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Facts about penis size
It's become something of a joke that men are always worrying about penile size. However, it happens to be true! We get a constant flow of emails from men who are worried that they are 'too small'.
Any woman reading this article may find it puzzling that so many men are concerned about the length of their penis - and that they wish they had 'just a couples of inches more'! But that's the way many males are.
Let's now look at the basic facts.
Length of the penis
To the average man, his penis is, consciously or unconsciously, one of the most important things in the whole world. At an early age he discovers it and immediately becomes fascinated by it.
But then a note of uncertainty enters his mind: 'Isn't mine rather small?' Look at his Dad's; look at his big brother's; look at those he sees in the changing room at the swimming bath. And he asks himself if he will ever be as big as that.
And so he goes on through life, always a tiny bit sensitive about the size of his organ, always convinced that it would be nicer if it were just that little bit longer. No matter how often textbooks repeat that penile size doesn't matter, and that women aren't attracted to a man because of the length of his organ, the average male continues to think the same way.
The average female is amused at the sheer folly of men in being so obsessed with their penile measurements. So if you're a woman, the one thing you need to bear in mind about this ludicrous male preoccupation is this: when in bed with a man, never belittle his penis (even as a joke) or say anything to indicate that you think it's small - the poor chap may take you seriously, and if he does, he'll be deeply hurt.
We have actually known men who became impotent after someone had made an unthinking remark about their dimensions.
Now, the ridiculous thing about all this was that all of these men had a perfectly normal male organ. Each one just thought he was very small compared with other men.
The trouble is that every man sees his own phallus in a foreshortened view - the angle at which he looks down on it inevitably makes it seem shorter than it is. Of course, when he glances at another man's organ in a changing room, there's no such foreshortening effect, so very often it'll look as though the other guy is slightly better endowed than him. A lifetime of comparison of this sort (and virtually every male does a quick mental check on each naked man he comes across) can very easily make a man feel a bit inadequate.
But it's important for a man to realise the true facts about the length of the penis. When it is in a non-erect condition, the male organ usually measures between 8.5cm (just over 3") and 10.5cm (just over 4") from tip to base. The average figure is about 9.5cm (or 3 3/4"), but this kind of precise measurement is really rather valueless because so many factors (for instance, cold weather or going swimming) can temporarily cause a shrinkage of an inch or more. So you needn't be worried if you happen to fall short of the average figure.
Of course, it's true that some men have big penises and some have smaller ones, just as some men have small feet and some have big feet, but the measurement is not - repeat not - an index of virility. By and large, a non-erect penis is big or small largely because of the degree to which its veins and other blood vessels are open or shut.
Most people imagine that a tall, husky man will usually have a large penis, but this is not so at all. The distinguished American researchers Masters and Johnson measured the penile lengths of over 300 men. The largest organ (measuring 14 cm, or 5 1/2" in the flaccid state) belonged to a slim man who was only 5' 7" tall; the smallest (measuring 6cm, or 2 1/4") belonged to a fairly heavily built man of 5' 11".
It's also worth pointing out that there is no correlation between penile size and race.
The erect penis
We've talked so far about the length of the male organ in its ordinary non-erect state. But now long should it be when it's erect? Well, the interesting thing here is that most penises are very much the same size when erect. The man whose non-erect organ is smallish will usually achieve about 100 per cent increase in length during sexual excitement, while the man whose limp penis is on the largish size will probably only manage about a 75 per cent increase. In round figures, this means that the great majority of men measure between 15cm (6") and 18cm (7") in the erect position, with the average figure being about 16.5cm (6 1/2").
So you can see that even if a man genuinely has got an organ that is small when he's in the non-erect state, he's also got a built in compensating factor that will probably bring him up to not far off the same size as the guy he sees in the shower room who appears to be vastly 'better equipped' sexually.
There's one final point that's of great importance and that virtually every man forgets: it doesn't matter how long or how short your penis is, because the vagina is so cunningly designed that it will accommodate itself to any length of penis.
You see, the vagina of a woman who hasn't had a child is only a mere 7.5cm (3") long when she's not sexually excited. The figures for women who have had babies are only slightly different. And even when she has been aroused, her vagina usually extends only to a length of about 10cm (4"). So it's obvious that any man's penis will fill her vagina completely, unless, of course, he happens to be one of those very, very rare guys with an erect penile length of less than 4".
You're probably wondering how on earth a man with an average length penis of 6 1/2" manages to insert his penis into a normal woman's vagina at all. Well, the answer is quite simple - the vagina has the most remarkable capacity for lengthening if something is introduced into it gradually. So the exceptional man whose penis is, say, 20.5cm (8") long can still make love to literally any woman, providing he excites her properly and introduces his organ very slowly. If he does this, her vagina will quite happily lengthen by 150 per cent or even 200 per cent to accommodate him.
Medical advice
If you're really worried that your penis is the wrong size, go and consult a doctor. If you're not happy about consulting your GP on such an intimate matter, then you could go and see one of the medics who spend their entire day checking men's penises.
