What is the normal size of a penis for my age?

This used to be the #1 most frequently asked question at Teen Health Secrets. A reader sent in some answers. I thought this was worth putting on the site, but I do not know where he got it from. It might be from an Internet survey and may not be that accurate.

These statistics are not clinical measurements, they are the average results of people who answered an Internet poll. If you know you are a late maturer, then the results for your age group will be meaningless — you need to look at a younger age group. Don’t be too concerned if you fall well outside the measurements for your age group. The penis is an organ that varies a lot from male to male – there is no “right” or “wrong” when it comes to penis size.

Measured along the top, how long is your erect penis?

By age, the averages found were:

Conclusions:

The average adult penis size is about 6.2 inches or (157mm). It is interesting that in this study, penis size ‘peaks’ at age 17. Since penises do not get smaller as a male approaches age 21, it can be concluded that boys aged 16, 17, and 18 are most likely to exaggerate the size of their penises. Just a guess. (Several physicians suggested that the average penis size was about 6 inches, but they weren’t measuring.) So, an average of 6.2 seems incorrect and maybe guys taking the survey exaggerated.

By ethnicity (age 15 and over only):

Here is a quote from the video library, by Donald E. Greydanus, MD
The size of your penis is simply determined by factors, called genetic traits, which you inherited from your parents. There is nothing you can do to increase or decrease the size of your penis — it will develop into its adult size as you change from a boy to a man through the process called puberty. Most boys start the changes of puberty between 10 and 14 years of age, though a few will start earlier or later than these ages. First, the testicles (balls) begin to enlarge and then hair starts to grow around the them. The penis then starts to enlarge, first in length and then later in thickness. Though there is much normal variation, the final penis size is reached four to six years after the testicles first started to enlarge.

This process of normal penis growth can be disturbing to many males. Since the testicles enlarge first (and later followed by growth of the penis), many young male teens do not notice the testicles growing and worry that they are not changing and that their penis is too small. If you are overweight, fat tissue can hide the penis somewhat and give an impression that the penis is smaller than it really is. Some males in your class may have started their changes of puberty well ahead of you and they may seem like they have an adult-size penis-that can be very upsetting!

It is difficult to know how large a penis will be in its erect state, simply by looking at it when not erect (or when flaccid). It is also true that adult penis size varies considerably from person to person. Just as with any body part, different people will have different penis sizes. 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. Well, the truth is that normal penises vary tremendously in size, and sex is just as good for each of these males. You will need to wait a year or two after your overall height has stopped changing to see what final size your penis will be. If at any time during your growing, you are worried that your penis is abnormal, just go to your doctor and ask him or her directly about this. In almost every case, you will be told that it is fine.

• For male puberty stages charts, check that out.
• See Penis Problems for more on penis conditions.
• For more on size and what it means… Read “Does Size Matter?“
• For answers to your sexuality questions, check out the Sex Stuff:
• Check out Sexual FAQs for honest answers to sex questions.
• “They Fit” Condoms – In 55 Sizes!