Can You Decrease the Size of Your Penis?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAverage Penis SizeEffects of AgeWeight ChangePenile AtrophySurgeryProstate ConditionsPeyronie’s DiseaseMedicationsLifestyleEnvironmentPreventing Shrinkage

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Average Penis Size

Effects of Age

Weight Change

Penile Atrophy

Surgery

Prostate Conditions

Peyronie’s Disease

Medications

Lifestyle

Environment

Preventing Shrinkage

As a person ages, it is not uncommon for the size of thepenisto decrease. There are many factors that can influence this, like high blood pressure,prostate surgery(or other pelvic surgery), or conditions likePeyronie’s disease. In some cases, there may be no actual shrinkage, but the perceived size may seem smaller if you haveobesityand your penis is “buried” beneath excess body fat.

While some people take steps to prevent their penis from shrinking—like making healthy lifestyle choices or doing “penis exercises”—there are others who want to intentionally decrease the size of their penis if it interferes with sex and their quality of life.

Studies have shown that people with penises often have misperceptions about what an average-sized penis actually is. While many assume that a 6- or 7-inch penis is “normal,” the actual average length of an erect (hard) penis is between 5.1 and 5.5 inches.In addition, the average length of a flaccid (soft) penis is around 3.4 inches.

Misperceptions like these can cause undue distress and affect a person’s self-esteem and relationships. Counseling and therapy are often better options than exploringpenis enlargement procedureswhich often fall short.

Average Penis Size and What’s Considered Big

Age itself is not a factor for changes in your penis size. Multiple studies have confirmed that there is no direct link between age and the length of a flaccid penis.

However, there are aging-related conditions that can definitely influence the size of an erect penis:

Penile atrophy is another term for penis shrinkage, but one that infers the permanent loss of penis length or girth.

There is a long-standing belief (often referred to as the “use-it-or-lose-it” rule) that infrequent erections can lead to decreased penis size. As a person ages, theirlibido(sex drive) tends to decrease along with how often they get erections.

There is some evidence that the failure to get erections, typically over the course of years, can cause the skin and underlying tissues of the penis to stiffen and become less flexible. If this happens, the penis may become shorter or lose girth (circumference).

Even so, the difference is typically small, and the people most likely to be affected are those in their 70s and 80s rather than their 40s, 50s, or 60s.

There are surgeries that can cause a loss in penis size either intentionally or unintentionally:

Although a prostatectomy can cause a decrease in penis length, there is no evidence thatprostatitis(prostate inflammation),benign prostatic hyperplasia(enlarged prostate), orprostate cancercan do the same.

In fact, there is evidence that an enlarged prostate canincreasethe penis length as the gland “pushes” the penis outward from the base.

Peyronie’s disease (PD)causes lesions called plaques to form under the skin of the penis, leading to an abnormal curve. PD is most common in people over 40 and is thought to be the result of a prior injury to the shaft of the penis.

Exercises for Peyronie’s Disease

Certain medications used to treat an enlarged prostate can also lead to the loss of penis length, including:

But the loss is ultimately a false one given that the enlarged prostate leads to increased penis length. In the absence of an enlarged prostate, the penis would likely not have been as long.

Cigarette smoking, a lack of exercise, and a high-fat diet do not cause penis shrinkage, but they can increase the risk of hypertension and obesity, both of which can influence the perceived (rather than actual) length of the penis.

Smoking also causes the narrowing of blood vessels throughout the body. Even if you don’t have erectile dysfunction, the narrowing can make it harder for the spongy interior of the penis to fill with blood during an erection, making erections look smaller.

The environment can influence penis size either directly or indirectly.

It is well known that cold temperatures can cause a transient reduction in penis size as the blood vessels narrow to direct blood flow to more important parts of the body. If you live in a cold climate, your penis can seem smaller during the winter months.

There is some evidence that pollutants in the environment can alter hormone levels and lead tohypogonadism(low testosterone). Environmental pesticides are known to be potentendocrine disruptorsthat can lower both testosterone levels and erectile function.