These doctors can be found at:
- urology clinics
- sex medicine clinics
- genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics
- family planning clinics - though these do tend to be more oriented towards female patients
What about operations?
A number of private clinics - in London and elsewhere - now offer operations that claim to make the penis look bigger. The expense of this type of surgery is very great! And there is a risk of complications, like bleeding, infection, or deformity.
We recommend that you do not agree to undergo such surgery unless you have seen an NHS consultant urologist who feels that you really need it.
Very occasionally, a man with a big penis feels that he wants it reduced in size. This can be done, but there is quite a risk that the operation might go wrong. Again, we advise you not to have this operation unless an NHS consultant urologist has said it is necessary.
Written by Dr David Delvin, GP and family planning specialist and Christine Webber, Psychotherapist
Penis size and enlargement surgery
Almost all men experience anxiety about the size or appearance of their penis at some time. For most men, these feelings will pass but, for others, they can be persistent and disabling. A man's concern about his penis can lead to avoidance of sexual relationships, and even of sporting and other activities where other men might see him naked. Such men are not only embarrassed by the apparent smallness of their penis, but frequently also feel ashamed and silly about their anxiety, too. This article includes information about the size of a so-called 'normal penis', about the abnormally small penis, and about treatment.
Problems with judging penis size
Men generally fall into two groups regarding their penis size and appearance. Some men have a short, fat, rather elastic penis when flaccid that stretches and expands very considerably during erection. Others have a long, impressive-looking flaccid penis that barely changes in size when erect, and simply becomes more rigid. Men in the first group who see men from the second group naked in the showers incorrectly think that they have an abnormally small penis. Both are normal, just different.
Obesity and very thick growth of pubic hair may make the penis appear smaller. Obese men develop a pad of fat in the pubic area and the flaccid penis becomes buried in it. Weight reduction will improve appearance, as will neatly trimming excessive pubic hair. Very obese men might not be able to see their penis at all, because of their large and pendulous abdomen.
Men should also remember that their penis will always look shorter when they look down at it, compared with looking straight at their penis in a mirror or across the changing room at another man's penis. This is a simple optical illusion.
What is a normal penis?
When measuring penis size, it is important to distinguish between the respective sizes of the flaccid, stretched flaccid and erect penis.
Many men are concerned about the apparent size of their flaccid ('soft') penis, and worry that other men will laugh at them in the shower, or that sexual partners will ridicule them when they see them naked. The flaccid penis varies considerably in size, ranging from less than 5cm to over 10cm (2 to 5in). The size of the flaccid penis does not determine the size of the erect penis.
Research1 suggests that the average size, measured from the pubic skin (precisely where the penis joins the body) to the opening (urinary orifice) at the tip, is about:
- unstretched, flaccid length 8.8cm (3.9in)
- stretched (pulled firmly out from the body), flaccid length 12.4cm (4.8in)
Fewer men seek medical advice about the length of their erect penis. Masters and Johnson (1966) found that the size of the erect penis ranges from 12.5 to 17.5cm (5 to 7in). They also demonstrated that men with a smaller flaccid penis had a proportionally greater increase in size on erection. The average size of the erect penis, measured in the same way as above, is around 12.9cm (5.2in).
What is an abnormally small penis?
No widely accepted definition of what is an abnormally small penis exists, but guidelines for selection of men for penis enlargement (penile augmentation surgery) recommend that only those with a flaccid length of less than 4cm (1.6in) or erect length of less than 7.5cm (3in) should be considered for surgery.
Does penis size matter?
The answer to this question rather depends upon your perspective. If you believe that you have a small penis, it may matter very much to you, however unimportant the issue might seem to others. Some men become quite obsessed by the size of their penis and will consider almost anything, including surgery, to enlarge it. Most of these men will have a penis that falls within the suggested normal size range, but that does not always make them feel normal or better about themselves. Both they, and their doctor, should recognise that this is primarily a psychological problem, connected to physical and sexual self-image, rather than a physical handicap.
Researchers have repeatedly shown that penis size does not affect partner satisfaction during sexual intercourse. Some men born with a severely shortened and malformed penis, even less than 5cm (2in) long when erect, enjoy very satisfactory sex with their partners.
Women are much more likely to be bemused by men's anxieties surrounding penis size, than amused by its actual size.
Penis enlargement treatments
Treatments aimed at increasing penile length or girth can be divided into two groups:
- non-surgical treatments
- surgical treatments.
Non-surgical treatment
From ancient times, men have tried a wide variety of treatments to enlarge the penis. Because of the sensitive nature of the problem, and because of the surrounding shame and embarrassment, concerned men are very vulnerable to exploitation by the unscrupulous. While most doctors and other healthcare professionals act in a highly ethical manner, a few individuals will sell remedies and even perform surgery that they know has no evidence of long-term benefit. Some of them have been barred from practice as a consequence of their unethical behaviour. Others are still in practice, waiting to exploit the unsuspecting by relying on the fact that they are likely to be too embarrassed to complain to the authorities about an unsatisfactory outcome.
