From the day he first urinates next to another boy, guys are interested in how their penis size stacks up to that of other dudes. Comparisons are inevitable, with a guy tending to feel happy and confident when he’s on the larger size and perhaps less so if his penis size seems seriously below average. Although penis size has no direct correlation with penis health, some men become so obsessed with size issues that they assume it has an impact on health as well.

Time and again, men have been told that penis size has no bearing on sexual performance - that what a man does with the equipment is far more important than length or girth. Various studies have also demonstrated that the vast majority of men do not possess penises of exceptional size - and that a penis of 5" - 5 1/2" inches is average, with most penises falling between 4" and 6" in length.

Yet men with perfectly adequate equipment continue to fret that their penis is too small. Why is this?

Societal expectations

For centuries, penis size has been linked with masculinity, fertility and sexual performance. As stated before, this is a myth - but one that is so deeply rooted in society that many men can’t quite convince themselves that the truth is at odds with the myth.

Pornography

The depiction of the penis in erotic art and literature also deserves significant blame for the obsession with penis size comparisons among men. Ancient erotic art frequently depicts men with penises of an absurd size - the equivalent of a foot long (or even longer) in a real man. This exaggeration is clearly done for effect rather than to imply a realistic representation, but it nonetheless reinforces the desire for a big penis. Pornographic literature, too, often makes a point of discussing at length the massive size of the member at play.

But it is probably in pornographic videos that a man finds the most damaging misrepresentations of penis size. Male stars are often chosen for their abnormal size; even those of modest endowment can be photographed and lit in such a way as to appear larger than they are.

With pornography readily available in abundance on the internet, men are exposing themselves more and more to these images that offer a distorted take on penis size. This repeated exposure reinforces myths about size.

Personal encounters

Frequent exposure to pornography also sets up unrealistic expectations for actual sexual encounters. When a man views videos in which women are constantly gushing over the enormity of their partner’s manhood, it makes a man feel insecure when he unveils his own erect phallus and does not receive the same "oohs" and "aahs."

What to do

Men who are too concerned about penis size need to take steps to address this problem. For example, if they spend time on porn sites, it’s time to click through to amateur videos featuring real men with realistically-sized appendages. Even better is to cut out pornography altogether.

Such men should also practice affirmations - repeating sentences like "My penis is a powerful tool I use to provide pleasure" or "No man’s penis can beat mine" or "My penis has all the power I need" - over and over, several times a day. Getting a more realistic view of the penis can negate the effect of unrealistic comparisons.

Comparisons of penis size tell nothing about penis health, which men need to keep an eye on. Daily use of top-notch penis health crème (health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin) is an excellent way to keep the manhood in fine fettle. Take care to select a crème that contains a range of vitamins, including A, B5, C, D and E; topical application of these vitamins directly to the penis allows them to do their work in a more targeted fashion. It’s also advised to use a crème that includes alpha lipoic acid, which helps prevent cellular damage and the subsequent premature aging of penis skin.