How long is a micropenis?
Microfalosomia is rare and hormone or genetic problems are the most common cause. Doctors usually diagnose it at birth.
What exactly is a micropenis?
Doctors diagnose micropenis when an individual’s stretched penis is 2.5 centimeters below the average standard for their age and level of sexual development.
Research has estimated that the average penis size for an adult is 13.24 centimeters when he is on erection.
Average and micropenis size for each age range:
Newborn at term: 3.2 cm (average) 2.4-2.5 cm (micropenis)
5 months: 3.9 cm (average) 1.9 cm (micropenis)
6-12 months: 4.3 cm (average) 2.3 cm (micropenis)
1-2 years: 4.7 cm (average) 2.6 cm (micropenis)
2-3 years: 5.1 cm (average) 2.9 cm (micropenis)
3-4 years: 5.5 cm (average) 3.3 cm (micropenis)
4-5 years: 5.7 cm (average) 3.5 cm (micropenis)
5-6 years: 6.0 cm (average) 3.8 cm (micropenis)
6-7 years: 6.1 cm (average) 3.9 cm (micropenis)
7-8 years: 6.2 cm (average) 3.7 cm (micropenis)
9 years: 6.3 cm (average) 3.8 cm (micropenis)
9-10 years: 6.3 cm (average) 3.8 cm (micropenis)
11 years: 6.4 cm (average) 3.7 cm (micropenis)
Adult: 13.3 cm (average) 7.1 cm (micropenis)
Is it very common to have a micropenis?
Statistics on the prevalence of micropenis vary between studies. Microfalosomia and other birth abnormalities may be related to environmental factors, such as parents' exposure to pesticides during pregnancy. As a result, this condition may be more common in specific populations.
When a person has micropenis, his internal genitals and testicles are usually normal.
Causes
Hormone problems are the most common cause of micropene. Less often, they can occur when the mother experiences exposure to pesticides or other toxic chemicals during pregnancy.
Testosterone deficiencies, during pregnancy, are usually the cause of the micropene and can also cause other genital abnormalities.
A testosterone deficiency can arise when a male fetus does not produce enough testosterone, or when the mother does not produce enough human chorionic gonadotropin hormone during pregnancy, that stimulates the development of testosterone in the fetus.
When testosterone levels are normal, some medical conditions can prevent a person’s body from responding properly to testosterone. This answer is called androgen insensitivity. When any of these hormone problems arise, a male fetus’s penis may not develop as usual.
A male baby will experience a surge of testosterone about 0-3 months after birth. This is a crucial period for penis growth. If this process is interrupted by hormonal problems, the baby may have a smaller than normal penis.
In rare cases, the micropenis is idiopathic, meaning that doctors cannot find a specific cause. Because hormone problems usually cause micropenis, people with this condition may also have other symptoms, such as hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, Prader-Willi syndrome, Kallmann syndrome, growth hormone deficiencies, abnormal chromosomes or laurence-moon syndrome (LMS).
Does having a micropenis affect sexual function?
Most people with micropenis have normal sexual functioning. It does not affect a person’s ability to urinate, masturbate, or have an orgasm. The only drawback is that there are people who may have more difficulty urinating standing up.
Anxiety about penis size can be a barrier to enjoying sex with a partner. Men may remain dissatisfied with their appearance even with treatment despite being able to have an active and healthy sexual life. In this case, sexual therapy is recommended.
Let us remember that, according to research published in 2018, only 18.4% of women reach orgasm only with vaginal penetration. Focusing on other sexual techniques, such as oral sex, can help the man with a micropenis feel more confident about sexual interactions, which can be positive for both.
Reference: Am I normal? A systematic review and construction of nomograms for flaccid and erect penis length and circumference in up to 15 521 men. First published: 08 December 2014 https://doi.org/10.1111/bju.13010 // Micropenis: Etiology, Diagnosis and Treatment Approaches. J Clin Res Pediatr Endocrinol. 2013 Dec; 5(4): 217–223. Published online 2013 Dec 12. doi:10.4274/Jcrpe.1135 // Women's Experiences With Genital Touching, Sexual Pleasure, and Orgasm: Results From a U.S. Probability Sample of Women Ages 18 to 94. JJournal of Sex & Marital Therapy DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2017.1346530
