Penile length and circumference: A study on 3,300 young Italian males

Objective: The knowledge of normal variations in the size of male external genitalia is of considerable interest to several disciplines. We carried ou t an extensive study in young Italian males to provide estimates of normal variations of penile dimensions. Methods: The penile length in flaccid and stretched states and the penile c ircumference were measured in a random group of 3,300 young men aged 17-19 years and free from endocrine disorders and from congenital or acquired abn ormalities of the penis. In a random sample of 325 subjects of the same set of people, penile length and circumference were also correlated with weigh t and height. Statistical analysis was performed with the Sperman test, bec ause our data were not normally distributed as tested by the Kolmogorov-Smi rnov test (p<0.01). Results: The median values of penile dimensions recorded in the present stu dy are flaccid length 9.0 cm, flaccid circumference, at the middle of the s haft, 10.0 cm, and stretched length 12.5 cm. We also observed that the peni le dimensions are highly correlated with height and weight. Conclusions: Since penile length and circumference correlate with anthropom etric parameters such as weight and height, we suggest to consider themselv es as two bodily measures which display a wide extent of normal variability along the general population. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.