8 penis myths – busted!

No other part of the human body is more shrouded in myth and folklore than man’s most precious part – the penis.

There are so many stubborn myths surrounding those six inches (except it’s actually not six inches), even savvy sexual people believe ‘facts’ that simply aren’t true.

Let’s find out the truth by looking at what the latest research has to say (and if you’re super keen, read ‘Sex by Numbers: What statistics can tell us about sexual behaviour’ by David Spielgalhalter – it’s a must-read for anyone fascinated by who really does what, where, when and how in bed.)

So, it is really six inches?

A new paper in the British Journal of Urology International is based on the results of scientists who reviewed 20 different studies of penis size, including 15,521 measurements of penises from around the world.

Most importantly, it was based only on studies where the penis had been measured by a trained health professional (rather than the man himself).

Surprise, surprise: men aren’t terribly honest or accurate when they measure it themselves. The result: most men fall within just a couple of centimetres of each other, with most measuring around 5.2 inches in length when erect with a 4.6 inch circumference.

If he wants to DIY, the correct way to measure a penis…

is to use a cloth measuring tape, not a straight-edged ruler. He should measure while it’s erect and measure the side facing his stomach, pushing the tape down to press against the pubic bone (so he’s not measuring fat!).

The average time between penetration and him ejaculating…

(for heterosexual couples) is nine minutes. This was the result of a European study of 1,100 couples from 44 countries.

Each couple attempted intercourse at least twice a week for eight weeks and used a stop watch, clicking it on the minute he penetrated and clicking stop immediately after ejaculation.

Previous studies settled on between two or three minutes duration; another rated the ‘ideal time’ of intercourse for both men and women at between three and 13 minutes.

The more he exercises, the stronger his erection…

A new study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine looked at how physical activity affected erectile functioning.

Men who exercised the most (18 hours a week) had the highest sexual functioning scores.

Watching porn doesn’t affect his ability to perform…

Two reputable online surveys found no link between the use of pornography and erection problems, despite popular perception that watching too much porn leads to ED (erectile dysfunction).

What does make sense (though, again not proven) is that men who have difficulties turn to porn as a way of experiencing sex without embarrassment.

Great sex does not depend on a big penis…

A study including opinions of 25 highly respected sex therapists identified eight elements that make up the best sex you can possibly expect.

Guess what? The penis didn’t even get a look in.

The myth that big hands/big feet/big nose means a big penis…

has no scientific proof or evidence supporting it whatsoever.

But height did make a difference: the taller the man, the longer his penis is likely to be.

Bald guys have a stronger sex drive…

This may well have legs. The myth says bald men are more virile than men with hair because they have more testosterone in their body (which can cause hair loss). The testosterone/hair loss link is proven. Baldness is caused when hair follicles become exposed to too much dihydrotestosterone (DHT) – a chemical produced by the male hormone testosterone. Testosterone is also the chemical responsible for his libido.