6 astonishing penis facts they didn’t teach you in biology

We bet they didn’t teach you you’re erection is 30% longer than you can see

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School biology lessons can sometimes be a case of a teacher trying to impart the basic facts about sex to a group of giggly teenagers.

And while the trusty basics are a great place to start, there is so much more about penises and erections that we bet they didn’t teach you.

Our sexual health is something we should be all clued up about and our favourite Dr Danae Maragouthakis, from Yoxly, an Oxford-based sexual health start-up, is an Instagram doctor who knows all their is to know about our genitals.

We’ve already covered penis misconceptions, now it’s the time for the hard facts…

There are three types of erection

If you get an erection you may not think much about how you actually became aroused.

But, when your penis gets hard there are actually three different categories of erection it can fall into.

A bunch of bananas with one banana sticking up, suggestive of an erection
There are three different types of erections men can have

A subconscious erection is the first type. These hard ons usually occur when you’re dreaming – you won’t need physiological or physical stimulations.

Psychogenic erections are the result of sexual fantasies either fulfilled in reality or in porn, where your body responds to visual stimuli.

The third and final type of erection is the reflexogenic erection. This is an erection which happens because of direct physical stimulation to the penis.

You don’t need an erection to orgasm

We usually associate an orgasm with an erection but you don’t necessarily need to be hard to finish.

So if you can’t get it up, that doesn’t mean you can’t sometimes still have a satisfying end to getting it on.

Some people can experience an orgasm without being fully erect, while some men have reported being able to orgasm with just their prostate being massaged.

Penile stimulation isn’t always a necessity.

Up to half your erection is hidden

Your penis is actually a lot longer than it looks
Your penis is actually a lot longer than it looks

Men, your penis is actually a lot longer than it looks.

About 30% of the tissues that make up the male erection are internal, so you can’t see it from the outside.

This means a third or even up to a half of your hard on is hidden.

Penises have penile spines

Don’t panic, your penis doesn’t actually have spines! But, while humans don’t have penile spines, plenty of closely related animals do.

These spines are pointed, keratinised structures found in the genitalia of several animals, which may help to induce ovulation or enhance sensation during sexual activity.

Our distant relative – the chimpanzee – has penile spines, as well as cats, bats and cute fluffy koalas down under.

Myth: The penis is a muscle

Wrong.

Danae tells Metro.co.uk: ‘Some people believe that the penis is a muscle that can be exercised to increase size or improve sexual performance.

‘The penis is not a muscle. It looks like muscle because it gets hard when it fills with blood when it gets an erection but it’s actually made predominantly of spongey tissue and blood vessels.

‘When someone fractures their penis, they break the blood vessels that run in the penis and tear the soft tissue. It’s incredibly painful and really dangerous, that’s a medical emergency.

‘Seek medical attention immediately because if you compromise the blood flow to those tissues, they can die.’

Beetroot and oysters could give you better erections

Dr Danae also said that consuming foods that are high in Nitric Oxide can help blood flow, thus improving your erections.

Foods high in Nitric Oxide are dark chocolate, beets, garlic, watermelon and leafy green veggies.

You might finally have a reason to try oysters too! Foods that are high in zinc are important for good testosterone levels and sperm production.

This includes the divisive shellfish, as well as beef, chicken, nuts and beans.

As seems to be the rule of thumb for every part of your body, drinking plenty of water means you’ll be hydrated and promote healthy blood flow, which can only be good for your erections.

Beetroot and leafy greens could help give you better erections
Beetroot and leafy greens could help give you better erections

Smoking-related erectile dysfunction can be reversed

While there is a misconception that smoking can actually shrink your penis there is no scientific evidence to that point.

However, this doesn’t mean the effects of smoking on your body don’t take their toll on your sexual performance and satisfaction.

What you probably did learn in biology is that smoking constricts your blood flow, but they may not have touched upon the fact that means you won’t always get sufficient blood flow to your genitals.

Complete Article HERE!

A guy’s guide to sexual health

— What every man should know

Most people know the fundamental sportsmanship rule: hitting below the belt is illegal. The groin is highly sensitive, and a strike here can cause severe injury. While a man’s sexuality is off-limits for low blows, that doesn’t mean it’s off-limits for discussion with your doctor.

Too bad most men don’t see it that way.

Stats About Guys and Sexual Health

It’s not that men aren’t concerned about sexual health. In a 2023 survey, the Cleveland Clinic reported:

• 44% of men are worried about erectile dysfunction.
•39% of men are worried about loss of sex drive.
•36% of men are worried about low testosterone.

But of men surveyed, while 37% reported having experienced issues related to sexual health, only two in five sought professional help.

So, guys, let’s have a frank discussion about your most common sexual health concerns.

Talking About ED

What is it?
Erectile dysfunction is the inability to get or maintain an erection firm enough to have sex. Many men think ED only occurs in older men, but ED is not exclusive to getting older. There are men in their 40s and 50s who experience ED and men in their 70s, 80s, and 90s with great sex lives.

What are the symptoms?
Failure to reach or sustain an erection more than half of the time, at any age, may indicate a condition that needs treatment. Other symptoms may include decreased sexual desire and less rigid erections.

Who is at risk?
ED has a wide range of causes, from vascular issues and nervous system issues to hormone or psychological issues. Chronic health conditions, which about 1 in 4 guys face in the U.S., also impact erectile function. These include diabetes, heart disease and hypertension, obesity, high cholesterol, and smoking. Many medications that treat these conditions have side effects that contribute to ED. Bottom line: ED is a complex, common medical condition and not one to treat lightly or feel self-conscious about.

What is the most common myth about ED?
That taking testosterone supplements will cure ED. Low testosterone may or may not be what is affecting your erections. Taking supplements with a normal testosterone level will not result in better erections and may cause side effects if not taken appropriately.

What treatments for ED are you most excited about?
Low-intensity shock wave lithotripsy and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy injections. There are also new oral therapies in clinical trials. ED is very treatable. It all comes down to which treatment is right for your lifestyle.

Talking About Low-T

What is it?
Testosterone deficiency syndrome or Low-T means that a man’s body is not making enough testosterone, the primary male sex hormone that regulates fertility, muscle mass, fat distribution, and red blood cell production.

What are the symptoms?
Reduced sex drive, reduced erectile function, loss of body hair (including facial hair), loss of lean muscle mass, feeling tired all the time, obesity, and symptoms of depression are the specific symptoms most directly linked to Low-T.

Who is at risk?
Data suggests that about 2.1% of men (2 in every 100) may have clinically Low-T, which is a low blood testosterone level of less than 300 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL). It is more common in men over the age of 80, who have diabetes, or who are overweight. Don’t just assume you have Low-T and start popping pills. Talk to your doctor.

What is one of the most common misconceptions about Low-T?
That it’s a normal part of aging, and nothing can be done about it. If you have clinically Low-T, it is essential to treat it. Testosterone is not just for sexual health. It aids in bone, cardiac, mental, and psychological health. Anyone whose testosterone is in the low-normal range may also benefit from treatment, but a physician should manage it.

What treatment for Low-T are you most excited about?
Bio T Pellets because they quickly get testosterone into the normal and high normal range for men.

Talking About Peyronie’s Disease

What is it?
Peyronie’s disease is a condition by which a small scar forms in the lining of the penis resulting in penile curvature, loss of penile strength, indentation, or pain.

What are the symptoms?
During the first 12 months of developing Peyronie’s disease, you may experience pain with erections, curvature of the penis, penile shortening, an abnormal shape to the penis, or a lump in the penis.