A glance though the small ads in men's magazines will reveal the following 'treatments' on offer:
- vacuum 'developers'
- weights that attach to the penis to stretch it
- magnetic or electrical devices to stimulate penis growth
- 'hormone' therapy, sometimes containing testosterone or related sex hormones (steroids)
- remedies that contain assorted herbs from around the world
Good-quality research evidence has not been published showing that any of these treatments produce a sustained increase in penis size. Vacuum devices and weights may produce very small, short-term increases in size, simply because the penis is elastic and can be stretched. However, like an elastic band, it snaps back with time.
More worrying are private clinics that advertise penile augmentation (enlargement) procedures, and make extravagant and misleading claims about their results. Surgery can be of benefit to some men, but certainly not all of them.
Current cosmetic surgical procedures are largely unproven by research, unreliable in their benefits, and may carry the risk of serious complications. Urologists generally consider this type of surgery to be still experimental in nature, and not a standard procedure.2 Seek advice from a trusted doctor, such as your GP or local urologist, about the nature and standards of the clinic before asking for a consultation.
Surgical treatment
Since 1971, penile-lengthening surgery has been offered to men with severe shortening due to congenital abnormalities (abnormalities present from birth), surgery (for penile cancer or Peyronie's disease) or trauma (accidental or deliberate amputation).
Cosmetic surgery to increase penile girth, or thickness, began in the USA in the late 1980s. Techniques for cosmetic lengthening were described in 1990. More than 10,000 men have had such surgery, but reliable information about results and complications have not been published in a peer-reviewed journal (a journal where the quality and content of the research is checked by independent experts). Given the number of operations performed, this fact is both astounding and worrying.
Penile lengthening: the most common technique to lengthen the penis is to cut its suspensory ligament then perform plastic surgery to provide additional skin to cover its new length. The results are difficult to judge, as surgeons have not collected data in a systematic manner. The results of the only reliable study indicate that dividing the suspensory ligament alone results in an average increase of 0.5cm (around 0.25in) in length, while skin advancement increases the length gain to 1.6cm (around 0.75in). These figures do not compare well with the claims made by some clinics. Some people, undoubtedly, do better than average, while others do worse.
The suspensory ligament does have a role, in that it helps keep the penis pointing upwards during erection. After it has been divided, that support is no longer present. After surgery, some men find that they have gained a small increase in flaccid length, but the erect penis is about the same size and now points towards the floor!
Increasing penile girth (thickness): this treatment may be performed with a lengthening procedure or on its own. There are two techniques in common use:
- injection of liposuctioned fat, from the abdominal wall or thighs, into the dartos fascia, under the skin of the penile shaft.
- placing grafts of dermis (a layer of tissue from under the skin surface that is well supplied with blood vessels) and fat from the groin or buttock area within the penile shaft.
The results following injection of liposuctioned fat can be deeply disappointing. Up to 90 per cent of the fat can disappear within a year. Grafts seem to do rather better, but there is no reliable published data on long-term results.
Complications following surgery
At least one person has died from bleeding after augmentation surgery. Apart from the risks of infection and bleeding, specific complications exist for each procedure.
Lengthening procedures
- Scrotalisation of the penis, in which the penis appears to arise from the scrotum instead of the abdominal wall.
- 'Dog-ears' at each end of the operation scar.
- Sloughing of the skin used to increase penile length (the skin has a poor blood supply and therefore dies, leaving a deep, ulcerated area).
Girth-increasing procedures
- Loss of girth due to fat reabsorption.
- Nodule formation, if the implanted fat does not disappear uniformly. The penis can be left with a deformed appearance, with irregular fatty lumps all over it.
Conclusions
Some men are severely anxious about their penis size and are prevented from enjoying a normal life as a result.
Men who are born with a small penis may benefit from surgical treatment, but the results are unpredictable. Without surgery, many will still be able to enjoy very satisfactory sexual relationships despite the small size of their penis.
Men that are dissatisfied with the appearance of their penis should think very carefully before requesting cosmetic surgery, especially if the size falls within the normal range. A better option may be to seek the advice of a sexual and relationship therapist, who might be able to offer help and advice. Using surgery to treat a psychological problem is fraught with risks. If surgery is the only way in which a man can regain his self-esteem and improve his self-image, they should seek advice from an experienced surgeon working in a reputable clinic. Men should ask very carefully about the procedures that are offered, the surgeon's results and any possible complications. They would also be wise to ask another trusted medical adviser for their view.
Written by Dr John Dean, specialist in sexual medicine
References
1. Wessells H, Lue TF, McAninch JW. Penile length in the flaccid and erect states: guidelines for augmentation. Journal of Urology. 156(3):995-7, 1996 Sep.
2. Carson C, Kirby R, Goldstein I. Textbook of Erectile Dysfunction. p513. Isis Medical Media, Oxford 1999.
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