What's the average penis size?

Many scientific research papers have tried to answer the question to which many men want an answer - what is the average penis size?

So how does a regular man size up? 

A new study published in the British Journal of Urology found the mean length of a flaccid penis is 3.6 inches, and the mean length of an erection is 5.16 inches, according to a paper titled "Am I Normal?" published Tuesday.

Examining Male Private Parts

British researchers analyzed 96 previous papers on this very top-of-mind male part. They excluded most papers that analyzed erectile dysfunction. For meta-analysis, this left 20 studies, each conducted to gauge a man's height and the circumference of his penis. The total private parts analyzed in these studies were over 15,000.

The study showed that an average erect circumference is 4.5 inches, the researchers found.

The study's lead author said the goal was to construct graphical representations of penis measurements, spanning many different ages and races. Putting it in a graph-form emphasizes the average size of most penises. 

"Men may present to urologists or sexual medicine clinics with a concern with their penis size, despite their size falling within a normal range. This type of concern is commonly known as 'small penis anxiety' or 'small penis syndrome,'" said Dr. David Veale, the study's lead author.

These nomograms (graphs) may help urologists counsel men with this issue and also understand the correlation between penis size and issues like condom failure and penile dimensions. 

Who Cares About Size?

The authors also concluded that past research has shown 85 percent of women were satisfied with their partner's penis size, but only 55 percent of the men were satisfied with their own size.

Men's Anxiety Around Size

Many men experience performance anxiety around their penis size. There are many psychological factors that play a role in issues like erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation. This study may help men understand the widespread average among others and help them mentally cope with their particular size.

Unfounded worries about inadequacy in penis size are not helped by the fact that a man's own view of his penis automatically makes it look smaller to him than to someone else. This is simply because looking down at the penis from above makes it appear smaller, compared with how it looks straight on, or from the side.

Race/Age May Play a Factor

A number of different studies have sought to determine an average penis size. One published in 2001 took measurements of 3,300 young Italian men aged between 17 and 19 years.7

It found the median average length of flaccid penises was 9 centimeters (3.5 inches), and the flaccid circumference (at the middle of the shaft) was 10 centimeters (3.9 inches).

Another study examined a different population, of 301 physically normal Indian men, and sought to compare its results with size findings in other countries.8

The results, the authors of the 2007 study said, "will help in counseling the patients worried about the penile size and seeking penis enlargement surgery."

• Flaccid: mean average length was 8.2 centimeters (3.2 inches) and circumference (of stretched flaccid penis) was 9.1 centimeters (3.6 inches).
• Erect: mean average length was 13.0 centimeters (5.1 inches) and circumference was 11.5 centimeters (4.5 inches).

The authors concluded:

"There are significant differences in the mean penile length and circumference of Indian sample compared to the data reported from other countries."

Penile Prosthesis

It’s easy to laugh at poor George Costanza for his shrunken manhood, but some reports suggest that only about 55% of men are satisfied with their penis size. Some men seek potentially dangerous surgical solutions to a problem that  is often only in their head.

Clearly men have a very distorted picture of what the average size is or what the best size is for optimal sexual performance. 

Penile Prosthesis is a common procedure men can have if they have issues of erectile dysfunction. A penile prosthesis is another treatment option for men with erectile dysfunction. These devices are either malleable (bendable) or inflatable. The simplest type of prosthesis consists of a pair of malleable rods surgically implanted within the erection chambers of the penis. With this type of implant the penis is always semi-rigid and merely needs to be lifted or adjusted into the erect position to initiate sex. Today, many men choose a hydraulic, inflatable prosthesis, which allows a man to have an erection whenever he chooses and is much easier to conceal. It is also more natural.

Even though this procedure is quite safe and effective, men who experience real issues with erectile dysfunction should consult a urologist. Believing your penile dimensions are too small is not a valid enough reason to pursue a procedure of this nature.