A lot of researchers and doctors are trying to answer the question that men and women want to hear the answer to: what is normal penis size?
This article provides facts from reviews and scientific articles that research the question of penis size. After reading it, you will get the most correct answer. Myths dispelled and accurate scientific information will give you confidence about the size of your penis or your partner’s penis.
Accessible porn and assertive marketing by large corporations that offer penis extenders and enlargers are reasons for male insecurity about their own size. Larger sized models are chosen for videos and photo shoots – men compare them to their own and are disappointed. It’s no surprise that researchers have recently been identifying anxiety and worry in men about their own sexual performance.
Facts about average penis size
Here are some basic facts about average penis size:
- 85% of women are satisfied with the size of their partner’s penis, but men are still unsure about it;
- 45% of men are confident that their penis is insufficient in volume and length;
- According to research, the average length of the un-erect penis varies from 7 to 10 centimeters;
- the average girth (thickness) of the un-erect penis ranges from 9 to 10 centimeters;
- the average length of the erect penis ranges from 12 to 16 centimeters;
- the average girth of the erect penis is 12 cm.
When is penis size too small?
Scientists published an article in the Journal of Urology. The subject of the study was the size of the penis before and after erection under the influence of medications in 80 physically and somatically healthy men.
The researchers found an average indicator and concluded: a small reproductive organ is considered as such when its length in the non-erect state is less than 4 cm, and in the erect state – less than 7.5 cm. Men with such sizes are recommended to perform penis lengthening surgery. In other cases (more than 4 cm and 7.5 cm), the size of the penis is considered normal.
However, normal does not mean average.
What is “normal” or average penis size?
In the same publication in the Journal of Urology article, researchers identified distinct cohorts (among 80 men studied):
- The average length of the unerect penis reaches 8.8 cm;
- the average length of the penis in erection is 12.9 centimeters.
Scientists have determined that there is no relationship between the length and volume of the erect and non-erect reproductive organ. This means that subjectively a small penis at rest may be larger when it is in erection. In addition, the researchers found no correlation between penis size and a man’s age.
The lack of correlation between penis size in a calm and erect state is supported by a study involving 200 men from Turkey. In the article, the scientists concluded: the size of the non-erect penis is irrelevant in determining the penis in the “working” state.
In January 2016, researchers surveyed 1,600 Americans regarding the size of their penis. There was no objective physical examination of the penis – the men measured themselves and gave the information. However, this study can be considered reliable: if the length of the reproductive organ coincided with the real indicators, the man was given condoms.
Results obtained:
- average length of the penis during erection – 14.2 cm;
- average circumference of the erect penis – 12.2 cm.
Scientists noticed that the results of self-assessment of their own size coincided with the data of other scientific publications. Specialists noted that penis size is influenced by the state of waking up after sleep and the source of arousal – hand, preparation for sex or watching pornography.
The average penis size of Ukrainian men is 13.97 cm. By the way, the Ukrainians have surpassed their northern neighbors Russians (13.21 cm) in length, but fellow Belarusians, who have an average of 14.63 cm, have not yet managed to overcome.
How to measure penis length: Take a ruler and place it against the base of the penis. The length from the pubic skin where it meets the beginning of the penis to the end of the glans is the length of the penis. To measure the girth of the reproductive organ, take a measuring tape and wrap it around the widest part of the penis.
Penis size: women seem to care less than men about it
Men worry about matching their penis size to women’s expectations. But in most cases, this worry is misplaced. In a man’s own eyes, the penis seems smaller than it might be in reality. When a man looks at his penis from above, it appears smaller to him than when viewed from the side or front.
This difference in perception, when a man looks at his penis from above and somewhere in a pornographic movie from the side, reinforces the untrue perception that his own size is insufficient. But how do women perceive the size of the male penis?
A publication in the British Journal of Urology International states: 85% of women are satisfied with the length and girth of their man’s penis. But men are not convinced.
45% of men believe that they have a short penis. But according to research, a small reproductive organ is statistically rare.
