UK Study Debunks Myths About Penis Size

Twisted truths about the penis can never end up well, so researchers from the Porterback Clinic and Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield and the St. James' Hospital in Leeds, United Kingdom, set out to debunk penis myths, according to LiveScience.com.

What they found out is interesting, as several truths are revealed about the male genitalia. According to Drs. Kevan Wylie and Ian Eardley's 60 years of research, they have found out that 90 percent of women actually prefer a wide penis to a long one. During their studies, they also discovered that 85 percent of women were satisfied with their partner's penis size, a huge difference as compared to the mere 55 percent for men.

Their research consists of more than fifty international research projects that deal with penis size and small penis syndrome (SPS) conducted since the 1940's. From the British Journal of Urology (BJU) International, studies show that the average erect penis is about 5.5 to 6.2 inches long and about 4.7 to 5.1 inches in circumference.

To women, attractiveness is a complex issue dealing with many qualities. But data compiled from Drs. Kevan Wylie and Ian Eardley's research suggest that penile size is on a much lower priority scale when it comes to attractiveness. Rather issues such as a man's personality and external grooming surpass the penile size issue when it comes to judging a man's qualities.

A common myth that was debunked by Wylie and Eardley's studies show that penis size does not vary according to race. Also, the myth that older men tend to have smaller penises was also found to be false when their studies were compiled together.

In their findings, Wylie and Eardley stumbled upon a surprising discovery that a majority of men are insecure about the size of their penises. Though only 0.6 percent of men have micropenises, out of 52,000 heterosexual men, 12 percent thought that their penises were too small. Another syndrome, called small penis syndrome (SPS), dubbed the "locker room syndrome," actually affects more men than others with micropenises, which means that the penis length has a flaccid length of 2.7 inches or less.

One study suggests that this syndrome stems from various issues during the early years of childhood to the teenage years. Sixty-three percent of men with SPS said their conflicts began when they started to compare their own penis size to their peers, often times to their elder sibling or their fathers. The other thirty seven percent said that erotic images viewed during their teenage years caused them to acquire the syndrome.

The review from this penis debunking study find that penis-enlarging vacuum devices, penis extenders and traction devices rarely work. Instead, they provide the user with a "psychological uplifting effect." Though there are several surgical ways to enlarge the penis, the surgical procedures may deter many from trying. Surgery includes everything from partially separating ligaments in the penis so it hangs further from the body to injecting fat into the penis to increase its girth. One of the most extreme penis enlargement procedures involves cutting along the entire length of the penis and inserting a piece of cartilage into it before sewing it up again. Though the techniques work, it is now known whether the patients' were satisfied with the procedures.

If patients are uncomfortable with surgical techniques, there are other methods for penis enlargement that actually work. Indian Sadhus men use weights to increase their penis length, while the Topamina of Brazil use poisonous snakes to boost penis size for six months by getting the snakes to bite their penises. All of these techniques are no less painful than surgery.

The researchers of this review say that the purpose of their studies is to provide a general summary of the many projects that deal with penile size and small penis syndrome so that clinicians have a better understanding of how to treat the disorder in the future.

Drs. Kevan Wylie and Ian Eardley. "Penis Myths Debunked." Live Science. http://www.livescience.com/health/070601_penis_myths.html