How Straight Should Men Be?

Dear Dr G,

I hope you can help me with a conundrum in life, which bothered me in recent months.

I am a healthy 25-year-old man, who just started into the journey of sexual exploration.

I have three sexual partners so far, and all three noticed a peculiar thing about my manhood.

They all think I have an abnormally downward curved penis that is considered odd.

Naturally, I have not compared my manhood with other guys to consider how straight it should be. But I always consider my penis to be quite normal.

I asked my guys friends and was told that their penises tend to have an upward curve, rather than down.

Naturally, my downwardly curved Johnny has got me literally down, and affected my self-confidence in the bedroom!

I hope to put Dr G on the spot this week to find out how straight should manhood be.

Is it normal to have downwardly curved penis? How common is this?

Can this compromise my ability between the sheets?

Can the downwardly curved penis be rectified? Shall I go for corrective operation?

How you can mend my bent pride.

Regards
Bent Johnny

The obsession of men with the shape and sizes of their manhood has dated back for centuries across different ancient civilisations, as the erect penis has long been used as a barometer of masculinity and adequacy.

However, what is considered a normal phallus vary quite extensively between different societies, as a penis can curve upwards, downwards and even sideways due to the anatomical make-up of the erectile mechanism.

A bend in the penis is common, as the phallus rarely result in a perfectly symmetrical erection.

During stimulation, the blood vessels of the penis relax, allowing the influx of blood into the corpus cavernosa.

The filled blood is trapped in this erectile mechanism until the optimal pressure is achieved.

The level of engorgement will determine the ultimate shape and size of that erection, and this is also dependent on the level of arousal of men.

The natural direction of erect penis is dependent on the proportion of the crus. This tissue under the penile skin lies in intimate apposition with one another and connected to the pubic bone.

The function of the crus is to hold the penis in a steady position for penetration. This means men with shorter crus and longer penis tend to have a downwardly pointing manhood, and those with a longer crus will have erection that has upward tendency.

The length of the crus on each side may also result in sideway bend.

With such degree of variation in the curvature of the manhood, naturally begs the question of the extent of curvature that is functionally acceptable. What degree of the bend should be regarded as pathological?

Chordee is a pathological condition characterised by the excessive downward curve of the penis, at the junction of the head and the shaft of the penis.

The curvature is prominent during erection, and resistant to straightening even in the flaccid state. Congenital chordee is caused by abnormal penile development in-utero, resulting in short fibrotic urethra tethering the penis downwards.

On the other hand, chordee can also be the result of injury from penetrative intercourse or complications of circumcision.

The vast majority of penile curvature will require no surgical intervention, as they do not compromise performance.

However, the bend phallus that renders inability to allow penetrative intercourse naturally will require corrective surgery. Although the operation itself may not be complicated, some men may end up with altered sensation or shortening of the penis following the treatment.

A recent study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine entitled “What is good looking penis” focuses on the characteristics of male genitalia undergoing corrective surgery, considered attractive by women.

The study conducted in Switzerland asked women to rate the importance of eight penile aspects including penile girth, length, appearance of the scrotum and pubic hair.

The study revealed that women would rate “general cosmetic appearance” as the most important factor. Hence, it is the totality of the manhood that matters, instead of any specific aspect!

Interestingly, the “length of the penis” was not regarded as important, and ranked sixth in this study!

So, for men feeling a bit “short-changed”, this might be a welcoming scientific data!

The obsession of men with their manhood for that perfect size and symmetry, is often self-induced and unnecessary.

In reality, the variation of the manhood is what makes us unique both in appearance and performance!

Men need to be reminded that “it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but it’s the size of the fight in the dog”.

The French Philosopher, Albert Camus once said: “Blessed are the hearts that can bend; they shall never be broken!”

For those guys who are still not convinced, Dr G’s response is: “Blessed are the men who can deal with hard that can bend, as their pride shall never be broken!”