IN YOUR OPINION, HOW SMALL A PENIS IS TOO SMALL? HOW BIG IS TOO BIG?

[Notes: We collected over 500 responses to this question — from people aged between 11 and 80. However, most responses came from males in their mid to late teens and early 20s. Although the question sought only opinions, its content tended to draw the most vivid responses from sexually active females and gay/bisexual men who have had sex with men of varying penis sizes. Most responses consistently indicated opinions that adult men whose penises are shorter than 3 to 5 inches are too small. However, the concept of "too large" generated opinions that varied more. From 8 or 9 inches up to 12 inches was seen as too large. Some people mentioned girth as an important factor, particularly when a man's thickness makes it painful for his partner when he penetrates. Other responses saw the concepts of "too small" and "too large" more in terms of perception than in length. If you or your partner thinks your penis is too small, then it is — regardless of its actual length. (For an informative perspective on the joys and pains of having a large penis, click here.)]

My penis is smaller than average (4.5 inches), and I must admit that its size has caused me a lot of anxiety. I often worry that people will laugh at me if they see it. But I would like to agree with what I read in JackinWorld about size. "Anything bigger than 2 inches and smaller than 10 inches is normal." I guess I should be thankful for what I have, although I would love to be just a little bigger.
- age 28, Canada

In my experience, I have found that size is used just in describing, and it doesn't make that big of an impact during sexual activity. All the guys I have been with have let me measure them, and I do not think the size in any way affected their performance. It was more just a fun thing to tell my girlfriends. (They range by the way, from 4.5 to 8 inches erect.)
- age 17, Washington (female)

Americans worry too much about size and performance in everything from automobiles to their anatomy. If you think it's too small, it is. Likewise, if you think it's too big, it is. I'm a child-size adult (5 feet 4 inches tall, 145 pounds), with a perfectly adequate 5" penis that does everything it was designed to do, including fitting very nicely into my chubby, child-size hands. If my penis or any other part of my body were of a different size, I wouldn't be the person I am. And I happen to be very happy with who I am and why I'm here.
- age 60, Michigan

I like all penises. But I consider those that are less than 6 inches to be small. The smallest partner I've had was 5.5 inches long; the biggest, 8.5 inches.
- age 18, Florida (female)

My penis is 7 inches long, and I think it is a good size. I am gay, so I have had the opportunity to sample an array of sizes. I've been with guys who are less than 4 inches long all the way up to guys who have a whopping 11 inches. I don't think there is any such thing as too big. I do think anything smaller than 5 inches is just a turn-off. It's hard to have any fun with such small equipment.
- age 21, Illinois

At total hardness, I'm 8.75 inches — no joke — and about as big around as a half dollar. Two girls have told me that size doesn't really matter as long as: (a) you don't choke her with it, (b) it doesn't hurt, in the case of too big, and (c) it can be felt, in the case of too small. And girls have told me it's not the size of the ship, it's the motion of the ocean.
- age 17, Tennessee

Who said size doesn't matter? In this very opinionated woman's opinion, a penis is too small when I can't get a good grip on it, or when I can't feel it in my vagina. It's too big when I look at it and say, "There's no way that thing's getting inside me!"
- age 42, California (female)

I guess they are right that if you think it's too small, it's too small. If you think it's big enough, it's big enough. I have a 5.75" penis, but it is wide, which is what my girlfriend loves about it. But if you are worried about pleasing a woman, the actual sex is only 25% of it. What you do beforehand is the key. Through my 6-month sex life, I have learned that foreplay is the key to pleasing a woman. Kiss them all over, perform oral sex perhaps, and tell them how much you love them, making them want you in them so badly it almost hurts. Then when you finally do enter, it feels like a telephone pole to them!
- age 16, Ohio

Size doesn't matter. As long as your penis is capable of doing the job, it's fine. In my opinion, there is no such thing as too small or too large. The largest human sex organ is the brain.
- age 41, Illinois (female)

In the school showers, I've recently noticed that some of my friends are already very large (and sometimes with quite a lot of hair), whereas others are still very small (even some boys who are very tall). My penis is currently 4.75 inches when fully erect. (I measure it each week!) I hope it doesn't get any bigger, because it's already embarrassing enough when I get an unwanted erection. I can't imagine what it would be like to get an unwanted erection if it was 6 or 8 inches long (my 14-year-old brother is already 6.5 inches). However, boys in the showers with penises of less than 3 inches are very shy and usually cover their genitals with their hands so others don't stare.
- age 13, United Kingdom