Many men are worried that Peyronie’s disease will cause issues with getting and maintaining erections. While there is some association between penile plaque and restriction of blood flow in the penis, this is not always the case.

Who is at risk?
Peyronie’s disease typically forms from microscopic trauma that occurs during intercourse. The trauma leads to inflammation and then a penile scar or lump. It is most common in men over the age of 40.

What is the most common misconception about Peyronie’s
That it is a rare condition. It can feel very isolating, since many men don’t talk about it or seek care because they find it embarrassing. In reality, it’s estimated that 6-10% of adult men have Peyronie’s disease.

What treatments for Peyronie’s disease are you most excited about?
Introducing injectable collagenase into penile plaques has dramatically broadened the options for safe and effective office-based treatment of Peyronie’s. Surgery remains highly effective at correcting the curvature for more severe or bidirectional (S-shaped) curvatures.

The Physical/Mental/Sexual Health Connection

Men, your physical, mental, and sexual health are closely related. Changes in sexual health may indicate underlying medical conditions. Sexual health affects your quality of life and mental health.

A urologist can provide many management options, including observation, medication, injections, surgery, and more. Sexual health is a crucial component of overall health, so if you’re experiencing any issues, it’s time to consider seeking help from a physician.

Complete Article HERE!

4 common misconceptions about penises, according to a sex doctor

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With a large amount of misinformation on the internet it can be hard *excuse the pun* to know what is fact and what is myth about our bodies.

And when it comes to the male anatomy, particularly the penis, there are plenty of misconceptions that are so common we take them as truth.

Well, Dr Danae Maragouthakis, from Yoxly, an Oxford-based sexual health start-up, has agreed to help Metro bust some myths around the phallus, so you are left satisfied with the answers.

There’s are the misconceptions about the penis Dr Danae hears a lot…

Myth 1: The penis is a muscle

Wrong.

Danae tells Metro.co.uk: ‘Some people believe that the penis is a muscle that can be exercised to increase size or improve sexual performance.

‘The penis is not a muscle. It looks like muscle because it gets hard when it fills with blood when it gets an erection but it’s actually made predominantly of spongey tissue and blood vessels.

There’s a lot of misinformation about the penis but we’ve got the truth

‘When someone fractures their penis, they break the blood vessels that run in the penis and tear the soft tissue. It’s incredibly painful and really dangerous, that’s a medical emergency.

‘Seek medical attention immediately because if you compromise the blood flow to those tissues, they can die.’

Myth 2: Penis length correlates with hand size

We’ve all heard it. People jokingly checking if their partner has big hands or big feet because “you know what that means”, but that’s actually a fruitless exercise.

And, we might add, one that doesn’t matter anyway.

Danae says: ‘There’s no reliable way to link somebody’s hand or foot size to their penis size — there’s no scientific evidence behind it to prove it.

‘I’m not entirely sure where the myth came from, I think it’s probably observational, where people noticed it and shared it with one another.’

Myth 3: All circumcised penises are less sensitive

Now, for those of us who do not have a penis, it’s not like we can be an authority on this topic, but we can tell you what the science says.

Danae tells Metro: ”The literature on this is mixed and every person will have a different experience.

‘There are some studies that say yes, there are men who experience reduced sensation. But there have been other studies done where men don’t report reduced sensation or functionality.

‘It’s not my place to tell someone with a penis how they do and don’t feel, but the scientific literature shows that not everybody who undergoes a circumcision experiences reduced sensation.’

Can circumcision reduce chances of acquiring SITs?

According to the Centre for Disease Control in America male circumcision can reduce a male’s chances of acquiring HIV by 50% to 60% during heterosexual contact with female partners with HIV.

‘Circumcised men compared with uncircumcised men have also been shown in clinical trials to be less likely to acquire new infections with syphilis (by 42%), genital ulcer disease (by 48%), genital herpes (by 28% to 45%), and high-risk strains of human papillomavirus associated with cancer (by 24% to 47% percent),’ it says.

However, ‘in the UK male circumcision is not medically recommended unless there’s a medical reason,’ Danae adds.

‘It’s important to note that the UK (NHS) and the US (CDC) differ on this point. In the UK, routine male circumcision is not considered a way of reducing STI risk.’

Speaking to the BBC, Dr Colm O’Mahony, a sexual health expert from the Countess of Chester Foundation Trust Hospital in Chester, said the US pushing circumcision as a solution sends the wrong message.

Keith Alcorn, from the HIV information service NAM, also warned: ‘We have to be careful not to take evidence from one part of the world (in this case Uganda) and apply it uncritically to others.

‘Male circumcision will have little impact on HIV risk for boys born in the UK, where the risk of acquiring HIV heterosexually is very low.’

Myth 4: Lengthening exercises can make your penis longer

Penis lengthening exercises, colloquially known as ‘jelqing’ refer to stretching the penis either with your hands or weighted devices.

‘Some of these things they do, where they take a flaccid penis and they grip the head and pull it in different directions, that can create micro tears and create more damage to the penis,’ says Danae.

‘People think these tears will fill up with scar tissue and make their penis bigger, but that’s just not true. Handling it so aggressively can cause injury and won’t make it bigger, there’s nothing scientific to back this up.’

Danae says this doesn’t apply to men who suffer with conditions like Peyronie’s disease, ‘where the penis gets an abnormal curvature’ who may need similar treatments, but for healthy men this shouldn’t be done.

‘This is where self-love and acceptance and trying to debunk the myths and stereotypes around what’s most important about penis’ — penis size, partner satisfaction — is important and it’s about accepting yourself,’ adds Danae.

‘Penis stretching is an unproven practice. There are certain exercises or devices that are thought to increase the length or girth of the penis. None of these are scientifically proven to result in any long term penile lengthening.’

Complete Article HERE!

What Your Penis Says About Your Health

— Changes in penis performance or appearance may signal heart issues, diabetes and more

Your penis serves some big roles in your body. Of course, it houses a drainage system that allows your body to get rid of urine. It’s also a key player in the reproductive process and the act of making whoopie.

But did you know your penis also offers a window to your health? It turns out the performance or appearance of your penis can provide clues about what’s happening to you physically and mentally.

So, what secrets can the appendage reveal? Let’s look at six potential learning opportunities with urologist Ryan Berglund, MD.

1. Heart health

Erectile dysfunction, or the inability to get or maintain an erection, isn’t an unusual occurrence. Your penis may just decide to not cooperate at times for a multitude of reasons, many of which are no big deal.

But if you consistently have trouble getting or keeping your penis up, it might signal heart disease and blood flow issues.

A 2018 study linked erectile dysfunction (ED) to increased risk of heart attack, cardiac arrest and stroke. Dr. Berglund notes that almost two-thirds of people who’ve also had heart attacks also experience ED.

“Erectile dysfunction, particularly if you’re younger, should be regarded as a warning sign for heart disease,” he adds.

2. Diabetes

Difficulty getting or maintaining an erection also may signal the onset of diabetes, which can damage the nerves, blood vessels and muscle function that work in tandem to get your penis up.

Research shows that someone with diabetes is three times more likely to report instances of ED. In addition, ED often occurs 10 to 15 years earlier and is more severe in those with diabetes.

3. Mental health issues

The mind plays a very large role in the function of the penis, says Dr. Berglund. Psychological issues such as depression, anxiety and stress can lower sex drive and keep your penis from performing as it should.

Relationship troubles can hinder operations below the belt, too. Ditto for alcohol, smoking and drug use.

4. Scar tissue

Having intercourse with a less-than-firm erection can damage your penis and lead to the development of Peyronie’s disease, a disorder in which scar tissue within the penis causes a curvature.

