Does size really matter?

Dear Dr. G,

I read with interests the articles you posted last year on the issues of penile enlargement.

Although I agree with the fact many men may not have the “extreme shortcoming” of micropenis, the article was dismissive and did not address ways to improve the asset for men who still feel somewhat compromised.

In fact, I feel very self-conscious about my own “asset in the pants” and constantly feel very “short-changed”.

I am a 30 year-old-man who is constantly aware that my manhood is comparatively smaller than my peers.

I will never use the public changing room or normal urinal, to avoid being exposed.

I am aware that I am well into my adulthood. Therefore, I would like to take charge of my own body as the smaller sized penis is really affecting my self-confidence and preventing me from finding a partner.

I would like to put Dr. G on the spot on ways to make my penis bigger.

Can you verify what exactly is the average size manhood?

And what is considered small?

Can pills and lotions make the penis bigger?

Finally, I am not really keen on operations to enlarge the penis, can you outline the known procedures to enlarge the penis?

I am serious about the quest for an improved manhood and would like to make an informed decision. Hope you can help me to reverse my shortcoming?

Yours truly,
Questing Quinton

Countless data on the sizes of male penises across many countries have been published over the last few decades. Many studies have focused on various measurements of the penis on both flaccid and erect states. One systemic review of three decades of measurements recorded mean flaccid penis at 9.16cm, mean stretched non-erect penis at 9.31cm and mean erect penis at 13.24cm. The general consensus is that mean erect penis when erect ranges from 13cm to 15cm, which is about 5 inches. A penis is considered small only when it measures less than 3 inches, or less than 7.5cm on an erect state.

The perception of having a large penis is undoubtedly linked to higher self-esteem and confidence. It is well recognised that men with low self-confidence are known to underestimate their own penile sizes. Therefore, an individual who has normal size penis may experience persistent anxiety about the size of their penis, causing them to worry that their penis is too small or that others will judge them for its size. One research on 52,000 heterosexual men and women found that 85% of women are satisfied with the size of their partner’s penis, in comparison with only 55% of the male partners.

Marketers of penile enlargement products are known to exploit the low self-esteem of men feeling inadequate, tempting them with the lotions and potions to enhance their pride in the pants. The testimonials, skewed “scientific” data and questionable before-and-after photographs often lure men to utilise these products. As dietary supplements do not require approval of regulators, manufacturers do not have to prove the safety or effectiveness of the products. The lotions and potions claim to enlarge the penis often contains vitamins, minerals, herbs and even hormones. None of these products has been proven to work, and some may even be harmful.

Non-surgical interventions such as jelqing, penis pumps and stretchers are also marketed on the Internet. Jelqing is a form of “milking” exercise using a hand-over-hand motion to push blood from the base to the glans penis, allegedly a penis stretching exercise dates back to ancient times in the Middle East. There is no robust scientific data to support the effectiveness of Jelqing. Although gentle milking of the penis on regular basis may not be harmful, but strenuous stretching of the erectile tissues is known to induce bruising, scarring and disfigurement.

The penis pump is generally a device for men with erectile dysfunction, also known as the “Mojo” by the 1960’s Hollywood character, Austin Powers. The device consists of a plastic tube that fits over the penis, a hand or battery-powered pump attached to the tube, and a band that fits over the base of the penis once erect. Because the penile pump draws blood into the penis, making it look larger temporarily, the constant use of the device is known to damage the elastic tissues of the genitalia. This can result in undesirable erectile dysfunction in the future.

Penile stretching is an extender device to the penis as a mechanical traction that stretches the penis size in the flaccid state to make it longer. The earliest patent of such penis extender was registered in 1996 as penis lengthening traction device. A few studies have reported length increases of half an inch to almost 2 inches (1 to 3cm) with various devices with fancy names like Phallosan. However, larger and more vigorous research is really needed to establish safety and efficacy.