The reduction of penis size is more often perceived than real. In cases where the penis size has physically changed, the loss may be harder to reverse. Aurologistcan tell you which, if any, treatments can help.

Some of the self-help interventions that may help include:

Masturbating to Increase Penis SizeThere is no evidence that masturbating or doing any “penis exercise” (such asjelqing) changes the length or girth of the penis in any significant way. In fact, it may do the opposite if performed aggressively, injuring blood vessels or causing scar tissue that can lead to Peyronie’s disease.The same applies to “penis enlargement” devices like vacuum pumps, penile weights, or penile traction devices.

Masturbating to Increase Penis Size

There is no evidence that masturbating or doing any “penis exercise” (such asjelqing) changes the length or girth of the penis in any significant way. In fact, it may do the opposite if performed aggressively, injuring blood vessels or causing scar tissue that can lead to Peyronie’s disease.The same applies to “penis enlargement” devices like vacuum pumps, penile weights, or penile traction devices.

There is no evidence that masturbating or doing any “penis exercise” (such asjelqing) changes the length or girth of the penis in any significant way. In fact, it may do the opposite if performed aggressively, injuring blood vessels or causing scar tissue that can lead to Peyronie’s disease.

The same applies to “penis enlargement” devices like vacuum pumps, penile weights, or penile traction devices.

Which Penis Enlargement Methods Work?

Summary

As you age, your penis may look smaller. This is usually due to a decrease in testosterone and/or an increase in belly fat that can create the illusion of a smaller penis.

Certain medications may also cause the penis to shrink. Additionally, you may lose a small amount of length if you are celibate or if you have long periods of erectile dysfunction.

If you’re concerned that your penis looks smaller, it may be helpful to lose weight or talk to your healthcare provider about the medications you’re taking. Although exercise in general is good for your sexual health, avoid exercises that are meant to strengthen or lengthen the penis, as these may cause damage.

15 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.King BM.Average-size erect penis: fiction, fact, and the need for counseling.J Sex Marital Ther. 2021;47(1):80–9. doi:10.1080/0092623X.2020.1787279Belladelli F, Giudice FD, Glover F, et al.Worldwide temporal trends in penile length: a systematic review and meta-analysis.World J Mens Health. 2023. doi:10.5534/wjmh.220203Herbenick D, Reece M, Schick V, Sanders SA.Erect penile length and circumference dimensions of 1,661 sexually active men in the United States.J Sex Med. 2014;11(1):93-101. doi:10.1111/jsm.12244Moreau KL, Babcock MC, Hildreth KL.Sex differences in vascular aging in response to testosterone.Biol Sex Differ. 2020;11(1):18. doi:10.1186/s13293-020-00294-8Staniorski CJ, Rusilko PJ.The concealed morbidity of buried penis: a narrative review of our progress in understanding adult-acquired buried penis as a surgical condition.Transl Androl Urol. 2021;10(6):2536-2543. doi:10.21037/tau-20-1232Veale D, Miles S, Bramley S, Muir G, Hodsoll J.Am I normal? A systematic review and construction of nomograms for flaccid and erect penis length and circumference in up to 15,521 men.BJU Int. 2015;115(6):978-86. doi:10.1111/bju.13010Kadono Y, Machioka K, Nakashima K, et al.Changes in penile length after radical prostatectomy: investigation of the underlying anatomical mechanism.BJU Int. 2017;120(2):293-299. doi:10.1111/bju.13777Barrett-Harlow B, Clavell-Hernandez J, Wang R.New developments in surgical treatment for penile size preservation in Peyronie’s disease.Sex Med Rev. 2019;7(1):156-166. doi:10.1016/j.sxmr.2018.07.001Andrianne R, Sempels M, Mormont C, Fontaine M, Bonnet P, Waltregny D,120 successful cosmetic reduction corporoplasty and scrotoplasty in a patient with the complaint of self-perceived too large penis and scrotum,J Sex Med,2018;15(Supplement_3):S178-S179. doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2018.04.122Takeshima Y, Suzuki M, Ikegaya H, et al.A cross-sectional cadaveric study of the correlation between genital organ measurements, serum testosterone, and serum prostate-specific antigen levels in Japanese male subjects.Int J Physiol Pathophysiol Pharmacol.2021;13(2):36–42.Scranton RE, Goldstein I, Stecher VJ.Erectile dysfunction diagnosis and treatment as a means to improve medication adherence and optimize comorbidity management.J Sex Med. 2013;10(2):551-61. doi:10.1111/j.1743-6109.2012.02998.xCakir OO, Serefoglu EC. Post-finasteride syndrome:An underestimated phenomenon.Urol Androl Open J. 2016;1(1):e3-4. doi:10.17140/UAOJ-1-e002Wang Y, Chen F, Ye L, Zirkin B, Chen H.Steroidogenesis in Leydig cells: effects of aging and environmental factors.Reproduction.2017;154(4):R111-R122. doi:10.1530/REP-17-0064Nehra A, Alterowitz R, Culkin DJ, et al.Peyronie’s disease: AUA guideline.J Urol.2015;194(3):745-53. doi:10.1016/j.juro.2015.05.098Marra G, Drury A, Tran L, Veale D, Muir GH.Systematic review of surgical and nonsurgical interventions in normal men complaining of small penis size.Sex Med Rev.2019;2019:S2050-0521(19)30012-5. doi:10.1016/j.sxmr.2019.01.004

