Keeping your manhood healthy and clean should be priorities for most men. But, how well do you know all the ins and outs of your package?
You may think you’re an expert, but did you know:
1. The penis is twice as long as you think
There’s more to the size of your penis. The erectile tissue that forms the penis extends right into your body. So, what you see is the external part, and the other half is hidden inside your pelvic region.
2. The first erection
Well, your first erection happened when you were a baby! It’s common for babies to exit the womb with an erection. Even before birth, ultrasound scans can sometimes show a foetus with a fully formed erection. Studies show that erections happen most commonly during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which is when you dream. They can even happen several times an hour. The reason is unclear, but it might just be your body’s way of testing things out and keeping them running properly.
3. The angle
A man’s erection can point in almost any direction. Left or right, up or down or straight ahead; there’s no right or wrong. If you’re a bit concerned that your penis may be skew, worry not, you’re normal. Only a few penises are straight; the majority curve in any direction. A curve of up to 30 degrees is still considered normal.
4. There are two types of penises
One kind expands and lengthens when it’s erect (a grower). The other appears big most of the time but doesn’t get much bigger after getting an erection (a shower).
5. Night-time erections
On average, a healthy man has three to five erections during a full night’s sleep, with each lasting between 25 to 35 minutes. It’s common for men to wake up with an erection; commonly known as the “morning glory”. This is seen as the last erection in the series of night-time erections. Most doctors agree that night-time erections are a sign that everything is functioning well.
6. The penis is not a muscle
The penis doesn’t have muscles. That’s why you’re not able to move it when it’s erect. Your manhood is sort of like a sponge that fills with blood when you’re sexually aroused. Blood builds up inside two cylinder-shaped chambers, causing the penis to swell and stiffen. The swelling blocks off the veins that normally move blood away from the penis. As the erection disappears, the arteries in these two chambers narrow again. This allows blood to drain away from the penis. If the penis is violently twisted when erect, it can break. There are no bones in the penis, but the tubes that fill with blood during an erection can burst. Blood can pour out of them inside the penis, causing a very painful swelling.
7. Smoking can shrink your penis
Smoking can shorten the penis by up to a centimetre! Erections are all about good blood flow and lighting up a cigarette hardens blood vessels. This will affect erectile circulation.
8. Size doesn’t matter
Shorter penises increase more in length than longer ones when they become erect. Research based on penis measurements of over two thousand men found that shorter penises increased nearly twice the size of longer penises when erect.
9. Age affects things
The nerves in your penis become less sensitive as you age. This may cause trouble with arousal and having an orgasm. In this case, erectile dysfunction may likely happen because of decreasing testosterone levels. As you get older, your penis may shrink in size too, because of the slow deposit of fatty plaques in tiny arteries in the penis. This reduces its blood flow.