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Navigate: FAQ Home Page > Doctor Visits & Confidentiality > Male embarassment over female doctor exam
Posted on: 01/27/2009
Question
How do I deal with extreme embarassment at having my female doctor check my penis? I'm told a nurse would be there too! I'm very shy and never have shown my private parts to even a girlfriend, plus I get erections very easy, so getting undressed and then if she touches my penis getting hard in front of two women, the nurse will probably laugh -- aahh!! And my problems happen when I masturbate. Would I have to talk about that? I don't think I can do that in front of two women either.
Answer
Your concerns are very similar to concerns expressed by women when they have a male physician examine them. There is no information about your age or location or country but I would suggest you can ask for a male physician, this is perfectly reasonable and adult behavior. If you can't ask for a male physician or one isn't available you can decline the exam or ask to see a male physician later.
You don't need to talk about anything that makes you uncomfortable and usually the doctor doesn't ask about masturbation. The doctor usually understands how uncomfortable the exam is for young men and keeps it short. Best to be frank about your concerns so the doctor can adjust her approach to best take care of you.