Knowing the male genitalia and its particularities – not only in terms of its size – can help men and women to have a more satisfactory intimate life. Below, according to Men’s Health, experts talk about ten curiosities about the organ.

1 – Does size matter?

The item is the first on the list because many men still worry about the size of their genital organ. According to the SBU (Sociedade Brasileira de Urologia), a normal male genitalia measures from seven to 17 centimeters erect. And it is important to stress that potency and size are not proportional. This means that the concern about not satisfying their partner because they think their member is small is unfounded.

Only physical and psychological problems can make a discharge during intercourse difficult, which is the well-known erectile dysfunction, but this is not related to the male genitalia size. The woman also makes no sense because they are the first five centimeters deep in the female genitalia the richest in nerve endings and, therefore, more sensitive.

2 – Does not increase or decrease during life:

Still on the subject of size, the organ does not change after reaching adult size, which happens around age 18. Surgeries to enlarge the male genitalia are not indicated for aesthetical reasons and, even in cases of micropenis (when it does not reach 2.5 cm flaccid or 7.5 cm erect), the gains are small and the risks are very large.

Surgical procedures with this purpose may cause instability of the member in secretion, limiting the ability to penetrate and, consequently, harm the individual’s intimate life.

3 – It may seem smaller than it is:

According to Sidney Glina, urologist at Hospital Albert Einstein, in São Paulo, most people who think they have a small penis are mistaken. What happens is that when these men go to compare their organs, in a locker room, for example, they are in a stressful, tense situation. The male genitalia has a muscle called dartos, located below the scrotum, which contracts during these moments, making the organ seem smaller than it is. To compare, just observe how he reacts to the cold too.

4 – Sensibility:

The glans, more popularly known as the head of the male genitalia, is the most sensitive part of the male reproductive organ. It is not possible to affirm the number of nerve endings it has (or the male genitalia as a whole), but the region provides a lot of pleasure to the man. Intense touches and strong friction may generate more discomfort than pleasure.

5 – Temperature of the testicles:

The region also presents heightened sensitivity, since it is composed of vascularized glands, through which the blood flow passes. It produces spermatozoa and testosterone (hormone) and therefore needs to be one degree below the internal temperature of the abdomen, which is 37ºC.

Sleeping without underwear helps maintain the ideal temperature of the testicles, favoring the production and quality of the spermatozoids. But nobody needs to be naked all day, it’s just an extra care. Wearing clothes that don’t squeeze the region is also favourable.

6 – Self-stimulation is not a necessity:

Some men say that staying a long time without discharging can be harmful, “weighs” the scrotum and other arguments. All myth. According to experts, there is no physiological reason to put semen out of the body. “If you do not discharge, you will eliminate in the urine. This need is something cultural, purely for the pleasure that orgasm causes, with intercourse for two or self-stimulation. Discharge is not fundamental for s3xual health, there is no scientific study about it.

7 – Circumcision does not affect sensitivity:

Postectomy is the surgery performed to remove the foreskin – a fold of two layers of skin and mucous membrane that covers the glans of the male reproductive organ. The procedure is not obligatory, but is necessary in some situations, such as when the man has balanopostitis (inflammation by fungus in the region) and for religious reasons (case of Jews). As the sensitivity is in the glans, removing the foreskin does not affect it at all. If any difficulty persists, seek a doctor.

8 – Male Genitalia “breaks”:

The organ does not have bone, but it may suffer lesions in the cavernous cavities if it is bent or bent quickly. The most common way this happens is during intercourse, when the woman is on top. With discharge, the male reproductive organ becomes very rigid and, if it escapes during intimacy, it can hit the woman’s perineum and seriously injure it. It makes a noise, the man feels a lot of pain and the rupture is visible because of the bleeding, which leaves it with a dark purple colour.

Experts advise, in the face of an accident like this, seek medical assistance immediately, because the injury will not heal itself and, often, surgery is required. The most common sequel is Peyronie’s disease, which leaves the penis crooked when it is erect and prevents penetration. In these cases, a new operation is required to correct it. The specialist says that this type of case is different from congenitally crooked penis, which only needs to be repaired when it is harmful to a man’s intimate life.

9 – Nocturnal discharge and orgasm:

Men spend 20% of their sleep time with the male genitalia in discharge. Several can occur, more precisely during REM sleep (stage in which dreams occur), and they last 30 to 40 minutes each. According to specialists, the man only notices the discharge when he wakes up in the middle of the night wanting to pee, for example.

It is not possible to specify the average time of a male orgasm, but it is estimated to be milliseconds. The male orgasm is one of the most understudied things. The subject is not explored much because men don’t have as many questions about it as women, who don’t always manage to achieve it.

10 – Danger signs and hygiene:

Men have an advantage over women when it comes to identifying problems in the reproductive organ. As the male genitalia is external, any stain or sign that there is something wrong is easily perceived. If it hasn’t appeared due to something that justifies alteration, like a more intense self-stimulation, the ideal is to look for a doctor.

The lack of hygiene of the area is associated with several diseases, not as a cause, but as a facilitating agent. Therefore, washing with water and soap all the genital region and dry, without leaving moisture, helps in prevention. For those who have foreskin, pulling the skin and exposing the glans to wash it is also important.