Myth Busting: “Normal” Penises
By: Layla Lorenz
When Do Penises Grow?
Penises typically remain the same size during childhood and begin to grow during puberty. Puberty usually begins between 11 and 12 years old and ends between 16 and 18 years old! During this period of time, the penis grows due to the hormone testosterone. Every person’s penis growth rate and final size will vary.
What is the “Average” Penis Size?
Most individuals actually overestimate what the average penis size is. Many people with penises believe that the average is over 6 inches long, however that isn’t true at all! For a flaccid (soft, un-erect) penis, the average length ranges between 3.4 and 3.6 inches. For an erect (hard) penis that average falls between 5.1-5.5 inches, but if we take volunteer bias (people with larger penises volunteering to participate in the study more than people with smaller penises because society says that having a smaller penis is “embarrassing”) in research into account, the “true” average is probably closer to the lower end of this range.
Why Doesn’t My Penis Look Like the Ones I’ve Seen in Porn and Other Media?
First off, the large penises shown in porn are not “typical.” These individuals and their penises are actually outliers and are, in many cases, exaggerated. What we mean by this is that there are many tricks to making a penis appear larger on video than it actually is. Lighting, camera angles, makeup, photoshop/video editing, and even placement (like next to smaller objects) can make an average, or slightly larger than average, size penis seem much bigger than it actually is! Even labeling a video with size in the title (8-inch, 9-inch, etc.) can subconsciously make a person believe that the penis they are seeing is actually that size, when, in reality, it probably isn’t. So, remember that it’s okay if your penis doesn’t look like the ones in porn and other media because, chances are, hardly anyone’s truly does.
The Variability and Uniqueness of Penises
Having one size of penis is not better or worse than having another size. Porn and other forms of media have warped our idea about what is considered “normal.” Penis size and the “benefits” of having a certain size is a socially constructed concept. In reality, there is no such thing as a “normal” penis because each person’s penis is unique. Penises not only come in different sizes, but also vary in other ways. Some penises have a curve, either to the right or left or up or down (or a combination of two). The only time you should be concerned about a curve in your penis is if it is causing you pain or discomfort.
Penises also vary in the size of the head, the base, and girth (width). Some individuals are circumcised–meaning that the foreskin was removed, exposing the head of the penis–while others are uncircumcised– meaning the foreskin was not removed and it covers the head of the penis. All of these differences are completely normal and add to the uniqueness of each individual. The only time you should be concerned about your penis and how it looks is if there is a rash/lump/pain/discomfort/abnormal discharge, or anything else that you feel needs medical attention. If you have any concerns about your penis, feel free to schedule an appointment with Bridgercare!