Measuring the penis when it isn’t erect is pointless, since the length and bulk are affected by various temporary factors, such as the ambient temperature. Even the largest male organ can shrink to virtually nothing if the man goes for a swim in cold water.

However, at normal temperatures a non-erect penis usually measures between 8.5cm and 10.5cm (3-4 inches) from tip to base.

The average figure is about 9.5cm (3.75 inches). Of course, it’s true that some men have big penises and some have smaller ones, just as some men have small feet and some have big feet, but the measurement is not – repeat not – an index of virility.

Most people think that a tall man will usually have a large penis, but this is not entirely true. The distinguished American researchers Masters and Johnson measured the penile lengths of more than 300 men.

The longest organ was 14 cm (5.5 inches) in the flaccid state. It belonged to a slim man who was 5′ 7″ tall (170 cm).

The shortest penis measured 6cm (2.25 inches). It belonged to a fairly heavily built man of 5′ 11″ (180cm).

It’s also worth pointing out that there is no correlation between penile size and race.

We’ve talked about the length of the penis in its ordinary non-erect state, but how long is it be when it’s erect?

Interestingly, most penises are very much the same size when erect.

The man whose non-erect penis is smallish will usually achieve about a 100 per cent increase in length during sexual excitement.

The man whose non-erect penis is on the largish size will probably manage about a 75 per cent increase.

So you can see that even if a man has got a ‘small’ penis, he’s got a built-in compensating factor that will bring him up to about the same size as the guy who appears to be ‘better equipped’ in the shower room.

As we’ve already said, the average penis is now known to be appreciably shorter than was traditionally thought. Most authorities now say that the mean length of the erect male organ is between 5.1 inches (12.9 centimeters) and 5.9 inches (15 centimeters).

One of the most accurate and scientific pieces of research on this subject was carried out in Mexico behalf of Life Styles condoms. Under the supervision of a doctor, four trained health professionals measured the erect penises of 300 men (who were mostly young Americans).

They found that the average length was 5.877 inches (14.93 centimeters) – far less than the figure which had been generally quoted in the past. A review published in the British Journal of Urology in 2007 broadly confirmed this finding.

This has to be one of the most common questions about sex. And while more men than women ask it, both are curious about the scientific answer to this question. Based on sexual physiological knowledge, the answer is no, size does not matter. Whether engaging in anal or vaginal penetration, a finger can be just as pleasurable as a penis. When it comes to anal penetration, often a finger is more pleasurable because of the dexterity a finger can provide, especially for a man that likes a stimulating prostate massage. Many women will also say that a finger is better able to tickle her fancy vaginally, especially for those women who feel they have a G-spot. The most sexually stimulating spot on a woman is her clitoris – the glans has over 8000 nerve endings alone! There is also a network of sensitive nerve endings in the outer one third of the vagina, but hardly any in the inner two-thirds. length of the penis doesn’t matter physically, and girth, while it can feel pleasant for many women, feels good because the vagina will wrap snugly around the width of what ever is put in it: a finger, tampon, toy or penis of any girth. The pleasure comes from the penetration and technique, not the size. It really is about the motion of the ocean, not the size of the wave. However, for those that do say size matters, this is, like with anything in sex, a personal preference, not a biological fact.