The condition can lead to a noticeable bend in your penis. A curve greater than 30 degrees is considered severe. The loss of length or girth is possible, too.

ED can cause more flaccid erections that increase your risk of Peyronie’s disease. Talking to a healthcare provider about difficulties getting a hard erection and getting treatment could reduce your chance of sustaining the injury.

5. Infection

Lumps and bumps aren’t unusual on a penis. Blood vessels, pimples and pearly penile papules (small, pearl-like bumps) are just a few of the things you might notice on your penis, shares Dr. Berglund. In most cases, they’re nothing to worry about.

But how can you tell if there’s something more serious going on?

If the bump is painful or there’s an open or weeping sore, get it checked out ASAP. It may be a sexually transmitted infection such as herpes or syphilis. Less pain but lots of itchiness could signal genital warts or molluscum contagiosum (a viral skin infection).

6. Cancer

A discoloring of your penis along with painless lumps, crusty bumps or a rash could be a sign of penile cancer. Symptoms typically appear on the penis head or foreskin and should get checked by a medical professional.

The rate of penile cancer is relatively low in the United States, at 1 in 100,000. But it’s much more common in Africa, Asia and South America.

Final thoughts

It’s important to pay attention to what’s happening downstairs. Changes in the performance or appearance of your penis may be a sign of a larger health issue.

Is the topic comfortable to talk about? Maybe not. But if something with your penis feels or looks different, tell a healthcare provider. It’s a discussion that’s important for your overall health.

Complete Article HERE!

Penises Have Gotten Surprisingly Longer Over the Past 29 Years, Study Finds

— The average length of an erect penis has increased 24 percent over 3 decades, from 4.8 to 6 inches, but researchers worry that negative environmental factors may be responsible.

By Don Rauf

While recent research has shown that average sperm counts and testosterone levels have been in decline for men over the past few decades, erect penile length has surprisingly been trending in the opposite direction, according to a new global study.

A team led by Michael L. Eisenberg, MD, the director of male reproductive medicine and surgery and a urology professor at Stanford University School of Medicine in California, analyzed penis measurements from 75 studies conducted between 1942 and 2021, which recorded this anatomical data from more than 55,000 men ages 18 to 86.

In the context of studies that have found decreasing sperm counts and testosterone levels, “We expected that we would see a similar declining trend when we looked at penile length,” says Dr. Eisenberg, who is also a specialist in male sexual function, “but we found quite the opposite.”

Researchers Looked at 20 Studies Involving 18,000 Males

The results, published February 14 in the World Journal of Men’s Health, identified an increase of 24 percent in the average erect penis length between 1992 (when the first erect lengths were recorded) and 2021. The change over those 29 years increased from an average of 4.8 inches to an average of 6 inches. The calculations were determined from 20 studies that recorded those measures in more than 18,000 males in that time period.

The pooled data also included measures for flaccid length and stretched length (a way to estimate erect penile length). All measures included were conducted by investigators and none were self-reported. The study team noted that erect length increased significantly over time in several regions of the world and across all age groups, while no trends were identified in other penile size measurements.

Eisenberg suggested that stretch lengths did not follow the same trend as erect lengths because there were differences in how measurements were taken, including how hard a clinician pulled for measuring. Techniques for measuring erect penises, however, appeared quite consistent.

Environmental Factors May Play a Role in Increasing Penis Lengths

“Our reproductive system is one of the most important pieces of human biology. If we’re seeing this fast of a change, it means that something powerful is happening to our bodies,” says Eisenberg. “We should try to confirm these findings and if confirmed, we must determine the cause of these changes.”

He suggested that a number of environmental factors may be involved, such as exposure to hormone-disrupting chemicals in our surroundings (pesticides, for example). Some research has indicated that chemical exposure may be linked to boys and girls going into puberty earlier, which may affect genital development, according to Eisenberg.

He added that research has found an association between early pubertal timing and high rates of obesity and sedentary behavior, so that may be a driver behind the trend as well.

Could the Rise of the Internet Have Played a Part?

Larry Lipshultz, MD, the chief of the Scott Department of Urology’s Division of Male Reproductive Medicine and Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas, who was not involved in the study, found the results surprising given that most environmental and lifestyle factors seem to inhibit reproductive health.

He did propose, however, that the advent of the internet, starting in the mid-1980s, could possibly have played a role.

“You might possibly blame online porn, but that’s just a theory,” says Dr. Lipshultz. “The more someone has erections, there might be greater potential for better erections. The tissue would stretch more, hence would get longer.”

Bigger Is Not Necessarily Better

While some may view an increase in penis length as good news overall, Raevti Bole, MD, a urologist affiliated with the Cleveland Clinic who specializes in male sexual medicine and erectile dysfunction, stresses that people may put too much value on penis size.

“Overall I think the results are good in that they don’t show a deterioration [of the penis] — but at the end of the day penile length is very subjective, and I think there can be a negative to focusing on this,” says Dr. Bole, who was not one of the study researchers. “There’s a real emphasis on size in popular culture and social media, so I think it’s important for doctors to reinforce that bigger is not necessarily better. My point is size doesn’t necessarily correlate to sexual satisfaction. Patients can feel bad about penis size, and that’s a problem.”

More Research Is Needed

The next big step in terms of research for Eisenberg is to look at other patient populations (such as children and adolescents) to see if there are similar changes, because it may turn out to be an early indicator of a change in human development.

“Also, if there’s granular data on lifestyle factors or environmental exposures, we could try to understand why this may be happening,” he says.

Complete Article HERE!

How Much Blood Does It Take to Get Hard?

by James Roland

An erection is the result of increased blood flow to the penis. But you may be wondering exactly how that works, and whether there’s a specific amount of blood that your penis needs to achieve an erection.

In some cases, reduced blood flow to the penis can cause noticeable changes in the penis. But many other parts of your body, like your nervous system and hormones, also impact how and when your penis gets hard.

Read on to learn more about what blood has to do with erections. We’ll also cover what you can do if you feel unsatisfied by your erection when you masturbate or have sex.

The actual amount of blood needed to get hard varies among people. On average, it’s thought to be about 130 milliliters (mL), or 4.4 ounces. It’s a small fraction of the 1.2 to 1.5 gallons (4,500 to 5,600 mL) of blood circulating throughout the adult human body at any given time.

Because an erection needs a relatively small amount of blood, there’s no increase in blood production in the body. But blood is redirected to supply tissue in the penis, which means that a little less blood can be directed elsewhere in the body.

Here’s exactly what happens to the penis physiologically during an erection and how blood is involved in this process:

Inside the shaft of the penis are two columns of spongy tissue called corpora cavernosa. This tissue contains blood vessels. When your penis is flaccid, arteries are constricted, supplying just enough blood flow to keep the tissue in the corpora cavernosa healthy.

When you become aroused, the smooth muscles of the arteries in the penis relax, allowing the blood vessels to expand and fill with more blood. This expands corpora cavernosa tissue too, making your penis larger and firmer.

To make an erection happen, the brain, nervous system, blood vessels and certain hormones are recruited. Here’s how this part works:

  • Nerve signals from the brain based on arousing stimuli, like visual imagery or erotic thoughts, can cause the muscles in the corpora cavernosa to relax.
  • Sensory stimulation of the penis or surrounding area can trigger a similar response, with nerve impulses signaling to the tissue in the corpora cavernosa to prepare for sexual intercourse.
  • During sexual stimulation, the body releases a chemical called nitric oxide (NO). This helps dilate the blood vessels and activate an enzyme called guanylate cyclase to trigger the release of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). This chemical relaxes the spongy tissue and allows it to become engorged as arteries expand with greater blood flow.
  • After an orgasm, the additional blood that engorges the corpora cavernosa will start to flow out through veins in the penis. The same amount that entered at the start of the process will also exit.

