The Truth About Whether Penis Size Actually Matters To Women

Every day I counsel men and women concerned about improving their sex lives. The sad truth is that most of us are very poorly educated about sexuality despite the plethora of media attention on it. One of the questions men (and women) often ask about is penis size.

Most males, at some time in their lives, worry about whether they are "big enough." Many women wonder: Does size matter? Is bigger really better?

My friend Dr. David Buss and his colleague Dr. Cindy Meston wrote a wonderful book called Why Women Have Sex. In it, they discuss penis size and sexual satisfaction. Their results may surprise you. 

First, some penis facts:

• The average penis ranges from 5 to 6 inches in length when erect.
• The penis averages 3 to 4 inches in length when flaccid, or non-erect.
• Contrary to popular belief, penis length is not closely related to height.

In a study of over three hundred flaccid penises, the largest was 5.5 inches long (about the size of a bratwurst sausage) and belonged to a 5'7"-tall man. The smallest nonerect penis was 2.25 inches long (about the size of a breakfast sausage) and attached to a stocky 5'1"-tall man.

Does size really matter to women? 

When people talk about penis size, they are usually referring to penis length. But according to one study, penis width is more important in determining if a potential mate "measures up."

Psychologist Russel Eisenman and his fellow researchers at the University of Texas in Edinburg asked 50 sexually active university women whether penis length or penis width was more important for their sexual satisfaction. A surprising 45 out of 50 women said that width was more important. Only five said length felt better and none said they were unable to tell the difference. 

Why is wider better? A wider penis could provide greater clitoral stimulation during sexual intercourse as well as more stimulation of the outer, most sensitive portion of the vagina. 

If a woman enjoys having her cervix stimulated during sexual intercourse, then size can matter. For most women, it is going to take a good 5 or 6 inches in length to reach the cervix when a woman is sexually aroused.

The famous sex researchers Masters and Johnson have concluded that size of the male penis can have no true physiological effect on female sexual satisfaction.

They base this conclusion on their physiological studies that show that the vagina adapts to fit the size of the penis. Because of this vaginal adaptation, they refer to the vagina as a potential space rather than an actual space. Thus, despite the worries of many males, Masters and Johnson concluded that any size penis will fit and provide adequate sexual stimulation to the female. 

Masters, Johnson, and Kolodny do not totally rule out penis size being relevant, but they suggest that it is likely of minor importance for female sexual satisfaction. However, the current data are self-reports of women surveyed about penis length versus width and their sexual satisfaction, therefore they cannot provide a final answer.