How to wash a penis

It's the body part that men arguably value the most, so you owe it to your penis to always keep it clean, healthy and fit for purpose.

Give it the care it deserves and you may not be the only one to benefit – your partner will probably be grateful too.

'It's really surprising how many men don't clean underneath their foreskin'

Patrick French, sexual health expert

Gently wash the penis with warm water each day when you're having a shower or bath. If you have a foreskin, pull it back gently and wash underneath.

If you don't wash underneath the foreskin correctly, a cheesy-looking substance called smegma may begin to gather.

Smegma is a natural lubricant that keeps the penis moist. It's found on the head of the penis and under the foreskin.

If smegma builds up in the foreskin, it can start to smell, stop you easily pulling your foreskin back and become a breeding ground for bacteria. This can cause redness and swelling of the head of your penis, called balanitis.

'Off-putting smell'

Patrick French, a consultant physician in sexual health, says: "It's really surprising how many men don't clean underneath their foreskin. Not only do they regularly develop complications from poor hygiene, but it's also very off-putting for a sexual partner."

Don't try to forcefully pull back the foreskin of a baby or young boy as this could be painful and cause harm. Their foreskin might still be attached to the head of the penis and will therefore not retract fully. At this stage of their development, there's no need to clean inside the foreskin.

Gently wash the penis with warm water each day when you're having a shower or bath.

If you have a foreskin, pull it back gently and wash underneath.

While regular personal hygiene is important, too much washing with soap and shower gels can cause soreness. Gently washing your penis once a day with warm water is sufficient to maintain good hygiene. If you want to use soap, choose a mild or non-perfumed soap to reduce the risk of skin irritation.

It may be tempting to use talc and deodorants on your penis, but these are best avoided because talc will get under the foreskin, where it may cause irritation.

Circumcised men have to be just as careful about cleaning their penis. Gently washing the penis with warm water once a day is sufficient.

Testicles and pubic area

Don't forget to clean the base of the penis and the testicles, where sweat and hair can combine to produce a strong smell, just as unpleasant as in your armpits.

These areas need frequent washing to stop sweat from accumulating, especially as they are enclosed in underwear for most of the day.

Make sure the area between the base of the testicles and the anus is also clean and odour-free.

While you're down there, it's a good idea to check your testicles for lumps once a month after a warm bath or shower.

Look out for any unusual lumps or swellings that were not there before. Find out what testicles should look and feel like. 

Masturbation Questions and Answers

There are many bizarre claims about masturbation, for example that it causes blindness, insanity, acne and even hair growth.

We sort fact from myth and answer your questions on what is arguably one of the most commonly practiced sexual activities on the planet.

What is masturbation?

Masturbation involves sexually arousing yourself by touching your genitals. Both men and women can masturbate, and you can masturbate yourself or someone else.

Is masturbation normal?

Yes. Apart from the pleasure it gives, masturbating can help you learn what you like and don't like sexually. Men can also use masturbation to learn how to control their orgasms, while women can find out what helps them to achieve an orgasm. Many couples masturbate together and find it a very enjoyable part of their relationship. Other people don't and that's fine: it's a personal choice.

How do you masturbate?

There's no right or wrong way to masturbate. Men usually do it by rubbing their penis. Women usually touch and stroke their clitoris and the area around the vagina. The clitoris is a small soft bump in front of the entrance to the vagina. It's very sensitive, and touching and stimulating it can give strong feelings of sexual pleasure. Most women need the clitoris to be stimulated in order to have an orgasm during sex or masturbation.

What is ejaculation?

Ejaculation occurs when semen shoots out from the penis when a man has an orgasm. There is usually about 5ml of liquid, but there may be more, especially if a man hasn't ejaculated for some time. Women can also ejaculate fluid, but this is far less common than for men. Watch a video on female ejaculation.

Is masturbation safe?

Yes. For the record, masturbating doesn't cause blindness, insanity, or acne and won't make hair grow on your palms. Joking aside, there's no risk of pregnancy or catching a sexually transmitted infection (STI) from masturbating, although there is a risk of infection if you touch someone else's genitals and then touch your own. This is because STIs can be passed on through infected semen or vaginal fluid.

There is a risk of infection if you use sex toys during masturbation and someone else with an STI has used them before you. Any object used in sex can be called a sex toy, whether it's designed for this use or not. It's important to keep sex toys clean. If you're sharing sex toys, wash them between each use and, where possible, put a new condom on them each time. Find out more about cleaning sex toys.

Can you injure yourself when masturbating?

You're unlikely to do yourself any harm, although there is a risk of soreness, cuts or bruising if you masturbate too roughly or too hard, or use an object that could hurt you or cause damage. Men sometimes worry about whether they could break the penis. This is rare and only happens when an erect penis is violently twisted, usually by somebody else. Find out more in Five penis facts.

Does masturbation affect sperm count?

Masturbating will not affect a man's ability to produce sperm. Men will not run out of sperm, as they produce it continuously. After a man has ejaculated, it will take some time before he can ejaculate again. This is normal and doesn't mean there is anything wrong with his sperm.

