12 THINGS EVERY MAN SHOULD KNOW ABOUT HIS PENIS * * * BY TAYLOR KUBOTA, SEPT. 19, 2022 * * * FOR HEALTHIER LIVES AND BETTER SEX. * * * 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. 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 measures 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. WHEN SIZE MATTERS: A lot of concern over penis length has to do with how much it matters to women, but one study 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. 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. 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. 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. * * * TO BE CONTD… SEE PART 2