The penis is made up of spongy tissue which fills with blood when a man is turned on or aroused, which usually results in an erection. There is a lot of variation in penis size although size has nothing to do with how well a penis is working or how much pleasure someone with that penis can give or receive. There are several different parts to the penis, each of which has some impact on feeling sexual arousal and pleasure.
Penis Shaft
The shaft of the penis is the part that extends out of the body to the tip of the penis. When flaccid (not erect) the skin on the shaft of the penis will be loose and stretchy. While many people think that the shaft of the penis is not as sensitive as the head, some men have areas on the shaft that are highly sensitive.
Glans
The head of the penis is called the glans, and at the tip is the urethral opening (where both urine and semen come out). The glans is a highly sensitive area, with many nerve endings. The glans is often considered to be similar in function to the clitoris in the woman, and the tissue that the glans develops out of is the same tissue that the clitoris develops from.
Frenulum
The frenulum is the indentation on the underside of the penis where the glans meets the shaft. For most men the frenulum is an area of great sensitivity. In some cases the frenulum can be short on a man, a condition called frenulum breve, which can cause sex play and intercourse to be painful.
Foreskin
Almost all men are born with a foreskin, which is the skin that covers the glans when the penis is flaccid. When the penis is erect, the foreskin retracts to just below the head. Men who are circumcised have had their foreskins removed, so the glans is exposed at all times. There is tremendous debate about the practice of circumcision for religious, cultural, and medical purposes. There is also debate about the connection between circumcision and sexuality.
Inside the Penis
Despite the countless slang terms for the penis (boner, rod, etc…) and men’s bravado about their sexual strength, the penis has no bones and no muscle in it. An erection happens as a result of stimulation and blood flow (and sometimes as a reflex). Inside the penis are three spongy tubes, two on top and one on the bottom. The bottom one also has the urethra running through it.
An erection happens when blood flows into the penis and fills the tissue making it firm. Erectile dysfunctions usually occur as a result of some problem with getting the blood to the penis, having enough of it flow in, or keeping the blood there.
Urethra
The urethra is the tube through which urine and semen pass to get out of the body. The urethra runs from the bladder to the tip of the penis. In the process of normal functioning there are certain passages that are blocked and others that open up to insure that semen flows out of the urethra and not into the bladder, however problems can happen which cause semen to not be expelled.
The urethra is also a source of sexual pleasure for some men. Some men like the feeling of stimulation right at the urethral opening (which is called meatus) and others will stimulate the urethra itself. Internal urethral stimulation can cause serious harm, and it should only be engaged in with a great deal of education and care.
Scrotum and Testicles
The scrotum is the loose pouch of skin containing the testicles (or “balls”). The primary function of the scrotum is to protect the testicles, which are very sensitive to pain, and which also need to keep an even body temperature to function properly. The testicles serve two main functions: producing sperm and producing testosterone. For the sperm to work there needs to be an even temperature. The scrotum helps with this by either keeping the testicles tight against the body when it’s cold (the famous “shrinkage” effect when you get out of the water) or hanging loose in hot weather.
Inside the testicles, the epidymis is a coiled tube where sperm mature until they travel through the vans deferens before they are ejaculated during ejaculation.
There is a great difference in the size and look of testicles from one man to another. Most (but not all) men have two testicles; it is not uncommon for one to hang lower than the other.
Both the scrotum and testicles can be part of sex play and sexual pleasure. A lot of men enjoy gentle (or firm) stimulation of the testicles, which can involve licking, tugging, or simply cradling the scrotum.
Prostate Gland
The prostate gland is about the size of a chestnut and can be found near the root of the penis (the place inside your body where the penis starts) and just below the bladder. The prostate gland produces part of the ejaculatory fluid (also called seminal fluid).
The easiest way to find your prostate is by inserting a finger into the rectum and feeling toward the front of your body. Some men enjoy prostate stimulation, which can be both penetrative stimulation and external stimulation, done by massaging the perineum (the area between the anus and the scrotum).
But other men will find prostate stimulation irritating or even painful.
If you are interested in exploring prostate stimulation it is important to learn something about anal play in general. There are now a variety of anal sex toys that have been designed specifically for prostate stimulation, probably the best known being the Aneros.
The Penis FAQs
What is the average flaccid penis size?
The average length of a penis, hanging down loosely in a mature adult, is between 3 to 4.5 inches under normal conditions. Cold and exhaustion will make the penis temporarily smaller. In addition, men often underestimate their own penis size.
What size should an erect penis be?
The penis is capable of lengthening and increasing in overall size during sexual arousal. The longest fully erect penis (scientifically validated) is 12 inches (30cms). The smallest normally functioning penis ½ inch (1.3cms). The average erect penis size is around 6 inches.
Can a penis get smaller permanently?
Yes. The penis may get smaller in old age. There is also evidence that long periods of impotence can also result in some loss of size. When someone is overweight or obese the penis can appear to get smaller and look as though it has shrunk. Usually when weight is lost the penis size will return to its previous size.
Can you judge penis size by body size, size of hands or feet?
The size of a man’s penis cannot be estimated based on his body size or shape, or the size or shape of his hands or feet. Fortunately, penis size is not related to sexual satisfaction.
Can penis exercises increase length?
The penis contains no muscles, so there are no exercises that will permanently increase its size. Fortunately, penis size is not related to sexual satisfaction.