Can you masturbate too much?

Masturbation is harmless, but if you do it a lot your genitals may feel sore. If men do it a lot in a short space of time, they can get a slightly alarming looking swelling of the penis, called oedema, caused by fluid in the tissues. However, the swelling disappears within a day or two..

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Men everywhere worry that their penis is smaller than it should be or that it won't satisfy a lover. But research suggests that most men underestimate the size of their pride and joy.

Men everywhere worry that their penis is smaller than it should be or that it won't satisfy a lover. But research suggests that most men underestimate the size of their pride and joy.

Man has always placed great importance on the size of his penis. Many cultures associate penis size with masculinity. Throughout the ages, it has come to symbolise qualities such as virility, fertility, strength, ability and courage.

Some men go to extreme lengths to try to increase the size of their penis. Indian mystics known as Sadhus have been known to stretch their penis from an early age by hanging weights on it, while the Topinama tribesmen of Brazil encouraged poisonous snakes to bite their penis to enlarge it.

Feeling inadequate can really damage a man's self-confidence and affect his social life. It can lead to issues from being unable to use public urinals or shared shower rooms, to avoiding intimate relationships.

Companies around the world have exploited this anxiety, selling pills, penis extenders and other penis enlargement products that promise to "increase the length and girth of your manhood fast, or your money back!"

'When you look down at your penis, it seems shorter than it really is'

Dr David Delvin

Measuring your penis

Most men's view about their penis is formed during childhood. Growing up, they may see the penis of an older brother, friend or their father and mentally compare this to their own.

Fears and anxiety about penis size may also arise after taunts from other people during adolescence or following remarks from a sexual partner.

However, very often men have the wrong perspective on their penis, says sexual health expert Dr David Delvin. "When you look down at your own organ, it seems shorter than it really is," he says. "In contrast, when you glance around at other guys in changing rooms or showers, you get a sideways view of them. So they usually seem to be longer than you are."

To see your penis as other people would, look at yourself undressed in front of a full-length mirror. The penis looks longer and larger than when observed from above.

At some stage, most boys get out a ruler or a tape measure to find out how long their penis is. Dr Delvin says there's little point in doing this when the penis is limp because the length of a flaccid penis can vary a lot, for example depending on how cold the room is.

To get a precise measurement, do it when you have an erection. Take the measurement from the base of the penis on the side nearer to the tummy, up to the tip, where the hole is.

Average penis size

There are no average length figures for teenagers because people grow at different rates.

For adults, the average penis size is about 14-16cm (5.5-6.3 inches) when erect. The average girth for an erect penis is 12-13cm (4.7-5.1 inches).

A penis would only be considered unusually small if it was less than 3 inches (7.6cm) long when erect.

The measurements are based on a review of 50 studies on penis size conducted since 1942, which between them have measured 11,531 penises.

The review was carried out by Professor Kevan Wylie, a consultant in sexual medicine at the University of Sheffield.

There is large variation in the angle of an erect penis. Some erect penises point straight up, others straight down. Some have a slight bend to the left or right. There is no right shape. If you have a more significant bend in your penis that may cause you pain or difficulty having sex, see your GP. Sometimes, these can be symptoms of Peyronie's disease.

Each penis is unique and boys develop at different ages and rates. During puberty, usually between the ages of 11 and 18, the penis and testicles develop more rapidly, although the penis doesn't stop growing until the age of 21.

'It may surprise some young men, but most women have very little interest in the size of a man's penis'

Professor Kevan Wylie

Men unsatisfied

Regardless of actual size, many men are still unhappy with the size of their manhood.

Professor Wylie's report examined the results of an internet-based survey of more than 50,000 men and women, which revealed that 45% of men would like a larger penis. His report concluded that excessive concerns about penis size were higher among men with average-sized penises than men with small ones.

What women think

Professor Wylie's report also found differences between what women and men think. A much higher percentage of women (85%) were satisfied with their partner's penis size than the percentage of men (55%) who were satisfied with their own penis size.

According to Professor Wylie, the issue of attractiveness to women is complex. However, most studies suggest that penis size is much lower down the list of priorities for women than such issues as a man's personality and grooming.

Professor Wylie says: "It may come as a surprise to some young men, but most women have very little interest in the size of their penis and that's been shown in numerous studies over time."

He says research shows that when it comes to sex, women are much more interested in whether you are romantic, tender and sensitive to their needs and desires than your penis size.

If you're still worried

Counselling has proven to be beneficial for men with penis anxiety. Therapy helps patients identify and correct any distorted views about their penis, build self-confidence and overcome fears about sexual relationships.

Professor Wylie says: "Therapy allows these men to overcome their anxiety about meeting a potential partner, where before they wouldn't even dare engage because of their fear."

Find out more about what a sex therapist does.

Numerous physical treatments claim to increase penis size, but there is very little evidence that these work. Find out more about penis enlargement treatments.