What if blood doesn’t flow back out?

Blood that doesn’t properly flow back out of the penis can result in a condition called priapism. Blood pooling in the penis this way can damage tissue in the corpora cavernosa.

Priapism is more common in people with blood disorders, like sickle cell anemia, but can also be brought on by medications or other factors, like the use of cocaine or conditions like leukemia.

In addition to blood, the hormones testosterone and oxytocin may both play a role in getting and maintaining an erection.

A 2016 review in the The Journal of Sexual MedicineTrusted Source notes that testosterone may play a role in the timing of an erection by helping to relax the penile arteries so they can fill with blood.

Some individuals with ED and low levels of testosterone may benefitTrusted Source from testosterone therapy, but levels below the normal range are still enough to achieve a healthy erection. Testosterone also drives sexual desire, and low levels may cause a drop in libido.

Oxytocin has also been identified as an important component in arousal. But researchers in the 2016 review noted that the use of oxytocin to create sexual arousal needs to be studied more.

Several factors can affect blood flow to the penis or the ability of the penis to become erect, like:

  • Circulation problems. Cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol can reduce blood flow to the penis and other parts of the body.
  • Nervous system dysfunction. Neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease can interfere with proper signaling from the brain to initiate the sexual arousal process.
  • Tissue damage. Radiation treatment to the bladder or prostate can sometimes harm the nerves and blood vessels that bring nerve and chemical signals to the area for arousal and blood vessel dilation. This can make it difficult or impossible for the penis to engorge itself with blood.

A lifestyle that focuses on good physical, mental, and emotional health promotes good circulation. This is one way to help increase the likelihood of erectile function.

Try these tips to support healthy erections and overall well-being:

  • Consider quitting or cutting back on smoking. The chemicals in cigarette smoke can injure your blood vessels.
  • Get regular aerobic exercise. Exercising throughout the week helps improve circulation, energy, and overall fitness and self-confidence.
  • Eat a balanced diet. Focus on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean protein sources.
  • Address mental health issues like depression and anxiety. These can affect not just your sexual health, but your overall health.

A 2018 studyTrusted Source found that following a Mediterranean diet was associated with a reduction in ED symptoms, compared with a typical Western diet high in fat and processed sugars.

Another 2018 studyTrusted Source also found that an exercise regimen of 40 minutes done four times a week decreased ED within 6 months, especially for individuals experiencing ED caused by cardiovascular disease, obesity, or a sedentary lifestyle.

An occasional episode of ED or erectile dissatisfaction, an erection that isn’t firm enough for satisfactory intercourse, is normal. This can occur when you are:

  • tired
  • distracted
  • stressed
  • under the influence of alcohol

If you notice frequent ED or dissatisfaction even with lifestyle changes, especially if there’s no obvious trigger, talk with a primary care professional or a urologist.

Other signs that you should see a doctor include:

  • Noticeable changes in your sex drive. These could be triggered by hormonal changes or factors like stress, depression, poor sleep, or relationship troubles.
  • Premature ejaculation. This is especially the case if you’re ejaculating much earlier than you typically expect.
  • Painful erections. These can result from tissue damage or infection.
  • Pain when urinating. This might be a sign of an infection or other conditions that can affect your urinary tract.

The most common ED treatments are medications like PDE5 inhibitors. These include tadalafil (Cialis) and sildenafil (Viagra). These drugs work by protecting cGMP, which encourages blood flow to the penis and greater blood retention in the corpora cavernosa during sexual activity.

Another possible treatment is a vacuum erection device (or penis pump), a tube that you place over your penis.

A handheld pump pulls air out of the tube, creating a vacuum that triggers blood flow to the penis. A ring is then slipped around the end of your penis when you remove the pump to help maintain the erection during sex.

Penile injections or penile implant surgery can also help treat severe cases of ED or those that are caused by another condition like diabetes (known as refractory cases).

Healthy blood flow to the tissue within the penis helps produce an erection, and it only takes about 130 mL to get you hard.

But creating the right environment for proper blood flow involves the brain and nervous system, plus certain hormones and chemicals. Many factors go into healthy sexual function, and many issues can interfere with it, too.

If you notice changes in your erectile function, see a doctor. It’s a common concern and often one with a variety of effective treatments.

Complete Article HERE!

How Your Penis Exercises While You Sleep

[I]f you want to maintain your penis size and keep it ready to perform, it is important to know how to exercise your penis. While the “love muscle” is not actually a muscle itself, your member contains spongy tissue and chambers that fill with blood to make it harder and larger; so it’s important to exercise it like any other part of the body.

You can exercise your penis by engaging in activities that increase blood flow into it. And the best way to encourage blood flow and preserve penis length is to have regular sex and/or to masturbate more. Simply put, it’s a case of use it or lose it. The more you have sex or masturbate the better shape your penis will be in. Another thing you may not know is that your penis actually exercises itself while you sleep.

Exercising Your Penis in Your Sleep

Your penis actually gets a workout while you sleep. Those middle-of-the-night and early-morning erections have an important function. They are a way for your penis to pump itself up and get some exercise. These erections are called “nocturnal erections,” and they serve several purposes such as promoting oxygenation and blood flow to the penis and helping prevent erectile dysfunction (ED). Plus, from a biological perspective, waking up with your “little friend” ready to go with your partner nearby helps encourage reproduction. Isn’t that convenient?

This “nature’s little helper” is also a natural penis extension therapy, helping to maintain penis size by continuously stretching the penile tissue. When you have an erection, oxygenating blood fills the penis, making it hard. Having good blood flow is an essential component to achieving and maintaining that erection. All healthy men with normal erectile function have multiple erections during their sleep cycle.

As you get older, you may notice that these nocturnal and morning erections are not as strong or as frequent as you had in your younger years. One of the reasons nocturnal erections reduce as you age is because of decreased testosterone, but their absence and other erectile problems could indicate a larger health problem. If you can’t remember the last time you woke up with a hard-on, or if you have experienced erectile dysfunction while awake, talk to your doctor because erectile dysfunction (ED) can be a sign of heart disease.

The downside to having fewer nocturnal erections as you age is that you stop receiving the extension and exercise benefits they provide. That makes it so you have to start working harder in the non-sleeping hours. If you don’t exercise your penis regularly, your penis can actually shrink 1-2 centimeters. Some of the other risks for loss of penis length include weight gain, aging (due to lack of use and declining hormones), genetics, and prostate surgery.

About 70 percent of the men who have their prostate removed can expect to lose some of their penis length. Prostate cancer patients are often unable to achieve an erection for 6-24 months, so doctors sometimes prescribe penis pumps. A penis pump is a tool that keeps the blood flowing in and out, and it helps prevent permanent shrinkage by stretching the penile tissue.

How to Test for Nocturnal Erections

If you are not waking up with erections and are not sure if you still even have nocturnal erections, here’s a simple nocturnal erection test you can do over three nights in the privacy of your own home. Before you laugh, this is actually a real test used by urologists, and it has a name—the nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT) stamp test.

Get a strip of four to six postage stamps (you’ll need a strip for each night). Wrap the strip around the shaft of the penis and moisten to seal the ring. Once the stamp is dry, carefully place your penis into your shorts or underwear to protect the stamps from falling off. In the morning, check to see if the stamps have been broken along their perforation. During at least one of the three nights you should see the ring of stamps broken. If the ring is not broken there may be a physical problem, and you should talk to your doctor.

