Men worried about having a small penis are usually pretty average, but have a false idea of what the normal size is. The best way to reassure men with penile concerns is to educate them. Men should know that a normal-sized penis is 1.6 inches or more when flaccid or 2.76 inches when stretched out. Researchers from the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Canada, studied 92 patients who went to the andrology department of the hospital over a 2-year period complaining of a small-sized penis. Each subject provided a sexual history and completed a standard erectile function questionnaire. Penile length and girth were assessed with a tape measure in both flaccid and fully stretched states. The men were asked what they considered a normal-sized penis and then were informed about the actual normal size. All of the men met the thresholds for normal penis size and did not have erectile dysfunction. However, on average, they estimated that the "normal" flaccid length should be to be 5.1 inches. The education and measurement sessions solved the concerns of 79 men. The other 13 subjects still insisted that their member was too short, but with further psychosexual counseling, most were convinced otherwise. Men complaining of a short penis can be treated using the basic principles of sex education with objective methods of penile size evaluation. This combination can correct any previous sexual misconceptions, relieve unnecessary anxiety concerning penile size, and decrease the desire to undertake still-to-be verified lengthening procedures.
Urology,
June 2005
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