Many men fear they have a “weird” penis. Whether concerned about size, shape or a slight curve this way or that, it’s hard to find a man who is 100% comfortable with what he’s packing. The vast majority of men have nothing to worry about, either in terms of sexual ability or overall penis health, as perceived abnormalities are often actually perfectly normal, or at least not harmful. However, there are some anomalies that can negatively impact penile, urinary and sexual health. Unless a man is suffering from one of the following penis abnormalities, he likely has nothing to worry about.
1) Micropenis
Most men who think they have an abnormally small penis in fact do not. A micropenis is defined as an adult penis that is shorter than 2.8 inches when flaccid. The condition is believed to affect only 0.5% of males. It is thought to be caused by hormonal deficiency or a genetic abnormality.
Micropenis can lead to sexual and urinary problems, along with psychological issues such as low self-esteem and depression. If diagnosed in infants (with a penile length less than 0.75 inches), babies or children may be given hormonal therapy to combat the problem. Surgical enlargement of the penis is a last resort and may be performed on adolescent or adult males.
2) Hypospadias
This abnormality occurs when the urethra opens on the underside of the penis – usually near the head, but in more severe cases, midway down the shaft or even at the base. This condition can cause urine to spray out, and may be accompanied by a partial foreskin that covers only the topmost half of the penile tip.
Men affected by this condition are born with it, and the problem is usually corrected surgically in infancy. Untreated hypospadias can lead to erectile problems in adult males.
3) Chordee
Chordee is the downward curvature of the penis that some men are born with. While a bit of a curve left, right, up or down is not that uncommon, chordee occurs when there is a problem with the way the penis develops when the male is a fetus and often co-occurs with hypospadias. Chordee can cause weak erections and/or pain upon intercourse both for the affected man and his partner.
If hypospadias isn’t present, chordee may go unnoticed until adulthood. The curve is most noticeable during erections. Surgery is the standard treatment for this condition; if delayed until adulthood, multiple procedures may be necessary.
4) Epispadias
Epispadias is present when the urethra opens on the top or side of the penis rather than at the tip. It occurs in about 1 out of every 117,000 newborn boys. The condition may cause urine to flow back into the kidneys, increasing the risk of urinary tract infections. It is also associated with penis curvature and shorter length, though wider girth.
Surgery is usually performed to correct epispadias.
5) Buried Penis
This condition is congenital and occurs when skin is distributed unevenly over the penis and scrotum. Usually, a sheath of skin wraps around the penis and scrotum and is distributed fairly evenly. When this is not the case, skin may accumulate toward the top of the penis, causing the shaft to be buried or concealed. The penis may also be hidden beneath abdominal fat in some men, but that’s a different story related to obesity.
Buried penis can make proper hygiene and direction of the urinary stream difficult. It may also result in inflammation of the foreskin (balanitis) and low self-esteem. Treating buried penis can be as simple as applying an anti-inflammatory cream or regularly pulling the foreskin back several times a day. If these methods are ineffective, surgery may be performed.
For the Rest
Most men don’t need to worry about these problems; however, that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t benefit from showing their members some extra love. Applying a quality penis health cream (health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil) every day is a good move; the vitamins, amino acids and antioxidants in the best products support proper skin, nerve and circulatory health.