THE SEXUAL ANATOMY OF MEN
THE SEXUAL ANATOMY OF MEN: THE PENIS AND SCROTUM
The penis and scrotum are the external sexual organs of men. There
are many questions about the penis on alt.sex, and this FAQ will
attempt to begin to answer some of them.
VOCABULARY OF THE PENIS AND SCROTUM
glans
The glans is the head of the penis. The glans in uncircumcised men is
usually covered by the prepuce. The glans is highly sensitive, as is
the corona, the ridge of flesh that connects the glans to the shaft
of the penis.
corona
The 'crown,' a ridge of flesh demarcating where the head of the penis
and the shaft join. frenulum, frenum A thin strip of flesh on the
underside of the penis that connects the shaft to the head.
foreskin, prepuce
A roll of skin which covers the head of the penis in uncircumsized
men.
urethra, meatus
The opening at the tip of the penis to allow the passage of both
urine and semen.
smega
A substance with the texture of cheese secreted by glands on each
side of the frenulum in uncircumsized men.
scrotum
The scrotum is a sac that hangs behind and below the penis, and
containts the testes, the male sexual glands. The scrotum's primary
function is to maintain the testes at approximately 34 C, the
temperature at which the testes most effectively produce sperm.
Male Internal Sexual Anatomy
Testes, Testicles.
The male sexual glands, the two testes within the scrotum produce
sperm and testosterone. Within each testis is a kilometer of ducts
called the seminiferous tubules, the organs which generate sperm.
Each testicle produces nearly 150 million sperm every 24 hours.
Epididymis
The epididymis is a 'holding pen' where sperm produced by the
seminiferous tubules mature. The sperm wait here until ejaculation or
nocturnal emission
Vas deferns
The ducts leading from the epididymis to the seminal vesicles. These
are the ducts that are cut during the procedure known as vasectomy.
Seminal vesicles
The seminal vesicles produce semen, a fluid that activates and
protects the sperm after it has left the penis during ejaculation
Prostate gland
Also produces a fluid that makes up the semen. The prostate gland
also squeezes shut the urethral duct to the bladder, thus preventing
urine from mixing with the semen and disturbing the pH balance
required by sperm.
Corpa cavernosa
The corpa cavernosa are the two spongy bodies of erectile tissue on
either side of the penis which become engorged with blood from
arteries in the penis, thus causing erection.
Ejaculatory Ducts
The path through the seminal glands which semen travels during
ejaculation.
Cowper's Glands
The Cowper's glands secrete a small amount of pre-ejaculate fluid
prior to orgasm. This fluid neutralizes the acidity within the
urethra itself.
FREQUENTLY ANSWERED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PENIS.
WHAT'S THE AVERAGE SIZE OF THE PENIS? WHAT ARE THE EXTREMES?
According to the book Mandens Krop (which is translated from English,
but does not give the original title) the average is 15cm and 90% are
between 13 and 18cm.
The records for a fully functional penis are 1.5cm and 30cm.
IS PENIS SIZE IMPORTANT?
This is probably one of the most frequently asked questions, and that's a shame, because it's really a pointless
question. Penis size is important if and only if you think it is. If
you have sex with men and you desire a large penis, then penis size
is important to you, and only to you. If you feel your penis should
be larger, then penis size is important to you, and only to you.
Many women say that too many men are hung up on the size of their
penises. The vagina is only eight to thirteen centimeters long, and
even a small penis can touch every square centimeter within the
vagina.
CAN PENIS SIZE BE INCREASED?
Yes. There are two surgical procedures to increase penis size-- the
Bihari Procedure, and Fat Injection.
The Bihari Procedure consists of cutting the ligament that secures
the base of the penis to the body. This gives between one-half and
two inches of increased length to the penis; however, because the
penis is no longer anchored to the body an erection no longer points
'up.'
Fat Injection is the process of removing fat from the backs of the
thighs and injecting it into the body of the penis to make the penis
thicker. Because the body rejects a significant portion of the
injection this procedure may need to be repeated several times and
each operation carries with it a severe risk of infection.
HOW DO I MEASURE MY PENIS?
According to Harold Reed, M.D., director of the Reed Centre for
Ambulatory Urological Surgery in Bay Harbor, Florida, this is the
correct way to measure the length of your penis:
First, while standing, get an erection. Okay, now gently angle your,
er, equipment down until it is parallel to the floor. Set your ruler
against your pubic bone just above the base of the penis, and
measure to the tip. Thats how the doctors do it.
MY PENIS BENDS DOWN (OR LEFT, OR RIGHT). IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG
WITH IT?
One-quarter of all penises bend in some direction and some bend
downward even when erect. Unless the bend is severe or causes you
pain, there is nothing wrong or abnormal about your penis. It should
not interfere with sexual intercourse. Some people report that a
downward-bending penis is easier to fellate.
In rare cases a condition called Peyrone's Syndrome can arise from
childhood diseases. This condition is caused by scarring on one of
the two corpa cavernosa within the penis, stunting its effectiveness
during erection and causing the penis to bend almost 90 degrees in
that direction. If you feel this may be the case, consult a
urologist.
WHAT IS CIRCUMCISION AND WHY IS IT DONE?
Male circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin from the
penis. When performed in a hospital, it is usually done shortly after
birth by a doctor or midwife. Circumcisions are also given to Jewish
boys by a mohel in a ceremony eight days after birth. Some Islamic
boys are circumcised when they are older, around age 12. The majority
of American boys are circumcised.
Common reasons for circumcision include: better hygiene, "normal" or
"better" appearance, and "his penis should look like his father's."
Common reasons against circumcision include: it is no longer
necessary for hygienic reasons; it is a painful, barbaric practice;
possibility of infection or surgical error; "normal" or "better"
appearance; "his penis should look like his father's."; and "greater
sensitivity of uncircumcised penis."
WHAT ARE BLUE BALLS?
Blue Balls is a real condition! The "correct" term for blue balls is
epididymitis, which is an inflammation of the epididymis.
In simple terms blue balls occurs when the epididymis get blocked up
with sperm that have left the testis but not the penis. The vas
deferns are the conduit for the sperm from the testis to the urethra.
When they get blocked you get pain. Why blue balls and not "swollen
balls," well maybe the connotation is that you balls have the
"blues", or maybe its because with all that swelling some of the
blood flow is restricted enough to cause some blueing of the area
because of pooling blood.
WHY IS THE PROSTATE MENTIONED SO OFTEN DURING DISCUSSIONS OF ANAL
SEX?
The prostate is about the size of a walnut in a normal man, and is
immediately behind the rectal wall about three centimeters inside the
anus. It can be felt by placing one finger within the anus and
feeling along the anterior wall for a round bulb. For some men,
touching or rubbing this spot is extremely pleasurable; a rare few
can even orgasm through this technique. Others report that the touch
is painful or makes them feel as if they need to urinate.