What to do if you’re worried you have a small penis

We promise that no one is as worried about your penis size as you are – so read this if you’re feeling concerned

The first thing to remember, if you’re worrying about the size of your penis, is that nobody has ever, or will ever, think about the size of your penis as much as you.

Having said that, it’s really common to worry about your penis! And more generally, for people to worry about their body and how it looks. Roughly 50% of people with a penis worry they have a small penis. But why are we so obsessed?

Four things are likely to blame

🍆 The penis is usually seen as a symbol of power. But that expectation of power can create a lot of anxiety and pressure for people about whether their penis is ‘adequate’ enough.

🍆 The majority of straight cis men mostly see other penises when they’re watching porn. Porn is not an accurate representation of what sex is really like. More specifically, it doesn’t show how most people’s penises look. They are often much bigger than average in porn.

🍆 People exaggerate or over-estimate the average size of a penis. It’s tricky to get accurate research on a ‘typically private’ body part, especially when there’s such a pressure around ‘bigger = better’.

🍆 Angles! Our penises look smaller to us than they really are because we’re looking down at them. If you’re looking for an ego boost: get an erection, stand side-on to your bathroom mirror, and take a look at a better angle.

Note: not everyone who has a penis is a man, which is why we’ll mostly refer to ‘people with a penis’ instead of ‘men’ in this article.

The science

If you’re reading this, it’s likely you’re worried about having a small penis. But in order to be worried about being small, shouldn’t you know what the average is?

During puberty (usually between ages 11-18), for people with a penis, the penis and testicles begin to grow. But they don’t stop completely growing until people are 21 years old. If you’re younger than this, your penis (and body) probably hasn’t stopped growing yet.

It’s tricky to get accurate answers when it comes to penis size, but current research says the average adult penis is usually roughly 13-18cm (5-7 inches) when erect. When soft, penis size will vary a lot, for example depending on temperature. It’s also common for penises to curve slightly to the left or right when erect. Just like any body part, every penis is different. This is normal!

A myth-buster

The size of your penis has absolutely no connection to how good and pleasurable sex can be. More specifically, it has no connection to how much the other person will enjoy themself either. It is much better to understand what you and your partner enjoy, rather than worrying about measuring or comparing size. The only way to find out what works best for you is to explore and try it out, communicate and stay safe.