ED and Heart Disease

If you no longer are getting nocturnal erections or if you have had trouble with your erectile function during the waking hours, talk to your doctor to get your heart checked. A lack of nocturnal erections is one of the signs of ED, and ED is connected with another, scarier ED: early death. So even though exercising your penis is important, you also need to exercise your heart and eat a heart-healthy diet to protect both your heart and your love life.

When Size Matter

If you are concerned about losing your penis length, the best and most enjoyable plan is to use it as much as possible. There are penis-lengthening procedures, but they all have some cautions or drawbacks. One of the interesting penis facts, is that about 50 percent of your penis is actually inside your body courtesy of a suspensory ligament that attaches the penis to your pelvic bone. During surgery, a doctor releases the ligament so that more of the penis can move outside the body. It’s a serious procedure that takes awhile to heal, so you should look into whether gaining that extra inch or so is worth it.

If girth is more your concern than length there are some penile widening procedures as well. You can have a doctor implant silicone, fat, or tissue grafts into your penis. Another procedure that improves girth is to inject hyaluronic acid (a substance found in your body) into the penis. It is said to be painful but effective.

Maintaining a healthy sex life remains the best natural “sex-ercise plan” you can follow (along with exercise, diet, and lifestyle modifications). There are also other great sex exercises for men that can help strengthen muscles and increase stamina and flexibility for better performance. Most men will agree that having sex regularly to maintain penis size sounds much more inviting than cutting or injecting their favorite—and most sensitive—body part unless there is a serious medical reason for it.

Complete Article HERE!

How sex with a small penis can actually give you more pleasure – and how to tell your partner you have one

Only a small number of men have a micropenis, and it’s not necessarily bad news for their sex life

By Zahra Mulroy

[P]enis size is the butt of many a joke, and, wrongly, nothing will elicit a titter more than the mention of a micropenis

With 0.6 per cent of the male population affected, they remain comparatively uncommon, but the physical and psychological repercussions can be serious and the cause of much anguish.

There’s undeniably a stigma attached: “Size matters” , you’re less of a man if you have one, your partner will get no enjoyment out of sex with you – the list goes on.

But having a micropenis isn’t necessarily the dire news it’s assumed to be – at least, according to sex therapist Elizabeth McGrath .

McGrath counsels clients with micropenises, and their partners.

She helps them get the most out of their sex lives and will talk them through “clothed, non-genital touch” the Daily Dot reports.

“I really practice this work and I believe in it, primarily because sex is of our bodies,” McGrath said. “When it comes to sex and relationships, I believe there’s only so much talking can do.

“So much of what keeps people down, makes them feel awful, are these ideas about what good sex is, and it’s a box, a very, very small box,” McGrath adds.

“For somebody with a micropenis or their partner, not fitting in that box is very painful.”

So what does McGrath advise?

“There’s humping, there’s grinding, there’s rubbing the penis on the labia or on the side, and then it expands into ‘What kind of fun things can we do together?'” she explains.

“Look at it as an opportunity to find new things rather than focus on one way of doing it specifically.”

McGrath also goes on to recommend oral sex becomes the “main event” and suggests that toys be used too.

“I think any augmenting toys can be fun. But more importantly, is it comfortable and does it feel good? Are you doing it because you enjoy it or is it because you feel like it makes you more normal?”

As for breaking the ice with a new partner and being honest about having a micropenis, McGrath says a man shouldn’t stress about this, as it only reinforces the idea that it’s something to be ashamed of.

Complete Article HERE!

Lack Of Penis Bone In Humans Linked To Monogamous Relationships, Quick Sex

Scientists reveal why humans do not have a penis bone.

By

[M]any of us call erections “boners,” although there’s no actual bone in the penis. This bone has been the subject of many debates as several animals have them in diverse sizes and lengths, but humans don’t. Evolutionary scientists at the University College London suggest this strange anomaly is a consequence of monogamy and quick sex.

The penis bone, also known as the “baculum,” evolved in mammals more than 95 million years ago, and was spotted in the first primates that emerged about 50 million years ago, according to the researchers. The baculum became larger in some animals and smaller in others. For example, in the walrus, it can be two feet long, while in a monkey it’s about the length of a human fingernail.

Previous research has found the penis bone increases the potential duration of intercourse, and the frequency with which sex can take place. A lioness can copulate 100 times per day, sometimes with only four-minute intervals, but has just a 38 percent conception rate. This means males need to have better sexual stamina to achieve the best chance of paternity.

So, why do humans lack a penis bone?

The recent study, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society, found a link between penis bone length, promiscuity, and sex duration. Some species have longer penis bones because they engage in “prolonged intromission,” which means the act of penetration lasts for more than three minutes. Longer intromission times are more common among polygamous mating species, where multiple males mate with multiple females, like bonobos and chimps. This mating system creates an intense competition for fertilization, and reduces a female’s access to more mates by having males spend more time having sex with them, according to the study.

The penis bone is attached at the tip of the penis rather than the base to provide structural support for animals who do prolonged intromission, and to keep the urethra open.

The researchers believe humans lost their penis bones when monogamy became a dominant reproductive strategy about 1.9 million years ago.

“We think that is when the human baculum would have disappeared because the mating system changed at that point,” Kit Opie, a co-author of the study at University College London, told The Guardian.

Opie and his colleague Miranda Brindle believe the male does not need to spend a long time penetrating the female since she is not likely to be leapt by other amorous males. Therefore, the reduction of competition for mates means humans are less likely to need a penis bone. Opie adds, despite popular belief, humans do not generally need longer than three minutes to get the job done, and successfully impregnate a woman.

“We are actually one of the species that comes in below the three minute cut-off where these things come in handy,” he said.

Scientists have just begun to put together the function of this mysterious bone. They do agree changes in the penis bone are driven as part of a mating strategy. This means a bigger penis bone is better when it comes to sexual competition.

Human males, do not feel bad — if the penis bone is damaged, it could take as long as other broken bones to heal.

Complete Article HERE!

American Men Are Pretty Happy With Their Penises

By

penis-satisfaction

For understandable reasons, society’s conversation about body satisfaction tends to focus on women. Women, it can safely be argued, face a lot more social pressure to look good all the time, to feel ashamed of their bodies, and to harp on minor imperfections.

Men aren’t immune from all that, though. And one particularly painful area where it manifests, according to sexual health researchers, is in insecurity about their penises. This can lead to some bad outcomes. As a team led by Thomas Gaither, a urologist at the University of California, San Francisco, point out in a new study in the Archives of Sexual Behavior, “Case reports have shown men undergo risky procedures, such as silicon injections, to lengthen their penis and increase penile girth.” In addition, “Genital piercings, silicone injection, and subcutaneous implant are increasingly common and are associated with numerous complications.

Gaither and his colleagues wanted to better understand how men view their penises, so they conducted what they say is the first nationally representative survey using a newly developed scale called the Index of Male Genital Image, or IMGI. It consists of 14 statements ranked on a score of 1–7 involving penis length, girth, and so on — a score of 1–3 is coded as “dissatisfied,” while 4–7 is coded as satisfied. They got results from 3,996 men, the sample drawn from 18-to-65-year-olds who weren’t institutionalized.

Comparing those who landed in the “satisfied” (greater than 4.0) versus “unsatisfied” (4.0 or lower) buckets when the scores were averaged, the researchers didn’t find any statistically significant differences in penile satisfaction when it came to age, “race, marital status, education, location, income, or sexual partners.” Penile (dis)satisfaction appears to be pretty much constant across these categories.