15 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.King BM.Average-size erect penis: fiction, fact, and the need for counseling.J Sex Marital Ther. 2021;47(1):80–9. doi:10.1080/0092623X.2020.1787279Belladelli F, Giudice FD, Glover F, et al.Worldwide temporal trends in penile length: a systematic review and meta-analysis.World J Mens Health. 2023. doi:10.5534/wjmh.220203Herbenick D, Reece M, Schick V, Sanders SA.Erect penile length and circumference dimensions of 1,661 sexually active men in the United States.J Sex Med. 2014;11(1):93-101. doi:10.1111/jsm.12244Moreau KL, Babcock MC, Hildreth KL.Sex differences in vascular aging in response to testosterone.Biol Sex Differ. 2020;11(1):18. doi:10.1186/s13293-020-00294-8Staniorski CJ, Rusilko PJ.The concealed morbidity of buried penis: a narrative review of our progress in understanding adult-acquired buried penis as a surgical condition.Transl Androl Urol. 2021;10(6):2536-2543. doi:10.21037/tau-20-1232Veale D, Miles S, Bramley S, Muir G, Hodsoll J.Am I normal? A systematic review and construction of nomograms for flaccid and erect penis length and circumference in up to 15,521 men.BJU Int. 2015;115(6):978-86. doi:10.1111/bju.13010Kadono Y, Machioka K, Nakashima K, et al.Changes in penile length after radical prostatectomy: investigation of the underlying anatomical mechanism.BJU Int. 2017;120(2):293-299. doi:10.1111/bju.13777Barrett-Harlow B, Clavell-Hernandez J, Wang R.New developments in surgical treatment for penile size preservation in Peyronie’s disease.Sex Med Rev. 2019;7(1):156-166. doi:10.1016/j.sxmr.2018.07.001Andrianne R, Sempels M, Mormont C, Fontaine M, Bonnet P, Waltregny D,120 successful cosmetic reduction corporoplasty and scrotoplasty in a patient with the complaint of self-perceived too large penis and scrotum,J Sex Med,2018;15(Supplement_3):S178-S179. doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2018.04.122Takeshima Y, Suzuki M, Ikegaya H, et al.A cross-sectional cadaveric study of the correlation between genital organ measurements, serum testosterone, and serum prostate-specific antigen levels in Japanese male subjects.Int J Physiol Pathophysiol Pharmacol.2021;13(2):36–42.Scranton RE, Goldstein I, Stecher VJ.Erectile dysfunction diagnosis and treatment as a means to improve medication adherence and optimize comorbidity management.J Sex Med. 2013;10(2):551-61. doi:10.1111/j.1743-6109.2012.02998.xCakir OO, Serefoglu EC. Post-finasteride syndrome:An underestimated phenomenon.Urol Androl Open J. 2016;1(1):e3-4. doi:10.17140/UAOJ-1-e002Wang Y, Chen F, Ye L, Zirkin B, Chen H.Steroidogenesis in Leydig cells: effects of aging and environmental factors.Reproduction.2017;154(4):R111-R122. doi:10.1530/REP-17-0064Nehra A, Alterowitz R, Culkin DJ, et al.Peyronie’s disease: AUA guideline.J Urol.2015;194(3):745-53. doi:10.1016/j.juro.2015.05.098Marra G, Drury A, Tran L, Veale D, Muir GH.Systematic review of surgical and nonsurgical interventions in normal men complaining of small penis size.Sex Med Rev.2019;2019:S2050-0521(19)30012-5. doi:10.1016/j.sxmr.2019.01.004