One study surveyed 170 women. They got the result: although women pay attention to the size of a man’s dignity, it is significant only for a small fraction of respondents. While most men are fixated on penis length, girls give importance to width and girth.
A study involving 50 female students with regular sex lives says that out of 10 girls, 9 pay attention to penis width. Only 10% of girls are concerned about its length. This percentage is because width plays a bigger role than length for women’s sexual satisfaction.
Women don’t want men with big penises
To clarify preferences, the researchers took a different route: they asked women to choose a printed 3D penis model from 33 different size options.
The printed penises ranged in size from 10 centimeters to 20.3 centimeters in length, and 5 centimeters to 18 centimeters in girth. The choice of these sizes was based on previous studies that reported the average size of the male genitalia to be 15.2 cm in length and 12 cm in girth.
The three-dimensional penis models are made of blue-colored plastic – this was done to ensure that women were not guided by racial notions of average penis size when making their choices.
All 75 women chose according to two criteria: a penis for a long-term relationship and a penis for one-time sex. For the first case, most girls chose 15 cm in length and 10 cm in girth. For the second case – 16.2 cm in length and 12.7 cm in girth. Women’s fears about huge penises are justified: during sex there may be unpleasant sensations, up to pain.
More penis measurements
Many researchers are trying to determine the average penis size. In 2001, 3,300 Italians between the ages of 17 and 19 participated in a survey. Researchers determined the average size of their penises. For a non-erect penis, the parameters look like this: 9 centimeters in length and 10 centimeters in girth.
Another publication studied a sample of 301 somatically healthy men from India. The findings were compared with penis size results of men from other countries.
These results are needed for men who consider their penis size insufficient to satisfy a girl and wish to have surgery to change the size of the penis. The findings are:
- non-erect penis: average length reaches 8.2 cm and average girth reaches 9.2 cm;
- erect penis: the average length was 13 cm and the average girth was 11.5 cm.
This article in Nature shows a table with data on average penis size in men from countries around the world Click to open the table.
Of the 16 cited studies from different countries, the very first publication with data on average penis size was released in 1899. Despite the centenary of the study, male genital parameters have not changed:
- the length of the non-erect penis varies from 7 to 10 cm;
- the circumference of the non-erect penis varies from 9 to 10 centimeters;
- length of the penis in erect state varies from 12 to 16 cm;
- circumference of the erect penis is about 12 cm.
Increased fears, “mistaken” desire for enlargement
The authors who examined men from India state that studies of average male genital size are important for medical and sociological data. They reason that men worry and complain about a “small” penis, causing them to seek medical help for penis enlargement.
In 2015, doctors in Saudi Arabia conducted a retrospective cohort study involving 778 men. The subjects ranged in age from 20 to 82 years. All of them occasionally used medical services at outpatient urology medical centers.
For the purity of the experiment, the study excluded men: under 18 years of age, with Peyronie’s disease, with congenital penile curvature, with clinical hypogonadism, with undergone surgery and acquired trauma.
Erections were induced in the studied men and the parameters of the penis were measured:
- The average length from the skin above the pubic bone to the tip of the glans was 12.53 cm;
- the average length from the pubic bone to the tip of the glans was 14.34 cm;
- the average girth of the penis was 11.50 cm.
In the same study, scientists measured body mass index (the ratio of a person’s weight to their height). Body mass index increases with body weight. As a result, scientists found a very weak correlation between body mass index and penis length in the state of erection. It’s all about subjective perception: against the background of a wide torso and bulging abdomen, the penis seems smaller than it really is.
The study found a low correlation between aging and a decrease in the length of the erect penis. According to the study, the difference in length between men 70 years old and 20 years old was less than one centimeter.
What to do if a man is concerned about the size of his penis:
- Measure its length and girth as described above using a ruler and measuring tape. Compare it to the average size. If the measurements are in line with the average size, you don’t need to worry. If the indicators are normal, but the anxiety does not go away, most likely the person has unconstructive beliefs and attitudes. In this case, you need to consult a psychologist.
- If the size is below average and you experience discomfort during sex, you need to consult with a urologist. He will conduct an objective examination and tell you what to do next.
