Can You Decrease the Size of Your Penis?

Natural Changes and Ways to Manage Penis Size

As a person ages, it is not uncommon for the size of the penis to decrease. There are many factors that can influence this, like high blood pressure, prostate surgery, or conditions like Peyronie's disease. In some cases, there may be no actual shrinkage, but the perceived size may seem smaller if you have obesity and your penis is "buried" beneath excess body fat.

While some people take steps to prevent their penis from shrinking—like making healthy lifestyle choices or doing "penis exercises"—there are others who want to intentionally decrease the size of their penis if it interferes with sex and their quality of life.

This article explores some of the causes of penis shrinkage and what can (and cannot) be done to prevent your penis from getting smaller.

Average Penis Size 

Studies have shown that people with penises often have misperceptions about what an average-sized penis actually is. While many assume that a 6- or 7-inch penis is "normal," the actual average length of an erect (hard) penis is between 5.1 and 5.5 inches. In addition, the average length of a flaccid (soft) penis is around 3.4 inches.

Misperceptions like these can cause undue distress and affect a person's self-esteem and relationships. Counseling and therapy are often better options than exploring penis enlargement procedures which often fall short.

Effects of Age

Age itself is not a factor for changes in your penis size. Multiple studies have confirmed that there is no direct link between age and the length of a flaccid penis.

However, there are aging-related conditions that can definitely influence the size of an erect penis:

  • Declines in testosterone: On average, testosterone levels decline by 1% per year after age 30. This doesn't so much affect the size of an erection but may make it seem smaller because the penis is not as hard as it used to be.
  • High blood pressure: Hypertension, otherwise known as high blood pressure, also affects your ability to get erections as hard as they may have been in your 20s and 30s. The lack of engorgement can make the erection seem smaller even if the length is the same.
  • Erectile dysfunction (ED): Erectile dysfunction, common in older males, does not decrease the length or girth of a penis but can reduce the turgidity (swelling) of the penis if an erection is achieved. This can lead to a false impression that the penis has shrunk.

Weight Change

Obesity doesn't change the size of a penis but can change the perception of penis size. Excessive body fat can lead to a perceived loss due to a commonplace condition known as a buried penis. This occurs when the penis is partially or fully concealed by skin folds and the build-up of fatty adipose tissues around the base of the penis.

Penile Atrophy

Penile atrophy is another term for penis shrinkage, but one that infers the permanent loss of penis length or girth.

There is a long-standing belief (often referred to as the "use-it-or-lose-it" rule) that infrequent erections can lead to decreased penis size. As a person ages, their libido (sex drive) tends to decrease along with how often they get erections.

There is some evidence that the failure to get erections, typically over the course of years, can cause the skin and underlying tissues of the penis to stiffen and become less flexible. If this happens, the penis may become shorter or lose girth (circumference).

Even so, the difference is typically small, and the people most likely to be affected are those in their 70s and 80s rather than their 40s, 50s, or 60s.

Surgery

There are surgeries that can cause a loss in penis size either intentionally or unintentionally:

  • Radical prostatectomy: This is the removal of the entire prostate in people with prostate cancer. The development of fibrosis (scar tissues) can "cinch in" supporting structures around the base of the penis, causing up to a 15% loss in penis length.
  • Nesbit procedure: This is a surgery used to straighten the penis and improve erections in people with Peyronie's disease. Despite the benefits of treatment, the Nesbit procedure can result in a 1- to 3-centimeter loss in penis length.
  • Reduction corporoplasty: This is a surgery used to intentionally reduce the girth and/or length of a penis in people who think that their penis is too big. It is a highly specialized procedure that can make the penis slimmer and reduce the penis length by up to an inch or more.

Prostate Conditions

Although a prostatectomy can cause a decrease in penis length, there is no evidence that prostatitis (prostate inflammation), benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate), or prostate cancer can do the same.

In fact, there is evidence that an enlarged prostate can increase the penis length as the gland "pushes" the penis outward from the base.

