It’s the personal health question most men want to answer more than just about any other: How do I measure up?
Until now, even if you managed to work up the confidence to ask your doctor, you couldn’t have much confidence in their answer.
That changed with the publication of the largest-ever study of its kind in the British Journal of Urology, titled: “Am I normal?”
What is normal?
Researchers at Kings College London analyzed data from more than 20 studies with more than 15,000 men, who underwent penis size measurements by health professionals using a standardized procedure. The average man’s lengths were 3.61 inches flaccid, 5.17 inches erect; the average circumferences were 3.67 inches flaccid and 4.59 inches erect.
Why is this scientifically important?
Men may approach a doctor with concerns about their penis size, despite their size falling within a normal range. People have real-life problems because of this. Some guys get to age 40 who’ve never had a relationship before because they believe they’re abnormal.
According to a prominent 1996 study by the University of California, titled “Penile Length in the Flaccid and Erect States,” only 2.28% of the male population should be considered candidates for penile augmentation. Furthermore, the most extreme condition, referred to in the study as “micro-penis,” affects only an estimated 0.14% of the male population.”
What about urban myths?
Correlations between penile dimensions and other bodily measurements such as weight, finger length, or foot size, were shown to be inconsistent or weak, except for the slight but significant correlation between penis length and height.
It was also refreshing to see in this study that many of the ethnic and cultural stereotypes around penis size — for example, that Black men have larger penises and Asian men have smaller ones — were not supported.
Does size really matter?
Previous studies that have asked about the importance of penis size have shown it’s a much less important issue for a woman than it is for men. In a 2006 University of California study, 85% of women said they were satisfied with their partner’s penis size, while just 55% of men said they were satisfied with their own penis size.
Source: Edition.cnn.com