14 things you didn’t know about his penis

 a famous Robert Mapplethorpe image

Snapping, smoking and circumcision

IT'S one of his most treasured assets, responsible, many times for that sense of security he has in his manhood. But there are myths, doubts and uncertainties that surround the penis, many promulgated by the men themselves. Here are 14 things you may not have known about it, but should.

1. Imitating Kartel can break it.

The penis has a tough tissue running around it which gets sturdy when erect. "Any sudden bend can cause it to rupture," urologist at the Winchester Surgical Centre, Dr Leroy Harrison, said. "Erection and aggression can cause it to rupture, which is really a tear," he explained. This penile rupture can occur during vigorous sex or a quick action like someone jumping onto a man's lap. When this occurs, there is a popping noise, followed by excruciating pain. And though it may be humiliating for a man, the condition can only be remedied with treatment from a doctor. If not treated, it can lead to permanent erectile dysfunction (ED).

2. Failure to launch can signal heart disease, diabetes or hypertension.

Like with women, stress and a bad day at work can kill a man's sexual desire, however, if he is always not in the mood and there is no other woman getting his game on then maybe he has a condition that needs medical attention. Not being able to get an erection can be either psyco-genic or non-psycogenic, Dr Harrison explained. Psycogenic reasons are mind-based such as performance anxiety, conscience and guilt, while non-psychogenic is anything that causes a lack of blood flow to the penis. This can include heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and spinal injuries.

3. It can shrink like a wool sweater in a hot water wash.

It is believed that cold weather and cold water cause the penis to shrink while also easing an erection. "A cold shower causes the blood vessels to constrict, which decreases the blood flow to the penis," Dr Harrison explained. Thus the concept that he can take a cold shower in the mornings to get rid of his erection is actually true.

4. Smokers have a harder time rising to the occasion. 
For decades doctors have been warning against smoking as it clogs the arteries. These include arteries taking blood to the penis, when these arteries become clogged it is harder to get a rush of blood that causes an erection. This means smokers may have a harder time rising to the occasion. Dr Harrison said after a while, a smoker may not be able to perform sexually at all.

5. He gets an erection even while sleeping.

Believe it or not, your man's penis does have a mind of its own, and as some persons like to say, it is the lightest organ on the body — it rises with just a thought! Dr Harrison said there are three ways in which a man can get an erection (1) reflexogenic — handling of the penis, (2) Nocturnal Penile Tumescence — erection while sleeping and (3) psychogenic — through viewing or thinking about something sexual. "A man has two to three erections each night but he is only aware of the one he wakes up with," Dr Harrison said. Erections are sometimes the result of impulses firing from the brain during REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep.

6. Circumcision is good for any penis.

While many men do not believe in it, research has shown that there are health benefits to circumcision, such as less urinary tract infections and a decreased risk of contracting HIV.

7. Most men share same-sized penises.

According to studies done, penises typically measure between three and four inches when flaccid and five to six inches when erect. In fact, when aroused, a man who started out on the small side can end up expanding proportionally more than larger males.

8. Most penises curve.

The majority of penises lean slightly to the left or right when rigid. However, there are others that tend to bend up or down drastically, so much so that having sex is almost impossible. This is known as Peyronie's Disease and happens when the penis doesn't expand evenly during a hard-on.

9. Penis size and shape is not hereditary.

While he may have many traits from his dad, penis size, thickness and shape are not a part of it. Penises are actually formed in the utero by natural causes.

10. Average erection is two hours, average discharge time seven minutes.

Men can have an erection lasting up to two hours before it starts fading away on its own, the urologist explained. However, the average time from penetration to the time he ejaculates is seven minutes +/- three. Dr Harrison explained, too, that some men can have an erection lasting up to four hours or more but this is very unsafe. "What you find is that the blood flows in the penis but not out," he said. "So the tissues are not getting enough oxygen, so after awhile it gets very painful." This, he said, means a visit to the doctor who will apply an injection or pull out the excess blood. This can sometimes have serious complications such as no more erections.

11. Orgasm is all in his spine not his brain.

The signal for a man to ejaculate is the result of muscles contractions in the spinal cord and pelvis.

12. 'Tan pon it long' isn't always a good thing.

Though deejays promote it and men boast about it, an erection that simply won't go away isn't a miracle, but a medical emergency. If the blood flow that causes an erection doesn't eventually leave the penis serious complications can result, like blood clots.

13. Men really do get 'blue balls'.

Jamaican men like to talk about getting 'blue-balls' if they do not get the chance to have sex. While they use this as a common excuse, technically it's true. The condition is called prostatic congestion and the achiness in the testicles is caused by 'trapped' blood. This can in fact be relieved by an orgasm, or by massaging the prostate.

14. Drinking alcohol affects his penis.

It has been found that a man's penis will go limp if he drinks too much. Dr Harris said a number of men will in fact feel that they perform better after drinking but this is all due to the mind being manipulated by the alcohol and is in no way true. Men who drink do not perform as well, neither do they stay as long.

— Donna Hussey-Whyte