Overall:

A total of 3433 (85.9%) reported an average greater than 4 per item on the IMGI and thus were classified as satisfied. Men reported highest satisfaction with the shape of their glans (64%), followed by circumcision status (62%), girth of erect penis (61%), texture of skin (60%), and size of testicles (59%). Men reported dissatisfaction with the size of their flaccid penis (27 %), length of erect penis (19%), girth of erect penis (15%), amount of pubic hair (14%), and amount of semen (12%). Men reported neutrality with the scent of their genitals (44%), genital veins (43%), location of urethra (42%), color of genitals (40%), and amount of pubic hair (36%). Of note, those who were extremely dissatisfied (score of 1 or 2) reported dissatisfaction with their flaccid penis (10.0%), length of erect penis (5.7 %), and girth of erect penis (4.5%).

There were some decent-size differences in terms of the sexual experiences of men who were satisfied versus dissatisfied with their penises. Those who were satisfied were less likely to be sexually active (73.5 percent versus 86.3 percent), and engaged in less daily and weekly sexual activity. There were also slight but statistically significant differences in the percentage of dissatisfied versus satisfied men who reported having had vaginal or receptive oral sex (85.2 percent versus 89.5 percent, and 61 percent versus 66.2 percent). The obvious question here is what’s causing what: To what extent are men who are dissatisfied with their penises less likely to seek out sex as a result of their insecurity? A correlational self-report study can’t answer that, nor can it answer whether these mens’ likes and dislikes were shared by their sexual partners.

It’s interesting that a sizable minority of men reported dissatisfaction with their testicle size or glans shape. On the one hand, in a survey like this you are explicitly asking about certain features, so these responses don’t mean that they are wandering around obsessing over this stuff. (It would be another thing entirely if you asked men to generate an open-ended list of body features they didn’t like and these kept popping up.) But on the other: It’s an interesting comparison to what women go through, because it highlights the fact that at least some of the things both men and women worry about probably aren’t, in fact, of much import to anyone else. If you’re a guy, the odds that a partner is going to care that much about the size of your testicles or the “shape of your glans” — that’s something I can honestly say I had never even thought about before reading this article, and which the researchers note “has little anatomic variability” — are probably pretty low.

More broadly, the main takeaway, as a first-pass attempt at understanding this stuff, is that men mostly feel pretty happy with their penises. Which can maybe explain the epidemic of unsolicited photos.

Complete Article HERE!

Your Cock; A Complete Owners Manual (abridged)

Name: Hector
Gender: male
Age: 17
Location: Tujunga, CA
I’m afraid my penis isn’t right. I worry because it doesn’t look like other guys. For one thing I’m a lot smaller. I’m afraid to have sex or show my penis. Is there any way for me to know for sure? I hope to hear from you because this is making me real nervous. Thank you.

first-life-form-with-a-penis-humor

I’d chill out, if I were you, Hector. Lots of guys your age mistakenly think there is something wrong with their unit, when actually their willie is quite normal. This heightened concern, as you suggest, can lead to anxiety or even a complex about one’s cock size and shape. You don’t really give me much to go on as to why you think your pinga is not like the other guys. That leads me to think you don’t really know all that much about your package in general. Do you? I mean, who are you comparing yourself to anyway?

Since I don’t have a lot of information to go on, I suppose we oughta start with some essentials. Here’s Part 1 of my primer — Your Cock; A Complete Owners Manual (abridged). That’s supposed to be funny, BTW.

We all know that there are big ones and little ones, fat ones and skinny ones. Some are bobbed; some are whole. Some curve and bend; some are straight as an arrow. Some have a mushroom cap; some sport more of a helmet look. Some grow; some show. And they come in a veritable rainbow of colors.

Despite the amazing diversity, there are lots of things that each of our members has in common with everyone else’s. The average length of a flaccid cock is 3.7 inches with a diameter of 1.25 inches. The average length of a hardon is 5.1 inches, with a diameter of 1.6 inches. If you are over the age of 17, you pretty much have all the cock you’re gonna have. That’s not to say that as we age and as our muscles slack, our pal won’t hang a bit differently than when we were a young buck. But there’s not gonna be significant change in length or girth after puberty is done with us. Keep in mind that all this stuff is determined by genetics and heredity, like your overall body type, the color of your eyes, your hair pattern, and how tall you are. So the likelihood that any guy will add even one permanent inch to his dick either in length or girth, without surgery, is about as likely as him adding even an inch to his height.

The head of your dick is called the glans. (It’s the thing that can be shaped like a mushroom or a helmet.) It is made up of soft tissue called the corpus spongiosum. Just below the glans, on the underside of your cock is a waddle of skin called the frenulum. This puppy is chock-full of nerve endings that make it ground zero for dick-centered pleasure.

Male_anatomy

All uncut (uncircumcised) men have a prepuce, or foreskin that covers and protects his dickhead. Cut (circumcised) men don’t, because it has been surgically removed. If you are lucky enough to be intact, your foreskin is a highly specialized, sensitive, and functional organ of touch. No other part of the body serves the same purpose. Please note: circumcision actually removes 50% of the skin of a guy’s dick.  And who among us would choose that if we were allowed to choose?

You know the old adage, “Use it or lose it”? They may have had a penis in mind when that maxim was coined. Researchers agree — erections are good for you. When you get a woody, your cock is engorged with oxygen-rich blood, which is essential for the upkeep of the smooth muscle tissue. This kind of tissue makes up about 90% of your cock. You can see how a healthy circulatory system is vital to a vibrant sex life. An oxygen-deprived cock will build up a kind of plaque in your cock, which resembles scar tissue. This will cripple your rod (Peyronie’s disease) or rob you of your wood altogether.

penis mesureI also want to alert you of some startling new data that came out of recent research about masturbation. Australian researchers questioned over 1,000 men who had developed prostate cancer and 1,250 men who had not, about their sexual habits. They found those who had ejaculated the most between the ages of 20 and 50 were the least likely to develop prostate cancer.

The protective effect was greatest while the men were in their 20s. And get this; men who ejaculated more than five times a week were a third less likely to develop prostate cancer later in life. But let’s not get off topic too much.

The other big part of your package is the family jewels. We mind as well take a look at them too while we’re at it. Your nuts (testis) and the sack (scrotum) they’re housed in are an evolutionary marvel. Your testicles are about 4°F cooler than your core body temperature. Lucky for us, this is the ideal climate for healthy sperm production. 90% of the male hormone, testosterone, is manufactured in our balls. Evolution has even provided that one nut, generally the left, hangs slightly lower than the other. The lower nut will also be slightly larger. I suppose this keep them from knocking into each other so much.

Ok so you think the outside of your junk is pretty impressive, well you ain’t seen nothin’ yet! Here’s where things get really interesting. First, there is no “bone” in your boner. Don’t laugh! Humans are one of the few mammals (horses, donkeys, rhinoceros, marsupials, rabbits, whales and dolphins, elephants and hyenas are the others) that don’t have a penis bone. Most males of our species have a unique bone called baculum in their penis. The baculum is designed for speed fucking. Sliding a bone in and out of a sheath is much faster than waiting for hydraulics to kick in. This enables our mammalian relatives to spend very little time actually mating. Which is, after all, a vulnerable position for them to be in.happy penis

If there’s no bone in there what make our dick hard? Good question. If you dissected your woody and looked at a cross-section you’d see three distinct spongy tubular structures, each are made up of smooth muscle tissue. Two of these tubular structures — one on either side of your cock, both of which run the length of your cock — are called the corpora cavernosa. These marvelous structures become engorged with blood lifting and thickening your cock to erection. The corpus spongiosum, the third tubular structure is located just below the corpora cavernosa. This baby houses your urethra, through which urine and semen pass during urination and ejaculation, respectively. This may also become slightly engorged with blood, but less so than the corpora cavernosa.

