They say it isn’t the size of the boat but the motion in the ocean, but that doesn’t stop lots of men from being preoccupied about the size of their penis.
But no matter how you measure up, everyone wants to be reassured that they are ‘normal’.
So here are seven things that everyone needs to know about penis size.
1. The size of your hands (and feet) do not matter.
Ah, that old chestnut. It’s one of the oldest in the book, and yet studies have repeatedly shown that this playground theory carries very little weight at all.
In fact research from 2016 found that when talking about feet and hands, the size of a man’s second and fourth finger might vaguely correlate with penis size in the womb, but the rest of the evidence is shaky to say the least.
2. But where you live in the world might matter.
Your glove size might not have any bearing on your manhood, but where you live in the world may well do. Maps from around the world, created by graphic designer Martin Vargic, showed how the data from different countries varies greatly.
Men in Africa and parts of South America - including Colombia and Venezuela - being better endowed than their European cousins, and Asian men coming in shorter than the global mark. Sorry guys.
3. The average erection measures 5.2 inches.
While it is clear that things vary hugely around the world, a study of over 15,000 men globally concluded that the average size for an erect penis is 5.2 inches (13.12cm), with a circumference of 4.6 inches.
And if you’re feeling a little uncomfortable about that news, let us remind you that only 2.28% of the male population has an abnormally small penis. Feel better now?
4. Penis size only matters to women during a one night stand.
If those statistics had failed to make you feel confident about your appearance in the bedroom, then you should know that studies have shown penis size actually doesn’t matter to female lovers, that is, unless you are having a one-night stand.
The (fairly tiny) study found that only promiscuous sex lead women to prefer a bigger than average penis, but funnily enough, they were only interested in girth not length. Interesting.
5. But penis size does matter to other men.
Although you might be safe from the female gaze, it seems that men should actually be more concerned about other men judging their package.
Studies have shown men judge each other when it comes to junk in your (swimming) trunks. It seems a locker-room mentality is what causes bigger men to be respected more.