In 30 years the human penis has lengthened by three centimeters. The study of Stanford University, published in the magazine The World Journal of Men’s Health, arouses curiosity and smiles. We talked about it with the director of the Urological Clinic of the Molinette Hospital in Turin, Professor Paolo Gontero, to understand what is true and what the consequences – psychological and physical – of such a discovery could be.
Professor, let’s start from the beginning: what is the average length of the penis today?
«The average size of the European penis ranges from 12 to 13 centimeters, when erect. It is good to keep in mind that the measurements change according to the different geographical areas».
And is it possible, according to your experience, that there was an average lengthening, as claimed by the study at the center of the debate?
«It is news that must be taken “with a grain of salt”. This is a literature review, not an actual field study. Let’s start by saying that the length of the penis can be measured in three ways: in erection, in flaccidity or through stretching. The first method is the most reliable».
And in this case, how was the investigation conducted?
«The authors took into consideration all the works existing in the literature in which the measurement was made by a doctor. Thus it was observed that, over the years, there have been variations».
So is it true?
“A moment. The growth trend is demonstrated only for works that take into consideration the erect penis. These are 20 out of 70 studies. All contributions evaluating length in stretching did not show differences in the measurement. This leads me to have doubts about the conclusions of the work».
What can be the causes of the stretch?
«They are not known, but hypotheses can be made. Given that the penis develops in the gestational period and during puberty, we know that hormonal factors can influence its development. There is no scientific evidence that leads me to believe that smog can directly influence the dimensions. I’m more inclined to think that the food factor may have an impact, since some foods are treated with hormones that promote development and growth. But I repeat: we are in the field of hypotheses ».
Does anything change in terms of human health?
“Absolutely nothing. It would be different to talk about a reduction in the number of spermatozoa, which would also explain the increase in infertility or the incidence of testicular tumors».
In any case, news of this type always arouses great interest and media clamor. Is there a psychological dimension to take into consideration?
“The male penis size problem is real. Often man feels inadequate, despite having absolutely normal dimensions. This leads to the need for penis enlargement surgeries and a very prosperous market for penis “extenders” flourishes.
What is it about?
«They are tools that exert continuous traction and, depending on the exposure time, they can bring benefits».
Would you recommend them?
«These are methods that require a certain commitment. The stretchers must be worn for several hours a day, every day. In any case, these are very sensitive topics. Let’s say that emphasizing excessive lengths of the penis leads to favoring the market of these tools and also of pseudo creams that have no efficacy. However, I would like to underline that often one has an unrealistic perception of what the real dimensions of one’s penis are. Through the internet, emphasized models are offered, which have the sole purpose of conveying hidden advertising that feeds a market that makes promises of lengthening».