Sexual Health
Penis Size
The size of your penis is simply determined by factors, called genetic traits, which you inherited from your parents. There is nothing you can do to increase or decrease the size of your penis -- it will develop into its adult size as you change from a boy to a man through the process called puberty. Most boys start the changes of puberty between 10 and 14 years of age, though a few will start earlier or later than these ages. First, the testicles (balls) begin to enlarge and then hair starts to grow around the them. The penis then starts to enlarge, first in length and then later in thickness. Though there is much normal variation, the final penis size is reached four to six years after the testicles first started to enlarge.
This process of normal penis growth can be disturbing to many males. Since the testicles enlarge first (and later followed by growth of the penis), many young male teens do not notice the testicles growing and worry that they are not changing and that their penis is too small. If you are overweight, fat tissue can hide the penis somewhat and give an impression that the penis is smaller than it really is. Some males in your class may have started their changes of puberty well ahead of you and they may seem like they have an adult-size penis-that can be very upsetting! It is difficult to know how large a penis will be in its erect state, simply by looking at it when not erect (or when flaccid).
It is also true that adult penis size varies considerably from person to person. Just as with any body part, different people will have different penis sizes. We live in a society that pushes a myth that the male with a larger penis has a better sex life than one with a smaller penis. This is constantly noted in sexual jokes, in comments heard on TV, or in the movies and in many other places. Well, the truth is that normal penises vary tremendously in size, and sex is just as good for each of these males. You will need to wait a year or two after your overall height has stopped changing to see what final size your penis will be. If at any time during your growing, you are worried that your penis is abnormal, just go to your doctor and ask him or her directly about this. In almost every case, you will be told that it is fine.
Average penis size
- The average penis is five to seven inches (127 to 178 mm) long when erect (measured from the tip of the penis head to the abdomen).
- The average circumference of a penis is near 5 inches or 127 mm around.
- Don't believe the hype.
There isn't a single person on this planet that hasn't heard general statements relating penis size to race and ethnicity. Though in some cases the generalizations are true, they are merely stereotypes. There are men in all ethnic groups that negate such generalizations. In other words, don't judge a book by its cover! You may be disappointed with the results or pleasantly surprised.
Judging true penis size
You can't judge the true size of a penis while it is flaccid or not erect.
Sometimes men with relatively small flaccid penises grow to a larger size when erect, while their larger counterparts don't show as much growth when aroused. Thus the terms, grower and shower.