Table of contents
Men are no different than women. They also suffer when their body looks different than they would like. Penis size and especially penis length are a recurring topic for many men.
But when is a penis not just smaller than average, but extremely small? We're talking about the micropenis.
What is meant by a micropenis?
A micropenis is an anatomically smaller penis. The causes are usually a congenital testosterone deficiency or testosterone resistance.
Measured in centimeters this means:When not erect, a micropenis is only around four centimeters long. Or, if you take the erect state as a yardstick, you're talking about a length ofless than seven centimetersof a micropenis. Mind you: for grown men.
Incidentally, the penis is always measured on the back of the penis, i.e. on the side that is visible from the front when not erect, namely from the pubic symphysis to the tip of the penis.
Also read:
How common is a micropenis?
The study situation on the subject of the micropenis is rather poor. However, it is assumed that less than 2 percent of men in Germany have a micropenis. However, in other countries this value can be significantly lower.
In Colombia, only 19 men out of 100,000 are said to have a micropenis. (Study: J. Money u. a.: Psychology of syndromes. IQ and micropenis). Other studies put the number of people affected by a micropenis at two percent of the world's male population.
What are the causes of a micropenis?
There are different reasons for a micropenis. In many cases, there is a developmental disorder before or after birth, for example due to an underactive pituitary gland or hypothalamus.
As a result, too few hormones are produced for testicular stimulation, so there is less testosterone and the sexual organs cannot develop properly.
Even if other growth hormones are missing, it can lead to an undersupply of testosterone. Then not only the penis, but also the overall body size is often smaller than the norm.
Partial androgen resistance can also lead to a micropenis. There is enough testosterone here, but its desired effect does not occur due to resistance.
Another common cause is hypofunction of the testicles. In this case, too, not enough testosterone is produced and the sexual organs cannot develop properly.
This can happen from birth, but it can also happen that you are born with a “normal” penis size, but then hypothyroidism develops during puberty and the growth of the penis stagnates.
Sometimes no cause is found for a very short penis length, which is then referred to as an idiopathic microphallus.
Can the predisposition to a micropenis be recognized early?
But how do you tell how a little boy will develop, i.e. whether the penis will become too small? This is based on a deviation from the norm, i.e. always in comparison to children of the same age.
If you measure the length of the penis and it is 2.5 standard deviations below the average for your age group, then you may have a micropenis.
If the medical diagnosis of micropenis is made so early, growth can be improved with hormone injections. However, this must happen before the teenage years. After that it's too late.
What can you do if you have a micropenis?
At a young age, i.e. in the development phase of boys or puberty, testosterone substitution, i.e. an addition of male sex hormones, helps. For an adult man whose body development is complete, the only option is surgery.
In some cases, the health insurance company covers the cost of the operation. However, only if the micropenis diagnosis is recognized as a disease in the affected man. However, you should weigh up the risks and benefits here, as a surgical procedure obviously always represents a risk.
Especially since men with a micropenis are usually the same as men with erectile dysfunction and other dysfunctions: they can compensate for their limitations with other skills, be it by paying particular attention to the woman's needs, by testing out other sexual practices or using sex toys Use aids.
However, unlike erectile dysfunction, where there are sexual enhancers such as Cialis and Viagra or a penis pump, such treatment or therapy is not possible for a microphallus.
However, the problem can be easily managed for couples with various sexual practices. Because ultimately sex is more than penetration. And so sex with someone affected can be just as fulfilling as with a man with a “normal” length penis.
This is how it works anyway:
How should I deal with this as a woman?
For some women, a micropenis may initially cause little enthusiasm because they believe that satisfying sex via penetration is impossible. But that doesn't have to be the case if both people get involved in the situation and are willing to experiment. After all, sex is more than penetration.
For most men affected, the topic is of course unpleasant and there is a lot of suffering. If you have fallen in love with a man with a micropenis, you should be sensitive and understanding.
You don't have to lie and hide from him when you are disappointed. However, it is important to signal to him that you still want to be with him and that you are open to trying new things to make your sex life fulfilling despite having a micropenis.
Also read:
What looks small is not automatically a micropenis
There are also men who suffer from obesity, i.e. whose bodies are quite full and whose penis therefore acts like a micropenis. However, this is usually not really the case, but rather just a visual problem, as the penis is hidden by the stomach or fatty tissue. If you measure the length of the penis here, you will see that the centimeters are not in the area of the micropenis. It's all a question of optics.
In conclusion, it can be said: Similar to erectile dysfunction or a very small penis size, a micropenis is initially a problem for those affected and for couples, simply because they have to shape their sexuality differently. Nevertheless, both can do a lot to ensure that a good sex life is possible even with a minimal penis length.
