Hanging out in the locker room, men come to get a better understanding of where they stand in relation to other men, at least in terms of penis size. (If a man cares to risk staring a bit, he may also be able to determine some surface indications of other men's penis health as well.) Since many men place an inordinate amount of importance on the size of their tools, those men who are growers rather than showers often feel a sense of inadequacy when displaying their wares in the changing room.

Growers vs. Showers

What exactly are growers and showers? Growers are men whose penises tend to grow substantially from their flaccid state to their erect state. For example, a man whose penis is perhaps three inches "at rest" may grow to six inches when hard, thereby doubling in length.

Showers (pronounced to rhyme with growers) are men for whom there is less difference in size between the flaccid and erect states. One example would be a man whose tool is five inches when soft and six when hard.

In both of the above examples, each man possesses a member that is a healthy six inches when primed for action; however, if the organs of the two men were compared while soft, the first organ would look considerably smaller than the second.

Unfair Comparisons

Men tend to be fairly soft when in the locker room. That's not to say that many men, gay or straight, don't find it arousing to be around other naked men, but rather that most men feel self-conscious if they sport a boner around other men and so try to keep this from happening.

As a result, men at the gym are most often sneaking peeks at other tools that are soft, and consequently growers tend to get the short end of the stick, so to speak, when making comparisons with showers. When a man has a tool that is especially diminutive when soft (even if monstrous when hard), he may feel inadequate, ashamed or embarrassed - especially if he is in the presence of showers who are endowed beyond average.

Growers sometimes take steps to handle this situation, such as:

- Hiding the hot dog. Some men make sure that their tools are exposed for as short a time as possible. They may wrap a towel around their waists before removing their underwear. If the bathing area is communal, growers may face the wall away from other men as long as possible, or may opt to shower at home instead.

- Boning up. Another alternative that may be employed is attaining a state of arousal or semi-arousal, often by visiting a bathroom stall and engaging in a little stroking. If a man does not care whether he is seen sporting a definite erection, this is easily achieved. It may be more difficult to persuade the penis into a state of semi-erection, which adds length without becoming obviously engorged.

- Owning up. The best solution, of course, is for a man to accept the size of his penis when flaccid and to realize that it is natural for there to be variation in tool size just as there is natural variation in height, hair color, etc. Men should appreciate their penises just as they are - and should feel comfortable proudly displaying them in the proper setting (such as the locker room) if they feel the desire to.

Rather than worrying about penis size, men need to pay more attention to the health of their members. Regular use of a nourishing penis health cream (health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil) can provide a boost in this area. Look for a cream that contains alpha lipoic acid, a powerful antioxidant that helps penis cells avoid premature aging and keeps away the wrinkled look that many penises acquire. Another beneficial ingredient is acetyl L-carnitine, which may restore sensitivity lost due to over-aggressive handling during sex (solo or partner-based).