From birth, we speak of micropenis if the penis of a little boy is less than 1,9 centimeters (after stretching and measured from the pubic bone to the tip of the glans) and if this small size is not associated with no malformation of the penis.

The appearance of a micropenis is usually due to a hormonal problem. If treatment is not put in place, the micropenis may persist into adulthood, with the man presenting with a penis less than 7 centimeters in the flaccid state (at rest). Even though its size is small, the micropenis functions normally sexually.

At the onset of puberty, the limit to speak of micropenis is 4 centimeters, then less than 7 centimeters at puberty.

The penis begins to develop from the seventh week of pregnancy. Its growth depends on fetal hormones.

The penis contains spongy and cavernous bodies, the spongy bodies surrounding the urethra, the channel that leads urine out. The penis grows over the years under the action of testosterone. Its development is amplified at the time of puberty.

In adulthood, the “average” size of a penis is between 7,5 and 12 centimeters at rest and between 12 and 17 centimeters during an erection.

The difficulty encountered by healthcare professionals in detecting a micropenis is that men often tend to find their penis too small. In a study ¹ conducted with 90 men consulting for micropenis, 0 % actually had a micropenis after examination and measurement by the surgeon. In another recently published study ², of the 65 patients referred by their doctor to a specialist for micropenis, 20, or about a third, did not suffer from micropenis. These men felt they had too small a penis but when a specialist took the measurement after stretching it, he found normal measurements.  

Some obese men also complain about having a very short sex. In reality, it is often a ” buried penis ”, The part of which is attached to the pubis surrounded by pubic fat, making it appear shorter than it actually is.

The size of the penis does not affect the fertility or on the fun male during a sexual act. Even a small penis can lead to a normal sex life. However, a man who considers his penis too small can be self-conscious and have a sex life that is not satisfying to him.

Diagnosis of the micropenis

The diagnosis of micropenis involves measuring the penis. During this measurement, the doctor begins by stretching the penis 3 times, pulling gently at the level of the glans. Then he releases her. The measurement is performed with a rigid ruler starting from the pubic bone, on the ventral side. If a micropenis is diagnosed, a with hormonal is carried out to find the cause of the micropenis and treat it as well as possible.

Causes of micropenis

The causes of micropenis vary. In a recently published study ², of the 65 patients followed, 16 or nearly a quarter, did not discover the cause of their micropenis.

The causes of a micropenis can be Hormonal (most frequent case), linked to a chromosomal anomaly, a congenital malformation, or even idiopathic, that is to say without a known cause, knowing that environmental factors probably play a role. A study carried out in Brazil³ thus suggested an environmental cause for the appearance of a micropenis: exposure to insecticides during pregnancy could thus increase the risk of genital malformation.

Most cases of micropenis would ultimately be due to a hormonal deficit related to fetal testosterone during pregnancy. In other cases, testosterone is properly produced, but the tissues that make up the penis do not respond to the presence of this hormone. We then speak ofinsensitivity tissue to hormones.