My answer to this question is based on sexual experiences with various men. The smallest penis I have ever encountered was a little less than 5 inches, erect; the biggest was 9. For anal sex, I find the bigger the penis, the better the feeling. Shorter penises don't hit quite as many of my "right" spots. For oral sex, however, very big penises like that are just too big to enjoy. For oral sex, an average penis (about 6 inches) is perfect, and you don't choke on it! I have 7 inches myself, and am happy with this size, as have been all my previous sexual partners.
- age 19, United Kingdom

Size is relative. If the man is small and thin, he can get away with having a smaller penis than a man who is chubby. One of my ex-boyfriends had a pot belly, and it made it harder to do certain positions because he also had a smaller penis (just a tad under 5 inches). If you are talking about an average man, I think anything under 4 inches isn't much fun, and anything over 8 is too long. But for most women, size is important only in their heads. I get aroused more by a larger penis, so to me, 7 to 8 inches is perfect. One of my female friends once had sex with a man whose penis was about the exact same length and width as a Coke can, and she said she couldn't walk right for a few days.
- age 27, California (female)

I feel that any functional penis, no matter what the size, is a "good size." However, if a penis is so small or large that it hinders sexual performance, then size becomes an issue. Personally, I am just short of 6 inches when erect, and I am happy with my size.
- age 16, West Virginia

As a female, my humble opinion is, "it depends." I knew a guy with a penis that was larger than average, and that was great. But then, I knew a guy who was quite a bit smaller than most people, and that was even better. I believe it is true that size doesn't matter; it is what you do with it that counts. (And, yes, there *is* a "too big!")
- age 19, Tennessee (female)

The only problem with this question is that "too big/too small" is not a one-person issue. It also deals with the anatomy of the sexual partner. Sex, whether for pleasure or for reproductive purposes, is simply impossible between some people because of anatomical differences. For some smaller women, an 8-inch penis may be extremely painful during penetration; where for other women, 8 inches may be just adequate for a nice, pleasurable ride. My personal belief is that under 4 inches erect may be too small for pleasure (you might want to resort to digital or oral stimulation); if you exceed 9 inches, you may wow the women at first, but after a while, I can guarantee that for them, it just hurts!
- age 18, Alabama

Too small or too big for what? If one's size were such that it made masturbation difficult, that might be a cause for worry; but I know of nobody in that situation. Other than that, I don't think this question is relevant outside the porn industry. As for me, I measure somewhere between 5 and 5.5 inches erect, depending on where I measure from and how erect I am.
- age 22, California

I don't think size matters so much as how you use it. I have had smaller penises that were WONDERFUL. I have also had larger ones that didn't do a thing for me.
- age 36, Indiana (female)

Penis size does not matter. Before I got spontaneous erections, I would rub my hand horizontally across the top of my flaccid penis and still managed to have a dry orgasm that way. I plan to use that method again when I am old and cannot get an erection. So, size does not matter! It is the orgasm that counts — whether you do it by hand, mouth, pillows (which never worked for me), or another person's body parts. I knew a boy at school who had an infant-size penis, yet could still wank it. In Korea recently, I saw a man in a bathhouse with 3 (yes, 3!) penises around his testicles. All were the size of an infant's penis.
- age 54, United Kingdom

First, let me say that my husband has a very nice 7 inches. Not that I have had *lots* of experience, but personally, I found the long ones — over 9 inches — to be too large (it didn't feel comfortable to me). One partner was only about 4 inches, although I didn't measure it. It didn't leave me at all satisfied. So I guess my response would be under 5 inches and over 9 inches.
- age 40, Iowa (female)

No matter how big or small, I don't think any man or boy is ever satisfied with his own endowment. Mine is 6 inches (barely), depending on how I measure. I am proud to have had it be called fat, though. Yet, I have always felt too small. My wife never seemed satisfied with my penis. Looking at others, I never can tell if mine just hangs short flaccid, or if it really is little. I guess the real answer is: too big is more than a mouthful, and too little is not enough to satisfy your lover (hand excepted). I guess it could be longer if I hadn't had 32 or so years of rubbing the skin off it!
- age 45, Utah

Length is not as important as girth. It needs to fill me up comfortably and hit my G-spot just right! I find it uncomfortable to have a long penis hitting my cervix, so I like 7 to 8 inches.
- age 15, California (female)

I'm 5 inches erect, and I don't consider my penis to be *too* small. I wish it was bigger, but I'm not going to base my happiness or self-esteem on how big my penis is. In my opinion, over 8 inches would be *too* big, but I haven't seen any that big except in pornos. I don't know anyone who has one that big, and it's not often a topic of conversation, so it would be difficult for me to judge how big is *too* big.
- age 32, Connecticut

I think 5 inches is *way* too small. I don't think I'd care if my penis were 9 inches, and I can't imagine anything bigger. I'm 7 inches on a usual day, and I've measured myself (Yes, girls, we do measure!) up to 8 inches on one of "those" days.
- age 18, Australia

