The Size Of Your Penis - How Do You Measure UP?

A free article on Sexuality

So, assuming that you wish to know how large your penis is - just for comparison's sake, of course! - how will you go about measuring it?

First, make sure your penis is at maximum size when you measure the length and girth of your penis. In scientific studies, there are several ways of ensuring this - drug induced erections, for example. One approach that is often used is to measure the stretched flaccid length. However, stretched flaccid penile length is a very poor predictor of the size of man's erection, and the best way to measure an erection is to lay a piece of string along the top surface of the penis. Unfortunately, asking a man to measure his own dick is notoriously prone to exaggeration, and few studies based on men's own measurements really tell us much about how big the average penis actually is.

If you would like to measure your penis and you're not going to exaggerate to impress your girlfriend here's how to do it. The length of your penis is simply from the end of the glans to the base, along the top side of the organ, pressing slightly into your pubic area. Measuring the underside is less reliable and gives more scope for error. Penile circumference - which is the same as girth - is measured around the widest part of the penile shaft.

Sad to say, any studies which rely on men to measure their own penises are very unreliable - and in any event, those men with smaller penises may well be disposed to exaggerate their size.

We know that research on penis size that relies on self-measurement always show the average penis size to be longer and thicker than those where measurement is conducted by independent person - i.e. not the man attached to the penis being measured! A study in the September 1996 Journal of Urology reported that average erect length was just over five inches - 5.1 to be exact. And a study in the December 2000 International Journal of Impotence Research reported that average erect penile length was a little more, at 13.6 cm (5.35 in).

A famous study by LifeStyles Condoms in the year 2001 reported that the average length of the white male penis was 5.9 inches. These figures compare with self-measurement surveys where averages are consistently over 6 inches. Similar trends are revealed in information about the circumference of the erect penis. Once again, studies from self-measurement data report thicker sized penises than those where staff have measured the penis. The LifeStyles Condoms survey revealed that the average circumference was one tenth of an inch less than 12.6 cm (5.0 in).

As all men know, the flaccid length of a man's penis is not indicative of the erect length. The more diminutive organs will grow proportionately more if they develop an erection, and the increase in size between men varies very much. A small flaccid penis can grow by as much as five times its resting volume, while a large flaccid penis may only become harder on erection, with no increase in length whatsoever.

The study referred to above showed that average soft length was 8.8 cm (3.5 inches). But of course penis size depends on the temperature at which the measurement takes place. It's no surprise to hear that nearly half of all men wish they had a larger penis. Even men who think think their penis is average in size would like a bigger one! Clearly feeling like a powerful man seems to mean having a large penis. There is a major self-esteem issue around penis size, for we know that men think a bigger penis is more masculine or desirable.

Another amazing fact: homosexual men apparently have bigger penises than heterosexual men. Gay men measure in at 6.32 inches erect while straight men are 5.99 inches in length, according to over 5000 measurements of penises in the Kinsey Report. The straight erect penis girth is 4.80 inches, compared to 4.95 inches for gay men. Now - why? Do gay men pack a bigger dick in their pants?

All these measurements were taken by the men themselves so they may not be reliable. And it seems homosexual men's self-esteem depends on their perception of their penis size. For many gay men, penis size is a measure of masculinity. Of course, we all tend to think we are smaller than we are, because we don't get a true view of our penis from above: foreshortens it.

Needless to say, there are other studies which try to connect between penis size and race. There is interesting research which suggest black men are on average about half an inch longer than white men, while Asian men seem to be cheated in the penis size department - their erections are half an inch shorter on average than whites (though there is also evidence that this fits with the Oriental women's smaller pussy).

More important is what women think of penis size. Do women select sexual partners on the basis of penis size? It seems unlikely. There are a few women who are highly interested in large dicks, but most women look for a sexual partner who is kind, has a sense of humor, and will make a reliable father. In fact, research shows penis size is important for a minority of women, and many actively dislike large penises. Having said that, Women's Health magazine found that seem to prefer erect width rather than girth.

Nonetheless, if you are a man with a small penis, you won't suffer a life without a lover. All the men we emailed in our research on penis size who had a small penis - and that means men with an erection less than four inches long - had a partner and enjoyed sex with her, or him if they were gay.

Information about the Author: The author is writer for Male sexuality and the penis. You can find more information on the penis at The Penis Website. Both are excellent penis related websites. Sexuality Articles: http://www.article-buzz.com

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