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

King BM.Average-size erect penis: fiction, fact, and the need for counseling.J Sex Marital Ther. 2021;47(1):80–9. doi:10.1080/0092623X.2020.1787279Belladelli F, Giudice FD, Glover F, et al.Worldwide temporal trends in penile length: a systematic review and meta-analysis.World J Mens Health. 2023. doi:10.5534/wjmh.220203Herbenick D, Reece M, Schick V, Sanders SA.Erect penile length and circumference dimensions of 1,661 sexually active men in the United States.J Sex Med. 2014;11(1):93-101. doi:10.1111/jsm.12244Moreau KL, Babcock MC, Hildreth KL.Sex differences in vascular aging in response to testosterone.Biol Sex Differ. 2020;11(1):18. doi:10.1186/s13293-020-00294-8Staniorski CJ, Rusilko PJ.The concealed morbidity of buried penis: a narrative review of our progress in understanding adult-acquired buried penis as a surgical condition.Transl Androl Urol. 2021;10(6):2536-2543. doi:10.21037/tau-20-1232Veale D, Miles S, Bramley S, Muir G, Hodsoll J.Am I normal? A systematic review and construction of nomograms for flaccid and erect penis length and circumference in up to 15,521 men.BJU Int. 2015;115(6):978-86. doi:10.1111/bju.13010Kadono Y, Machioka K, Nakashima K, et al.Changes in penile length after radical prostatectomy: investigation of the underlying anatomical mechanism.BJU Int. 2017;120(2):293-299. doi:10.1111/bju.13777Barrett-Harlow B, Clavell-Hernandez J, Wang R.New developments in surgical treatment for penile size preservation in Peyronie’s disease.Sex Med Rev. 2019;7(1):156-166. doi:10.1016/j.sxmr.2018.07.001Andrianne R, Sempels M, Mormont C, Fontaine M, Bonnet P, Waltregny D,120 successful cosmetic reduction corporoplasty and scrotoplasty in a patient with the complaint of self-perceived too large penis and scrotum,J Sex Med,2018;15(Supplement_3):S178-S179. doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2018.04.122Takeshima Y, Suzuki M, Ikegaya H, et al.A cross-sectional cadaveric study of the correlation between genital organ measurements, serum testosterone, and serum prostate-specific antigen levels in Japanese male subjects.Int J Physiol Pathophysiol Pharmacol.2021;13(2):36–42.Scranton RE, Goldstein I, Stecher VJ.Erectile dysfunction diagnosis and treatment as a means to improve medication adherence and optimize comorbidity management.J Sex Med. 2013;10(2):551-61. doi:10.1111/j.1743-6109.2012.02998.xCakir OO, Serefoglu EC. Post-finasteride syndrome:An underestimated phenomenon.Urol Androl Open J. 2016;1(1):e3-4. doi:10.17140/UAOJ-1-e002Wang Y, Chen F, Ye L, Zirkin B, Chen H.Steroidogenesis in Leydig cells: effects of aging and environmental factors.Reproduction.2017;154(4):R111-R122. doi:10.1530/REP-17-0064Nehra A, Alterowitz R, Culkin DJ, et al.Peyronie’s disease: AUA guideline.J Urol.2015;194(3):745-53. doi:10.1016/j.juro.2015.05.098Marra G, Drury A, Tran L, Veale D, Muir GH.Systematic review of surgical and nonsurgical interventions in normal men complaining of small penis size.Sex Med Rev.2019;2019:S2050-0521(19)30012-5. doi:10.1016/j.sxmr.2019.01.004

