The internet is full of websites and advertisements selling you magic supplements, gels and creams, and various devices, promising to increase the length and girth of your manhood i.e. your penis. And this is because the man’s insecurity about his penis size, has led to the birth of a million-dollar industry worldwide.

Penis size, since ages, in various cultures around the world, is a sign of masculinity. Penis size symbolizes strength, virility, fertility and courage. Acc. to a 2008 study in the International Journal of Impotence Research, by a team of US researchers, led by B.E. Dillon, the ancient Greeks were fixated on the penis, as recorded by Kallixeinos of Rhodes in 275BC, who described a ‘golden phallus, 180 feet long’. The phallus was topped with a golden start and was carried through the streets during a festival in Alexandria, all the while people sung to it and recited poems.

Acc. to NHS UK, Indian mystics known as Sadhus have been known to stretch their penis from an early age by hanging weights on it, while the Topinama tribesmen of Brazil encouraged poisonous snakes to bite their penis to enlarge it. On the other hand, the Kamasutra, divides men into three classes based on penis size: “hare” size (5–7cm when erect), “bull” size (10–15cm), and “horse” size (18–20cm).

Men, from a very long time, has always been insecure about his organ. The most common of the worries is that, if the penis size is small, they won’t be able to satisfy their partners. They often underestimate the size of their penis, in comparison with others. The marketers selling penis enlargement products, exploit the very same weakness and inadequacy. However, scientifically it is a big fat lie, just like various other industries which exploit the weakness of human psychology.

In a 2015 study in the journal Plos One, a US research team, led by Nicole Prause, from University of California Los Angeles, suggested that, partner perceptions of the penis appearance seem to most likely to impact men’s feelings about the features of their penis. The expectations that men have about women’s penis size preferences appear to drive anxiety and dissatisfaction more than some inborn dissatisfaction. Researchers found that, while men and women agreed that the “ideal” penis length was longer than what they thought was average, men mistakenly reported that women would find an even longer penis ideal than the women actually did.

Concerns about penis size affect men’s sexual satisfaction and functioning. Of course, penis size need not affect sexual functions like orgasm, sexual drive, or pain experience. However, men who are less satisfied with their penis report more sexual health problems. A smaller penis decreases sexual confidence, which may be why penis size is related to sexual function. Prause & team , found that, women prefer a penis of slightly larger circumference and length for one-time versus long-term sexual partners. 

In a 2013 study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, an Australian research team, led by Brian S. Mautz, from the  Australian National University, Canberra, found that flaccid penis size had a significant influence on male attractiveness. Males with a larger penis were rated as being relatively more attractive. This relationship is nonlinear, however, indicating that the proportional increase in attractiveness begins to decrease after a size of app. 7.6cm.

In a 2012 study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, a Portuguese research team, led by R.M. Costa, questioned 323 women, and found that, the likelihood of orgasm with a longer penis was related to greater vaginal orgasm frequency but unrelated to frequencies of other sexual behaviours, including clitoral orgasm.

In a 2002 study in the journal European Urology, a team of researchers from Netherlands led by, A.B. Francken, questioned 375 sexually active women who gave birth at the University Hospital Groningen, about sexual functioning and the importance they attach to the size of their partner’s penis. Researchers found that, 20% of the women found the length of the penis important and 1% very important; 55% and 22% of the women found the length of the penis unimportant and totally unimportant, respectively. Opinions about the girth of the penis followed the same trend. Length was less important than girth: 21% and 32%, respectively. The women who found the girth of the penis important had the same opinion about the length of the penis. Although clearly in the minority, a nevertheless considerable percentage of the women respondents attached substantial importance to the size of the male sexual organ.

In a 2006 study in the journal Psychology of Men & Masculinity, by a research team, led by Janet Lever (https://bit.ly/39r0mv8), studied the men’s and women’s views on penis size, in 52,031 heterosexual men and women. They found that, most men (66%) rated their penis as average, 22% as large, and 12% as small. Self-reported penis size was correlated positively with height and negatively with body fat level. Whereas 85% of women were satisfied with their partner’s penis size, only 55% of men were satisfied with their penis size, 45% wanted to be larger, and 0.2% wanted to be smaller. 

In a 2002 study in the International Journal of Impotence Research, an Italian research team, led by N. Mondaini, from the University of Florence, evaluated numbers of patients presenting to a University andrology clinic over a 2yr period and correlated their perceived penis size with the accepted norms. Sixty-seven patients were evaluated with an age between 16-55yrs, complaining of ‘short penis’ and requesting surgical correction.

Researchers found that, most men who seek penile lengthening surgery overestimate ‘normal’ penile length. None of the patients could be classified as having a severely short penis according to our nomogram and none had any anatomical penile abnormality. They also found that, Forty-two (62.7%) subjects recalled the problem starting in childhood, when they felt that their penis was smaller than their friends’. In 25 patients (37.3%) the problem started in the teenage years after seeing erotic images.

In a 2017 study in the journal Translational Andrology & Urology, Canadian researchers, Jeffrey Campbell & Joshua Gillis , suggested that, “majority of men seeking penile elongation treatment have a normal penile size, which is functionally adequate for sexual activity and micturition. Men complaining of small penis, despite adequate length, typically suffer from either penile dysmorphophobia disorder (PDD) or small penis anxiety (SPA). In both of these disorders, men consistently underestimate the size of their own penis and overestimate the mean size for other men. Men are so preoccupied with their penis size and length, they may develop depressive episodes associated with social, occupational, and sexual dysfunction.

There is a high prevalence of psychogenic erectile dysfunction and lack of sexual satisfaction in men with BDD, despite their normal libido. In comparison, SPA is an anxiety syndrome pertinent to the genital organs being observed, directly or indirectly while clothed, due to concern that the flaccid penis length and/or girth is less than the expected normal for an adult male.”

THE AVERAGE SIZE: In a 2013 study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, a US research team, from University of Indiana, led by, D. Herbenick , assessed erect penile dimensions, in 1,661 sexually active men. Researchers found a mean erect penile length of 14.15cm and a mean erect penile circumference of 12.23cm. 

In another 2014 study in the journal BJU International, a British research team from King’s College, London, led by, David Veale, studied the flaccid and erect penile length and circumference in 15,521 men. Researchers found the following measurements: flaccid penis [mean 9.16cm] and stretched length [mean 13.24cm], erect length [mean 13.12cm], flaccid circumference [mean 9.31cm], and erect circumference [mean 11.66cm].

In a 2007 study in the International Journal of Impotence Research, an Indian research team, led by, K. Promodu , investigated the penile length and circumference of Indian males and to compare the results with the data from other countries. Penile length in flaccid and stretched conditions and circumference were measured in a group of 301 physically normal men. Erected length and circumference were measured for 93 subjects. Mean flaccid length was found to be 8.21cm, and circumference 9.14cm. Mean erected length was found to be 13.01cm and erected circumference was 11.46cm.

As a conclusion, from the above and other sources:

• Average length of flaccid penis is between 3.4 inches and 3.7 inches (8.6cm and 9.3cm)
• Average length of erect penis is between 5.1 inches and 5.7 inches (12.9cm and 14.5cm)
• Average circumference of an erect penis is between 3.5 inches and 3.9 inches (8.8cm and 10.0cm)]