There are several points of interest in and around your balls too. I already mentioned your urethra, which stretches from your bladder to the tip of your dick. It carries your piss and cum, but not at the same time, I’m happy to report. Your prostate is an almond shaped gland that sits between your bladder and the root of your dick. Slightly in back of that is a pair of glands called the seminal vesicles. These tubular glands open into the vas deferens as it enters the prostate gland. They secrete the lion’s share of your spooge (ejaculate) about 70% to be precise. Most of us have two vas deferens tubes to correspond to the pair of ball (testicles) most of us have. These convey your mature sperm, the ones that have been comfortably relaxing in the epididymis, which is a tube filled mass at the back of each of your balls.

To conclude, the average male, between the ages of 15 and 60 will ejaculate 30 to 50 quarts of jizz (semen), containing 350 to 500 billion sperm cells. How amazing is that?

Good luck

16 thoughts on ““Why do all old statues have such small penises?””

By

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Close-up of Michelangelo’s David

Reader question: “Why do all old statues have such small penises?”

The reader who sent me this felt that it was a question that was maybe too silly for my blog, but – firstly – there are no questions too silly for this blog, and – secondly – the answer to this question is actually pretty interesting.

By “old statues”, I assume that we’re talking about ancient Greek and Roman statues. We’ll focus ancient Greek statues, as they heavily influenced all other small-penised European sculptures.

Laocoön and His Sons, Greek sculpture, Vatican Museum
Laocoön and His Sons, Greek sculpture, Vatican Museum

There are two main reasons why ancient Greek statues have small penises:

Firstly, they’re flaccid. If you compare their size to most flaccid male penises, they are actually not significantly smaller than real-life penises tend to be.

Secondly, cultural values about male beauty were completely different back then. Today, big penises are seen as valuable and manly, but back then, most evidence points to the fact that small penises were considered better than big ones.

Greek bronze, The Victorious Youth, J. Paul Getty Museum
Greek bronze, The Victorious Youth, J. Paul Getty Museum

One of the reasons historians, such as Kenneth Dover in his landmark book Greek Homosexuality, have suggested that small penises were more culturally valued is that large penises were associated with very specific characteristics: foolishness, lust and ugliness. There are actually quite a few ancient Greek sculptures that have enormous penises. Here’s one:

Greek statue of a satyr, Athens Archeological Museum
Greek statue of a satyr, Athens Archeological Museum

Here’s another:

A Greek Terracotta figure of Priapus
A Greek Terracotta figure of Priapus

The first sculpture is of a satyr, and the second is of the Greek god Priapus. Satyrs were mythological creatures that were followers of Dionysus, the god of pleasure and wine. Priapus was a Greek fertility god cursed with a permanent erection, impotence, ugliness and foul-mindedness by Hera. Priapus was actually so despised by the other gods that he was thrown off Mount Olympus.

All representations of large penises in ancient Greek art and literature are associated with foolish, lustful men, or the animal-like satyrs. Meanwhile, the ideal Greek man was rational, intellectual and authoritative. He may still have had a lot of sex, but this was unrelated to his penis size, and his small penis allowed him to remain coolly logical.

Greek bronze, thought to be Poseidon or Zeus, Athens Archeological Museum.
Greek bronze, thought to be Poseidon or Zeus, Athens Archeological Museum.

The Greek playwright Aristophanes summarises this attitude in one of his plays, Clouds, where he writes:

“If you do these things I tell you, and bend your efforts to them, you will always have a shining breast, a bright skin, big shoulders, a minute tongue, a big rump and a small prick. But if you follow the practices of today, for a start you’ll have a pale skin, small shoulders, a skinny chest, a big tongue, a small rump, a big prick and a long-winded decree.” (Lines 1010 – 1019, emphasis mine)

Ancient Greek sculptures are all about balance and idealism. Therefore, it makes sense that they wouldn’t have large penises, as this would be considered humorous or grotesque.

The ancient Romans might have been more positive towards large penises, but their sculptures continue the trend of small penises. Later, in Renaissance art, sculptors were very specifically influenced by ancient Greek art and their small penis size.

A famous example of a small penis is Michelangelo’s David (1501 – 04), a Renaissance sculpture from Florence, Italy. There’s an interesting theory for why David’s penis is so small, apart from the Greek influence. In 2005, two Florentine doctors published a paper arguing that David’s penis was shriveled by fear. When viewed from the front, David’s face actually looks frightened and concerned, because of his impending fight with the giant Goliath. The doctors argue that Michelangelo sculpted every detail in David’s body to be consistent with symptoms of fear and tension – including his genitals.

Michelangelo’s David in the Galleria dell’Accademia, Italy
Michelangelo’s David in the Galleria dell’Accademia, Italy

Classical Greek sculpture has been hugely influential for all sculptural representations of the male body in European art, so it’s no wonder that small-penised statues have been the norm throughout most of Western art history. It also shows that our obsession with penis size has always been there, it’s just changed slightly.

 Complete Article HERE!

How to look after your penis

By Ed Noon

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The British are a nation of stoics, often too proud to admit we have a problem, and too polite to bother anyone else about it. Men are particularly bad at piping up about health issues, especially when it comes to our penises. Often, a source of embarrassment can be a simple lack of knowledge. Fortunately, the male anatomy is quite easy to understand, and learning what to say when seeing your GP can help avoid red faces. Read our guide from a working NHS doctor for how to keep your penis healthy…

Don’t use slang

The number of highly imaginative slang words that have been used to describe penises can leave patients embarrassed and doctors wondering. Keep it real and you’ll be taken seriously. Here’s a quick anatomically correct dictionary of our own for you to memorise and check off next time you’re in the mirror:

Penis and foreskin – no explanation needed.

Shaft – the main length of your penis but not including the glans (tip).

Glans/tip – the highly sensitive area at the end of the penis, usually covered by a foreskin, unless removed in an operation called a circumcision, with an opening for urine and semen to escape.

Meatus – pronounced “me-ay-tuss”, this is the medical name for that opening.

Testes – otherwise known as testicles or balls. All are acceptable.

Scrotum – this is the stretchy skin that forms a sack for your testes. A thin muscle allows the scrotum to contract, which it does so in cold conditions to maintain your sperm at a constant temperature.

Epididymis – behind and above the testes lies the area that stores the sperm made in the testes. Above the testes is a firm tube that carries your sperm from the epididymis (via the prostate which lies near your bladder, so it goes a long way) eventually out through your urethra to come out in the hole in the tip of your penis (yep, the meatus – well remembered).

Knowing just a small detail of anatomy can really take the embarrassment out of a problem when explaining things. So next time you notice that something’s not right, be confident and just tell your doctor “straight up”.

DIY penis maintenance

Many male problems don’t require the attention of a medical professional. Allow GQ to fill you in.

How to clean your penis

We often gaze in awe and talk excitedly about the nose-tingling, fungus-coated, ash-rolled, squishy goodness that is a well-stocked cheese counter. That’s not what you want people to experience when getting up close and personal with your penis. The “knob cheese” that is technically known as smegma, has a particularly vile smell and builds up when the area underneath a foreskin hasn’t been cleaned. This area should be cleaned daily (just pull back) along with the rest of your genitals, your bottom and the area in between, called the perineum. Use a mild soap as these areas can be sensitive.