King BM.Average-size erect penis: fiction, fact, and the need for counseling.J Sex Marital Ther. 2021;47(1):80–9. doi:10.1080/0092623X.2020.1787279

Belladelli F, Giudice FD, Glover F, et al.Worldwide temporal trends in penile length: a systematic review and meta-analysis.World J Mens Health. 2023. doi:10.5534/wjmh.220203

Herbenick D, Reece M, Schick V, Sanders SA.Erect penile length and circumference dimensions of 1,661 sexually active men in the United States.J Sex Med. 2014;11(1):93-101. doi:10.1111/jsm.12244

Moreau KL, Babcock MC, Hildreth KL.Sex differences in vascular aging in response to testosterone.Biol Sex Differ. 2020;11(1):18. doi:10.1186/s13293-020-00294-8

Staniorski CJ, Rusilko PJ.The concealed morbidity of buried penis: a narrative review of our progress in understanding adult-acquired buried penis as a surgical condition.Transl Androl Urol. 2021;10(6):2536-2543. doi:10.21037/tau-20-1232

Veale D, Miles S, Bramley S, Muir G, Hodsoll J.Am I normal? A systematic review and construction of nomograms for flaccid and erect penis length and circumference in up to 15,521 men.BJU Int. 2015;115(6):978-86. doi:10.1111/bju.13010

Kadono Y, Machioka K, Nakashima K, et al.Changes in penile length after radical prostatectomy: investigation of the underlying anatomical mechanism.BJU Int. 2017;120(2):293-299. doi:10.1111/bju.13777

Barrett-Harlow B, Clavell-Hernandez J, Wang R.New developments in surgical treatment for penile size preservation in Peyronie’s disease.Sex Med Rev. 2019;7(1):156-166. doi:10.1016/j.sxmr.2018.07.001

Andrianne R, Sempels M, Mormont C, Fontaine M, Bonnet P, Waltregny D,120 successful cosmetic reduction corporoplasty and scrotoplasty in a patient with the complaint of self-perceived too large penis and scrotum,J Sex Med,2018;15(Supplement_3):S178-S179. doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2018.04.122

Takeshima Y, Suzuki M, Ikegaya H, et al.A cross-sectional cadaveric study of the correlation between genital organ measurements, serum testosterone, and serum prostate-specific antigen levels in Japanese male subjects.Int J Physiol Pathophysiol Pharmacol.2021;13(2):36–42.

Scranton RE, Goldstein I, Stecher VJ.Erectile dysfunction diagnosis and treatment as a means to improve medication adherence and optimize comorbidity management.J Sex Med. 2013;10(2):551-61. doi:10.1111/j.1743-6109.2012.02998.x

Cakir OO, Serefoglu EC. Post-finasteride syndrome:An underestimated phenomenon.Urol Androl Open J. 2016;1(1):e3-4. doi:10.17140/UAOJ-1-e002

Wang Y, Chen F, Ye L, Zirkin B, Chen H.Steroidogenesis in Leydig cells: effects of aging and environmental factors.Reproduction.2017;154(4):R111-R122. doi:10.1530/REP-17-0064

Nehra A, Alterowitz R, Culkin DJ, et al.Peyronie’s disease: AUA guideline.J Urol.2015;194(3):745-53. doi:10.1016/j.juro.2015.05.098

Marra G, Drury A, Tran L, Veale D, Muir GH.Systematic review of surgical and nonsurgical interventions in normal men complaining of small penis size.Sex Med Rev.2019;2019:S2050-0521(19)30012-5. doi:10.1016/j.sxmr.2019.01.004

Meet Our Medical Expert Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit

What is your feedback?