If you have a penis you’ve probably broken out the ruler at least once in your life, just to see how your favourite appendage measures up against others or even the global average, we have too 👀 and just like us, you’ve probably wondered if it’s normal, acceptable, or desirable as it is, and trust us when we say you’re not alone. Society’s fixation on penis size has brought a lot of guys grief, impacting their self-esteem which could translate to erectile dysfunction, performance anxiety, or premature ejaculation.

If you’re doubtful of your player's credibility or just curious about where it fits into the average, keep reading…

What’s The Average Penis Size?

Pop culture and porn have made penis size weirdly significant. Beyond that, they’ve inflated the ‘average’ penis size to be much larger than it actually is.

Harmless banter and unrealistic portrayals may have you second-guessing your guy’s ability, but we’re here to tell you what the science says.

According to a 2014 scientific review, when flaccid, the average penis length is 9,14cm, and the average penis circumference is 9,4cm. When erect, the average penis length is 13,2cm long, with a circumference of 11,7cm.

Depending on what you’ve seen in porn, heard in changing rooms, and assumed from sex stories, this might be quite a lot smaller than the 6-inch benchmark you thought was common.

Even so, what if you’re below average? Or above average? Let’s ask the question:

Does Size Matter?

The truth is, the whole ‘does size matter’ thing is purely about the male ego. Most women actually don’t really care.

In a survey, 67,4% of women said that penis size is only somewhat important to them. In other words, for more than two-thirds of the female population, the size of your wiener is not a deciding factor when it comes to choosing a partner.

21,4% of the women surveyed said that penis size wasn’t important to them at all. It’s only the remaining minority of 11,2% that finds penis size to be very important in a sexual partner.

So if most women don’t really value penis size that much, what actually matters?

It all comes down to pleasure. A 2014 study found that married women who didn’t feel satisfied with their sex lives were more likely to ask for a divorce. So it turns out, women care more about good sex than they do about the size of your penis. Deliver on the satisfaction front, and you’ll understand what really matters. 

Penises & Pleasure

Okay but how do I satisfy my partner if I have an average or lower than average penis size?

Believe it or not, you can have satisfying sex without even using your penis. There’s so much more to sex than traditional penetration. Experimenting with longer foreplay, focussing on oral and hand stimulation, and introducing toys are all effective ways to create a more fulfilling sex life for both you and your partner.

If you find you always cross the finish line first, indulging in different forms of sex before you even think about penetration can help bring your partner up to your level of arousal so that when the time comes your penis isn’t the main factor in their pleasure.

Sticking to a session of purely non-penetrative sex every now and then is another great way to keep the pleasure levels sky-high.

It’s tricky, but letting go of your penis as the sole way to please your partner will transform your sex life.

Can You Increase Penis Size?

The hard truth is that there’s no specific exercise or stretching you can do, or supplement you can take, to change anything about your actual penis size, and any sketchy street posters telling you otherwise are, uh, questionable to say the least.

It’s time to accept what you’ve got, and take comfort in the fact that the average is vastly overestimated and most partners don’t care about penis size.

Instead of hanging onto your member as an indicator of your sexual prowess or lack thereof, it’s time to own your own sexual performance. It’s not about your penis size – it’s about how you get down. Focus on what you can change, and work on exploring giving pleasure without placing your penis on a pedestal.

Letting go of size as the be-all and end-all, and choosing to own your own sex skills is what’ll make you a true sex god.

How To Measure Your Penis 

You probably want to measure your member despite it not really mattering, so we’ve got you covered. Here’s how you do it:

• Decide if you want a flaccid or erect measurement, you can do both. To get either measurement you need the conditions to be just right if you know what we mean.
• Place a ruler at the base of your penis, right up against your pelvis.
• Align the other end of the ruler to the end of your penis. If you’re taking a flaccid measurement, gently hold it against the ruler. Don't cheat. 
• If girth is what you want to know here’s how you measure that.
• Grab some floss or string and cut a piece long enough to wrap around your penis with a little to spare.
• Wrap the floss or string around the widest part of your penis. Don’t pull it tight – just let it sit on the skin.
• Take note of where it completes the circle and gently remove the string or floss. Place it on a ruler and bam – that’s your penis’ circumference.

The Takeaway

If you remember nothing else from this article, remember this: whenever you feel down and out about the size of your penis, your partner is probably pretty happy with it, and if not, it’s not about your penis, it’s about you, bud.

The penis is not the hero of great sex – you are. Remembering that it really isn’t such an important factor, and allowing yourself to indulge in different forms of sex opens up a world of pleasure for both you, and your partner.

 

 Disclaimers: 

We know this article is heteronormative. Current research is not yet all-inclusive, so this was taken primarily from women's perceptions of penis size. To our LGBTQ+ community - forgive us. We know a big portion of you are penis experts, so feel free to send us some of your own research. No d*ck pics though. Thanks.

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The articles published by &BAM are for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. If you have any medical questions or concerns, you should contact your doctor.

References

1. https://bjui-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bju.13010
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042813053457