12 Things Every Man Should Know About His Penis
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Penises are important in many ways. They are a symbol of manhood, play a big role in procreation, and are something worth paying attention to if you’re curious about your overall health. You may think you know everything there is to know about this very special guy part (at least when it comes to your own) but some of these facts may still surprise you.
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What an Average Penis Looks Like
The average length of the penis in the U.S. is around 5 inches when erect and 3.5 inches when not. One study from 1996 measured 80 men’s erect and flaccid penises. Looking at their data, they suggested that a man should only consider lengthening procedures if his penis measure less than 1.5 inches when limp or less than 3 inches when erect.Dr. Paul Turek, men’s health specialist and founder of the Turek Clinic says length is a common concern among men that he speaks with but that it really shouldn’t be. “You’re average, don’t worry about it,” he says.
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When Size Matters
A lot of concern over penis length has to do with how much it matters to women but one studyc showed that there is more to sexual attractiveness than just this. Women in the study rated the sexual allure of computer-generated nude males and larger penises did relate to higher scores but only up until about 3 inches (the penises were flaccid). After that, the effect of penis size dropped off. What researchers found was that other common measures of attractiveness, like height and the shoulder-to-hip ratio, played a large role as well. In tall men, just a third of an inch in added penis length could boost their score the same amount as a shorter man whose length doubled. Eventually, the less fit, short men couldn’t keep up, no matter what they had going on below the belt.
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Growers and Show-ers
Different men are built differently, even when it comes to their penises. “There are growers who tend to start small and end up bigger, and show-ers who tend to start out big and not get much bigger,” says Dr. Paul Turek of the Turek Clinic. While there is a lot of diversity when it comes to penis length and growth, it’s generally true that men who have smaller flaccid penises grow more (percentage-wise) than men whose penises start out large. However, research has shown that flaccid penis length is unrelated to erect length.
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Curvature
In most men, the penis curves slightly to the right or left when erect. While Turek says this worries many men, it’s generally harmless. However, if it curves more than 15 degrees off the midline, this could indicate Peyronie’s disease (PD), a problematic curving. “When it really curves due to PD, we published a paper showing that men are very much affected by it and that their quality of life is very low,” says Turek. Specifically, they found that men with PD often also have emotional and relationship problems. PD can be fixed through medical and surgical interventions.
Lumps and Bumps
Any unusual lumps on your penis are probably worth talking to a medical professional about, just in case. For the most part, though, the majority of these are nothing to worry about. Penis skin is just like skin everywhere else and it can have the same problems, including conditions like eczema and vitiligo.
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You Can Break It
As horrible as it sounds, men can actually break their penises. It’s a rare occurrence but seems to most often happen when a man is having stressful sex. One study that looked at 16 men who had experienced penile fractures found that half were having extra-marital affairs at the time. Thirteen of the 16 were having sex in an unusual place, like a car, at work, or in an elevator. These fractures are very serious. “It’s like an I-Beam that buckles. It’s a big deal," says Turek. Men who have these fractures will hear an audible crack and their penis will show visible bruising (it will be really painful too). This requires a trip to the ER.
Zippers Injuries
Research from UC San Francisco found that zipper injuries were the most common cause of penile injury in adults. Between 2002 and 2010, 17,616 men made trips to ERs for zipper mishaps, accounting for nearly one-fifth of all penis injuries during this time. Should you ever find yourself in this unfortunate situation, make sure you’re telling the truth about what kind of teeth bit you. “If have a human bite injury and you go to get care and tell them it’s a zipper injury, you could lose your penis,” says Tudek. Human mouths have all kinds of special bacteria that zippers don’t, so injuries from the two are treated very differently.
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What Erectile Dysfunction Means About Your Health
Beyond heart health, there are plenty of conditions that can affect your penis. “If you have a big belly and you’re diabetic, and you have high blood pressure and you have a cholesterol issue, guess what? You’re probably going to have an erection problem,” says Turek. Basically, many health issues affect various organs and systems all over your body and your penis is not immune. Again, if your stuff is not acting quite right, go ahead and get a doctor’s opinion.
Heart Health by Way of Penis
A man’s penis health is a great indicator of his cardiovascular health in general. The penis has very small blood vessels running through it, which help create erections. If there is a problem in these small vessels, a man’s erection will likely suffer. Therefore, erectile problems can be red flags for future heart problems (where bigger blood vessels are involved). This close relationship means that changes in erection are something to talk to your doctor about and that staying heart healthy is a good way to make sure your penis is healthy too.
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Keeping it Clean
Keeping your penis clean means a few different things. First, men should make sure to soap up and wash off down there, and be especially diligent if they are uncircumcised. Having a clean penis also means having safe sex and getting checked for STDs. “You carry your whole history with you, as does your partner,” says Turek. Remember that all sexually active people are in a kind of sexual web. Even if you’ve slept with only one person, they may have slept with another and who knows how many partners that person has had?
What Is Phimosis?
Phimosis is a condition where the foreskin of the penis can’t be pulled back. This is common in children and usually resolves with age. It can also be the result of scarring, infection, or inflammation. Phimosis can lead to poor hygiene, infection, and even cancer, most likely due to an inability to clean under the foreskin. Men can use a topical ointment to soften the skin and pull it back. Circumcision is also used to treat phimosis.
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Never Ignore Below-the-Belt Health Problems
Between risk-taking behaviors and less frequent doctor’s visits, research has shown time and again that men aren’t always on top of taking care of themselves. It’s a different story when it comes down to a man and his penis. “Men pay appropriate attention to the wood,” says Dr. Paul Turek, men’s health specialist and founder of the Turek Clinic. If anything, many of the concerns men have about their penises are nothing to worry about. (Of course, anything that seems off down below is still worth discussing with a medical professional.)
By Taylor Kubota
