Is my penis normal?

Here’s everything you need to know about penises and what it means to be ‘normal’

Every penis is slightly different. Their shape, size and even texture can vary and this is totally normal. We know many people feel anxious about the shape, size and performance of their penis – and we want to reassure you. Your body is normal and it’s wonderful.

What is the penis?

The penis is one part of the external sex anatomy – with the scrotum (your balls in their sack) being the other part. It’s known by lots of different names but, in simple terms, it is a shaft that’s made of three different layers of tissue (the stuff that makes up your body). When you feel aroused, these tissues fill with blood which leads to an erection (or a hard-on).

It’s made up of four parts:

Glans: The rounded head, or tip of the penis. This is where you pee from and where semen/pre-cum ejaculation is from. Usually you’ll hear this referred to as the head of the penis.

Shaft: This is the longest part of the penis and connects to the pubic bone. It surrounds and protects the urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder through the penis) which is inside the shaft.

Foreskin: The skin that covers the head of the penis and retracts when the penis gets hard. Not every penis has a foreskin and that’s cool! If yours has been circumcised then you won’t have one.

Frenulum: This is connective tissue that connects the foreskin to the head of the penis and the shaft. It is similar to the frenulum you have in your mouth, that connects your upper lip to your upper gum!

diagram of circumcised and uncircumcised penis

A myth-buster: Does size matter?

The short answer is: no. Absolutely not! That said, we know it’s not as easy as someone telling you it doesn’t matter. Unfortunately, it’s really common to worry about penis size and, more generally, for people to worry about their body and how it looks. Roughly 50% of people with a penis worry they have a small one. We discuss the reasons and lots more here.

What about the balls?

Held in a scrotum (known as the ballsack), testicles (balls) make sperm and hormones like testosterone. Usually, the balls will be different sizes to each other and they change size due to temperature too. If it is cold, the scrotum will pull the balls closer to the body making them shrink, but if it is warm they will hang further from the body. This is all completely normal.

Now what?

Now you know the ‘sciency’ lowdown about the anatomy, hopefully you appreciate that that size and shape can vary a lot and, whatever you’ve got in your pants, you are almost certainly totally normal. The average size of an erect penis is 5 to 7 inches long, but this is just the average. Many penises will be smaller and bigger!

Size has no bearing on how enjoyable sex is. It is much better to understand what you and your partner enjoy, rather than worrying about measuring or comparing size. When it comes to sexual intimacy, the only way to find out what works best for you is to explore, communicate and stay safe.