and sexual activity	Yes, masturbation is normal
	Masturbation doesn’t cause damage to the penis and/or to the body
	There is no evidence that masturbation is useful before sexual intercourse
	There is no evidence that masturbation has negative effects on sports performance
	It has not been demonstrated that masturbation reduces the risk of prostate cancer
	The safest considered contraceptives are condoms, the contraceptive pill and intrauterine devices
	The risk of cancer caused by oral sex is related to the transmission of HPV
	Anal sex can be risky due to the transmission of STD
	There isn’t a “right age” for the first sexual intercourse because everyone reaches maturity at different ages
	There are effective drugs to treat premature ejaculation, but not all cases require drug treatment
	The clinic, not the age determine the use of phosphodiesterase inhibitors
	Drugs are useful for the growth of the genitals only in the case of some diseases (e.g., certain hormone deficiencies)
	Is not safe, and often even effective, to rely on the web to improve sexual performance
Sexually transmitted diseases	HIV is treatable but not curable
	Even a single sexual intercourse, with an HIV positive subject, is enough to acquire the infection
	HIV is transmissible through masturbation only if the biological produced fluids come into contact with wounds
	The complexity of the virus causes the current treatment options to treat but not to heal from infection by HIV
	Yes, HPV can also affect men
	HPV is transmitted through all forms of sexual activity
	It is possible heal from HPV infection reducing risk factors (smoking, unprotected sex, low hygiene...)
	The birth control pill is absolutely not effective against STDs
	Sexual intercourse is not the only way of transmission of STD
	In case of STDs the first thing to do is consult a doctor as soon as possible
	STDs can also be present in people who have not had sex but have been in contact in other ways (e.g., transfusions with infected blood)
Andrological health and fertility	A varicocele can be diagnosed by clinical examination or ultrasound
	A varicocele may be asymptomatic, present with scrotal symptoms or pains, and in some cases worse spermatogenesis and testicular function
	It is not always necessary to operate in the presence of a varicocele
	In some cases, after operation, varicocele may recur
	Symptoms of testicular cancer: presence of a mass, change in size, change in texture, scrotal and/or inguinal pain, scrotal weight feeling
	It is necessary to prevent testicular cancer
	Yes, it is possible to heal from testicular cancer
	If early treated, testicular cancer not always cause infertility
	There is no well-defined andropause but fertility and sexual potency decrease with age
	Severe testicular trauma may have consequences on testicular function and fertility
	A short frenulum is not dangerous and it is easily solved
	Regaining fertility after vasectomy is sometimes possible but difficult
Lifestyle	It is well established that drugs and alcohol negatively interfere with sexual health
	Physical activity is necessary to maintain and improve andrological health
	If not necessary, the use of androgens is harmful to the andrological health
Generic questions	Male virginity can not be established
	Yes, web pornography can cause addiction
	Yes, also the partner plays a very important role in sexual desire
	To date there are conflicting data on the role of cell phone on fertility and or sexuality
	It is good to deal with issues relating to sexual orientation with trained and professional doctors and psychologists

HIV: Human immunodeficiency virus; STD: Sexually transmitted disease; HPV: Human papillomavirus virus.