My penis is 8 inches long and 6.8 inches in circumference. From personal experience, I know this is too big. I have had trouble inserting it in my girlfriend's vagina. I think the length is okay, but the circumference is too much.
- age 26, Netherlands

As long as your penis is 5.5 or 6 inches (erect), it is decent. Anything over 9 inches is too big, and anything under 5 inches is too small. When it is soft, it really doesn't matter. I'm 7.5 inches hard, but my father says it will probably grow bigge,r because he was 7.5 inches at my age and now he has 9 inches.
- age 17, Indiana

It's easier to be too long than too thick, and easier to be too thin than too short. If a penis is too long, it will hit the woman's cervix during sex. It can hurt or just feel uncomfortable. If it's too thin, there's not enough friction to be pleasurable. I've been with more guys who were too big than too small. I doubt whether size matters at all during masturbation. Guys, remember that vaginas come in different sizes as well. There is a woman who will fit you, no matter what size you are.
- age 30, California (female)

In general, as long as you and your partner enjoy it, there is no such thing as too big or too small. However, for me, anybody with more than 6.5 inches and who is very thick gets no anal play! Oral sex and masturbation is great with a larger penis. I am 6 inches and on the thin side. Sometimes I would like to be thicker, but I have never had a complaint.
- age 31, North Carolina

My erect size is just over 4 inches, and I am so embarrassed about it, I think I'll always be a virgin. But on the other hand, anything under 4 inches erect is too small, and anything over a foot when erect is too long.
- age 15, Texas

My erect penis is 5 inches long. While I would like to be a little larger, perhaps 6 to 6.5 inches, this probably won't happen in my lifetime. A penis is too small or too large only when sex is not possible or pleasurable. Even at 5 inches, I enjoy masturbation and intercourse approximately every other day. If my partner is not willing to engage in full-blown intercourse, I can usually get oral sex, which of course, is very satisfying. According to my partner, my length and girth is perfect for fellatio. At this length, the tip of my penis touches the back of my partner's throat and results in a fantastic orgasm.
- age 46, Hawaii

I'm a hair shorter than 5 inches, and I think that's about the lower limit of "okay," at least socially. I know I've had trouble accepting my penis and being comfortable with it. To answer the rest of the question, I don't know that there is a "too big," at least in social terms; if you are uncomfortable with your size, then it's "too big" or "too small" for you — and that's what counts.
- age 17, Wisconsin

I think 7 inches is a good size. Mine is 8 inches when fully erect, and I am above average compared to close friends I have seen at times. Most girls I have spoken to about this think it's better to be average than too big or too small.
- age 21, Pennsylvania

My erect penis measures 2.5 inches, which I definitely think is too small. And, any penis over 7 inches would be too big.
- age 13, New York

Under 4 inches is too small for a young adult (15 and over). And 8 inches or more is definitely *too* big for any guy. I'm 5.3 inches when erect. I consider this small for my age, but my penis is slightly bulky when erect. I mean that I am short and thick.
- age 22, Egypt

I'm a little under 6 inches erect. Too big is if you can't really do anything with it, or, in the case of seeing it in a photo, it's too big if you can't imagine doing anything with it, though a big one may still lend an aura to a man. Too small? I once had sex with a young man whose penis was tiny (so was he), but something about him was sexy, and so it made his penis sexy. And he ejaculated quite a lot. The contrast was sexy. I have never known smallness to detract. Maybe I've just ended up with men who could get past their small size, and that, in itself, was a turn-on.
- age 43, New York

Too small would be somewhere between 3 and 4 inches when erect, although research says that 3 inches is long enough for a sperm to reach an egg alive during intercourse. While this may be true, the pleasure of the experience could be questionable. Too big, I guess, would be somewhere between 9 and 10 inches (if there *is* such a thing!), as this might be painful for the female. It could also cause the male much dissatisfaction during intercourse, as thrusts would more likely be small and regressed. My erect length is 6.5 inches long, quite large for an Asian.
- age 21, Philippines

I would say that a penis is too big when you can't hide an erection under your clothes, and too small when you consider it too small, so you don't use it to its full potential. After all, it's not how deep you fish, it's how you wiggle your worm! My penis is about 6.5 inches erect. Although I don't have any problems with it, my ideal size would be 8 inches.
- age 16, United Kingdom

Penises all work the same way. I don't think there's such a thing as a penis that's "too small," unless its owner feels shame or inadequacy. On the other hand, I can see where a penis could be too big. As a medical student, I've seen that not all females are built to accommodate large men, so there is the risk of true sexual dysfunction for men who have very big penises. Luckily, I'm 6 inches, so I don't have to worry one way or the other.
- age 26, Utah