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How to examine your scrotum

Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in young men. For this reason, every week you should examine each testis (the plural is testes) in turn between your finger and thumb by rolling the skin over them. The most common symptom is a lump of any size but you should book an appointment with your GP if you have any new feelings in the scrotal area.

On a lighter note, most lumps in the scrotum aren’t cancer, and if it does turn out to be cancer, it’s one of the most treatable forms of the disease. You should get to know your balls like the back of your hand.

Maintaining an erection

Erectile dysfunction, or impotence, is unfortunately common from middle age onwards and it’s caused by a narrowing of the blood vessels that pump blood to create and maintain an erection. This narrowing may occur for a number of reasons but high blood pressure, diabetes and smoking are high on the list. Giving up smoking seems like a no-brainer, and maintaining a healthy body weight and undertaking regular exercise reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure and diabetes.

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Protect your penis from STIs

STIs are invisible and often give no symptoms for many years so you won’t know if you’ve just passed one on, so you should always wear a condom. Available free at GPs and sexual health clinics, they significantly reduce the risk of the transmission of STIs but they’re nowhere near as effective if they remain unopened in your wallet. There are so many easy ways to get tested for STIs – a simple fingerpick test can detect HIV, and many GP surgeries have urine pots to test for chlamydia and gonorrhoea that you can pick up and drop off discretely without even making an appointment. No excuses.

Be careful with trimming

Many of us take pleasure in keeping neat and tidy. There are no hard and fast rules about what to do here, but a sensible one is to exercise caution. Be especially careful in the craggy terrain of your scrotum if shaving, where it can be technically more challenging to not make a tiny cut in the skin – this could potentially introduce harmful bacteria which could cause cellulitis, abscesses or worse, Fournier’s gangrene (Googling not recommended).

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Penis size really doesn’t matter to women

A 2015 survey of women presented with photographs of all types and sizes of penises published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine revealed that penis length was one of the least valued attributes. “Overall cosmetic appearance” came out on top. So no need to worry about whether your penis size is above or below average. Just keep it looking good.

Use your penis to keep it healthy

Make ejaculation part of your daily routine. Here’s why: a large Harvard study of nearly 30,000 men found the risk of prostate cancer was 33 per cent lower in men who’d ejaculated at least 21 times per month, compared to those who ejaculated only 4-7 times per month. This included ejaculations during sex, masturbation and, um, “nocturnal emissions”. Time to play catch up.

Complete Article HERE!

10 Hard Facts About Your Throbbing Gristle

By 

lego-junk

Boners are everywhere. They happen all over the world millions of times a day; most men will experience more than 4,015 stiffies this year alone. But, despite the abundance of boners, few men know the facts.

How much do you really know about your wood? Wait, don’t answer that. To help you get more acquainted with your main vein’s hard life, here are 10 things you should know about your goo geyser!

1. Boners can break

Although many mammals have actual bones in their peens, human schlongs are boneless. But, that doesn’t mean they can’t break. Rough action can result in a “penile fracture,” and it’s more common that you might think. In the United States, approximately 200 men a year suffer from a broken penis, and it’s not pretty. You’ll hear a large crack, blood vessels explode — the whole thing turns into a big throbbing bruise and is out of order for weeks. It’s not pretty.

2. They have a mind of their own

Like your heart rate and blood pressure, your meat hammer is controlled by your autonomic nervous system. If you get turned on, the boner that follows is involuntary, which explains all the wood you had in freshmen shop class.

3. They can last a painfully long time

It’s called a priapism. It’s when your penis stays hard for more than four hours and refuses to go away. You can beat him until he blows his load, but that bad boy’s here to stay. It’s a very painful and serious condition. If you’re stiffy stays for too long, seek immediate medical attention.

4. Boners are bountiful

You probably have one right now. On average, you’ll have 11 erections a day — some happen while you’re awake, while others pop in at night.

5. There are different types of boners

Seriously! Most scientists agree that there are three types of boners.

      • Psychogenic: Ignited by fantasies, like the ones you have at the gym.
      • Reflexogenic: Produced by physical stimulation, like when you jerk.
      • Nocturnal: Induced when’re fast a sleep dreaming about warm lips and tight holes.

6. Half your hard-on is hidden

Actually, half of your penis is hidden inside your body. Here’s how to find it, the next time you’re excited feel your perineum (aka your “taint”). That’s the hidden section of your dong. Pretty cool, huh?

7. Spanking the monkey makes him weaker

Calm down! We’re not saying you need to stop buffing your banana. In fact, it can reduce your risk of prostate cancer. But, some studies have shown that if you cut back on your alone time, your throbbin’ nob will throb even harder. You can always try prostate massages — they work famously.

8. Some medications murder boners

And, unfortunately, the fun meds are the boner killers. These meds include Adderall, antidepressants, diet pills, and antihistamines. So, if you can’t imagine life without your meds, you might have to say buh bye to your boner.

9. Blowing and going

One man was able to blow an astonishing six loads without losing his wood, and he did it in only 36 minutes. Wow. Just wow.

10. Boners need exercise

Ok, so we just told you not to choke the chicken, but your lil man does need exercise. Without regular stimulation your little man’s muscles will shrivel up and shrink. You could lose up to an inch in length. So, play with him often, just don’t over do it.

Complete Article HERE!

Scar Tissue

First Name: Luke
Age: 38
Gender: male
Location: Australia
Hi I was born with hypospadias and had 3 operations when I was young. I have bad scarring from the operations. My question is can I get plastic surgery to get rid of scarring and to get my penis head sculptured to look more normal?

First, a quick review of what hypospadias is for those unfamiliar with the term. It’s an abnormality of the urethra in some men. It involves an unusual placed urinary meatus (piss slit). Instead of opening being at the tip of the glans (or dickhead), a hypospadic urethra opens anywhere on a (raphe) line running from the tip of the dude’s cock along the underside of the shaft to where the base.

hypospadic 2This happens when a guy’s dick does not fully develop in the womb.

This condition has levels of severity, from the hardly noticeable to very obvious. Some children are born intersexed, and have ambiguous genitalia, which requires sexual reassignment surgery. But I’ll save that discussion for another time.

Some guys, particularly those with conspicuous hypospadias can develop a complex about their appearance. This in turn, impacts on their self-image and complicates their ability to form lasting sexual/partner/marriage relationships. Severe hypospadias can also interfere with procreation. Other men, perhaps those with less conspicuous or severe hypospadias show little to no concern for the appearance of their dick and live completely normal lives. Hell, I even know a few porn stars with hypospadias.

Some parents of children with mild hypospadias seek a surgical correction to the problem. I view hypospadias.jpgthis as a highly risky means to solve a less relatively innocuous cosmetic problem. There are men who were operated on as a child who now, as adults, resent the interference. Are you one such man, Manson? You say you’ve had three surgeries. As you may know, matters are often made worse rather than better through surgery. And of course, there’s always the risk of complications, infections and the like. There are, however, more serious cases of hypospadias that demand reconstruction. If your dick issue is causing you anxiety or low self-esteem, help is available. Check out: The Hypospadias and Epispadias Association.

Back to your presenting question, Luke. Like I suggest above, just about every effort I’ve seen to surgically improve hypospadias or correct the after effects of those “improvements” have only made matters worse. That being said, my information is based in the past. Has the art of plastic surgery improved with time? Probably. But has it improved so much that it can erase the scar tissue on your cock? I simply don’t know. I suppose everything depends on the amount of scaring you have and the skill of the surgeon.

Have you consulted a plastic surgeon? That’s where I’d begin. You’ll want to be honest with them about your expectations and expect honesty from them about the likely outcome.

In the end, Luke, you may simply wish to leave well enough alone.

Good luck