Why is the penis so small when flaccid?

For men, it is necessary to understand some physiological knowledge, especially the genitals. So, do you know why the penis is very small when it is flaccid? In fact, the reason is very simple. The key is because of the corpus cavernosum in the male genitals. When the corpus cavernosum is stimulated, it will swell, causing the penis to become larger. When the stimulation of the corpus cavernosum decreases, the penis will become smaller when it is flaccid.

The corpus cavernosum, also known as the cavernous body muscle, is the hardest smooth muscle and connective tissue in the human body. The corpus cavernosum is an erectile tissue, which is covered with a thick white membrane on the outside and a sponge-like scaffold composed of connective tissue and smooth muscle inside. Its cavity is connected to blood vessels.

When the cavity is filled with blood, the penis becomes thicker and harder and erects. The skin of the penis is thin and soft, and the subcutaneous tissue is loose and easy to stretch. However, the skin of the glans penis has no subcutaneous tissue and cannot move. The skin of the penis body moves forward from the neck of the penis to form a circular fold that wraps around the glans penis, which is called the foreskin. On the midline of the ventral side of the glans penis, the skin fold connecting the foreskin to the external opening of the urethra is called the frenulum. Be careful not to damage this frenulum during circumcision. It is the hardest smooth muscle and connective tissue in the human body.

The blood supply to the penis comes from the dorsal penile artery, a branch of the external iliac artery. During sexual arousal, the three branches of the dorsal penile artery and its arterioles dilate, increasing blood flow; the arteriovenous communication branch is blocked, venous return decreases, and the cavernous body sinus becomes congested, causing penile erection. The head of the penis has abundant nerve endings, so the frenulum of the penis, the coronary sulcus, and the area around the urethral opening are particularly sensitive to external mechanical stimulation.

The afferent nerve of sexual sensation is the dorsal nerve of the penis. After reaching the lower sexual response center of the sacral cord, the outgoing parasympathetic nerve innervates the smooth muscle of the penis blood vessels and changes the state of the blood vessels. Diseases of the penis blood vessels and nerves can affect mating function.

1. When relaxed, it hangs below the pubic symphysis, with an average length of X=6.55, S=1.023, X±1.96S=6.55±2.046 (4.5-8.6) cm, a maximum of 10.6 cm, and a minimum of 3.7 cm; an average transverse diameter of X=2.57.S=0.255, X±1.96S=2.57±0.57 (2.06-3.08) cm, a maximum of 4.3 cm, and a minimum of 1.9 cm.

2. When erect, the penis forms an angle of 90° or more with the pubic mons with the pubic symphysis as the axis, and the length increases by 1 to 2 times compared to normal, and the volume and hardness increase accordingly. It is generally believed that the swelling rate of a smaller penis when flaccid is greater than that of a larger penis, so it is rare for a penis that is too small or too large to affect mating.