This article will cover the part of sexual anatomy that, for many men, is dearest and nearest to their heart (emotionally, I mean...NOT physically):  the penis.  It's a part of the body that, from a very young age, many boys are taught to value and revere....and yet many are poorly educated about this important part of their anatomy. 

As men, we definitely know where our penis is located…that's easy enough.  And as gay/bi men, many of us spend a great deal of time thinking about the penis—both our own and those of others.  Beyond that, however, it's kind of shocking how little many guys really know about this important part of their anatomy.  There are misconceptions about what is “normal” for a penis…it’s shape, size, color, function, etc.; and a survey I read recently showed that only about 50% of adult males could even explain, in basic terms, how the penis works!  (On the flip side, though, almost all men can probably describe how to tell if it was NOT working!)

So here it is:  Penis 101.

The penis is made up primarily of three separate cylinders of spongy tissue that run from the pelvic bone through the length of the penis shaft.  The two upper cylinders, which run side by side, are called the corpus cavernosum and they make up the bulk of penis, especially when erect. A tissue that wraps around them both called the tunica albuginea connects these two cylinders. The third cylinder runs along the bottom side of the penis and in many men creates a pronounced ridge when the penis is erect.  This cylinder, which contains the urethra (the tube through which urine and semen pass to leave the body), is called the corpus spongiosum.  Laced throughout and around these three cylinders is a rich network of nerves and blood vessels.   During normal penile function, these blood vessels fill the tissue of the cylinders with blood where it is trapped to create an erection and generally released after climax.

The health of the penis for men is often a complicated subject.  Some issues are often influenced more by perceptions about what is “normal” for a penis than by any legitimate health concern.  For example, many studies have demonstrated that a predominant "health" concern for men is the size of their penis…with MOST men having an exaggerated sense of what “normal” penis size is---an estimated 2/3 of men wish their penis were larger.  This concern has led many men to seek out devices, medications, and even operative procedures to enhance the size of their penis…often with disappointing results.  So an important bit of trivia to be start with is this----no matter what the online profiles you read say (and you know who and what we're talking about!!), the average erect penis size is about 6 inches and just under 5 inches in circumference!

Other concerns regarding the health of the penis are medical in nature.  A very small percentage of men will experience serious health problems such as cancer of the penis…a condition that obviously should be both diagnosed and treated by a physician.  Other problems are less dangerous but, considering how important the penis is to most men, can be equally distressing.

One such condition is called peyronie’s disease.  Most common in men between 40 and 60 and sometimes appearing with no discernable warning signs, this disease can cause a severe and painful bend or abnormal shape in the erect penis (such as divots or indentations).  This condition is usually caused by scar tissue (sometimes referred to as "fibrous plaque") that forms beneath the skin around the main cylinders of the penis.  This scar tissue is sometimes caused by trauma or injury to the penis but it can also be caused by certain classes of medication and there is some evidence of a hereditary tendency towards the build up of this tissue and risk for peyronie's.  It will often sometimes resolve itself over time…but requires patience…or it can be treated by a physician.  The more pronounced the curvature or abnormal shape, the longer the condition persists and/or the more painful that a case of peyronie's is should certainly all be factors in deciding whether to talk to a physician about treatment options.

Trauma to the penis is another health concern.  Some traumas may be external such as cuts, scrapes or bruising for a variety of reasons.  Other injuries can occur internally.  Despite the misnomer “boner”, there is no literal bone in an erect penis (in humans---many animal species DO have a bone that protrudes into their penis during arousal, however).  Even there is no bone, however, an erect penis CAN break…and doing so is definitely as painful as it sounds!  If this happens, go to the emergency room immediately!

The final significant risk to the penis lies in sexually transmitted diseases.  Since the penis is one of the organs most commonly used during sex, it stands to reason that it is particularly vulnerable to most or all of the STD’s out there…which may cause symptoms such as pain or blood during urination, sores, warts, or rashes.  All of these symptoms should be viewed as a warning sign and be evaluated by a doctor, too.
While I’m sure most gay/bi men don’t need to be reminded of this…the penis can be an important part of our healthy sexual functioning…and so knowing how it IS and is NOT supposed to feel and work and reporting any problems to your physician is a key step in keeping yourself healthy and happy!