Features > The Guidance Counselor

by Doug McClelland

[Editor: See here for our standard note on confidentiality and anonymity.]

(posted November, 2006)

From: George
Subject: Small dick
Question: It’s hard to know, but I feel my dick is too small. It’s about a bit less than 6 inches when hard. Dicks that I see in videos are much bigger, and the guy I’m seeing is much bigger. I’m not that experienced, so I wonder if you might tell me what’s normal.

Dear George: First, let me tell you that your cock falls within the definition of normal. However within ‘normal’ there is lots of variety. Men’s Health says the average adult erect penis is in the range 4 to 8 inches. Other studies narrow it down to 5.5 to 6.5 inches, and the average circumference is 4.5 to 5 inches.

Although a big penis is currently thought to be aesthetically pleasing, it is, like various aspects of the human anatomy, open to shifting trends. In ancient Rome or Greece for example a large penis was thought laughable - check out the statues in museums.

The images you see in porn are not realistic. Having worked in the porn industry for years I can tell you that those big dicked stars are few and far between when you are doing auditions. Even gorgeous guys with small dicks do not have a chance in the porn industry. Porn is fantasy, and the dicks of the stars are no more common than their perfect six packs.

If you have not been involved in sports, the military, or some other situation that puts you in locker room situations, you may not have actually been naked with lots of guys. Guys who have been through these scenarios develop a better understanding of the great variety possible in cocks.

The size of your penis is simply determined by genetic factors which you inherited from your parents. There is nothing much you can do to increase or decrease the size of your penis. It is also true that adult penis size varies considerably from person to person. Just as with ears or feet, different people will have different penis sizes.

There seems to be some support for the idea that different racial groups have different cock sizes. For example the World Health Organization specifies 5.3 centimetres wide condoms for Africa, 5.2 centimetres wide condoms for Europe, and 4.9 centimetres condoms for Asia. Family Health International, one of the largest non-profit organizations active in international public health and family services, quotes studies that show significant variations in penis size within all population groups, but also indicate that men of African descent on average have a slightly wider and longer penis size, Caucasian men have a medium size, and Asian men a slightly narrower and shorter size.

Notably one study analysing the self-reported Kinsey Study data found that homosexual men had statistically larger penises than their heterosexual counterparts. One potential explanation given is a theory about difference in the exposure to androgen hormones in the developing embryo (which some consider a factor in making gays).

So there are variations within variations, within variations.

There is really not much you can do to change the size of your cock. Rather than attempt to change the actual size of the penis, one may make it appear bigger, by trimming the pubic hair or by losing weight. If you are fat an inch or two of your dick may be hidden within your enlarged abdomen.

Penis enlargement pills or ointments are commonly offered over the Internet. These are scams, don’t waste your money. Drugs like Viagara may make your erection seem bigger by increasing the blood flow if you are not in your youthful prime.

Another method which is often advertised is the penis pump. This is a cylinder that is fitted over the penis, with a pump to create suction. As the apparatus creates a vacuum around the penis, blood is drawn into the penis causing it to become engorged. The higher the vacuum, the higher the blood-pressure becomes within the penis; excessive pressure causes vascular damage rather than a harder penis.

We live in a society that pushes a myth that the male with a larger penis has a better sex life than one with a smaller penis. This is constantly noted in sexual jokes, in comments heard on TV, or in the movies and in many other places. In a 2005 study by the University of Los Angles 45% of men responded they would prefer their penis size increased.

In our gay community there certainly are men for whom your cock size is their main interest. But if you don’t have a big cock all you can do is focus on things you can improve. Personally, my interest would be won by a guy who was a great cock sucker over a guy with a big dick.

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