Peyronie's Disease

Peyronie's disease (PD) causes lesions called plaques to form under the skin of the penis, leading to an abnormal curve. PD is most common in people over 40 and is thought to be the result of a prior injury to the shaft of the penis.

PD can also cause erectile dysfunction due to the restriction of blood flow to the penis. It can also shorten the penis by an average of 1 centimeter due to the retraction of tissues at the crux of the bend.

Medications

Certain medications used to treat an enlarged prostate can also lead to the loss of penis length, including:

  • Avodart (dutasteride)
  • Proscar (finasteride)

But the loss is ultimately a false one given that the enlarged prostate leads to increased penis length. In the absence of an enlarged prostate, the penis would likely not have been as long.

Lifestyle

Cigarette smoking, a lack of exercise, and a high-fat diet do not cause penis shrinkage, but they can increase the risk of hypertension and obesity, both of which can influence the perceived (rather than actual) length of the penis.

Smoking also causes the narrowing of blood vessels throughout the body. Even if you don't have erectile dysfunction, the narrowing can make it harder for the spongy interior of the penis to fill with blood during an erection, making erections look smaller.

Environment

The environment can influence penis size either directly or indirectly.

It is well known that cold temperatures can cause a transient reduction in penis size as the blood vessels narrow to direct blood flow to more important parts of the body. If you live in a cold climate, your penis can seem smaller during the winter months.

There is some evidence that pollutants in the environment can alter hormone levels and lead to hypogonadism (low testosterone). Environmental pesticides are known to be potent endocrine disruptors that can lower both testosterone levels and erectile function.

Preventing Shrinkage

The reduction of penis size is more often perceived than real. In cases where the penis size has physically changed, the loss may be harder to reverse. A urologist can tell you which, if any, treatments can help.

Some of the self-help interventions that may help include:

  • Losing weight: If you are overweight, diet and exercise can reduce abdominal fat, particularly around the base of the penis. Doing so also lowers blood pressure.
  • Treating ED: Consider PDE5 inhibitors like Viagra (sildenafil) or Cialis (tadalafil) if you struggle with erectile dysfunction. Injectable medications like Trimix (alprostadil/papaverine/phentolamine) can also be used if oral drugs don't work.
  • Stopping smoking: Cigarette smoking increases the risk of ED and causes the overall constriction (narrowing) of blood vessels throughout the body.

Masturbating to Increase Penis Size

There is no evidence that masturbating or doing any "penis exercise" (such as jelqing) changes the length or girth of the penis in any significant way. In fact, it may do the opposite if performed aggressively, injuring blood vessels or causing scar tissue that can lead to Peyronie's disease.

The same applies to "penis enlargement" devices like vacuum pumps, penile weights, or penile traction devices.

Summary

As you age, your penis may look smaller. This is usually due to a decrease in testosterone and/or an increase in belly fat that can create the illusion of a smaller penis.

Certain medications may also cause the penis to shrink. Additionally, you may lose a small amount of length if you are celibate or if you have long periods of erectile dysfunction.

If you're concerned that your penis looks smaller, it may be helpful to lose weight or talk to your healthcare provider about the medications you're taking. Although exercise in general is good for your sexual health, avoid exercises that are meant to strengthen or lengthen the penis, as these may cause damage.

14 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. King BM. Average-size erect penis: fiction, fact, and the need for counselingJ Sex Marital Ther. 2021;47(1):80–9. doi:10.1080/0092623X.2020.1787279

  2. Belladelli F, Giudice FD, Glover F, et al. Worldwide temporal trends in penile length: a systematic review and meta-analysisWorld J Mens Health. 2023. doi:10.5534/wjmh.220203

  3. Herbenick D, Reece M, Schick V, Sanders SA. Erect penile length and circumference dimensions of 1,661 sexually active men in the United StatesJ Sex Med. 2014;11(1):93-101. doi:10.1111/jsm.12244

  4. Moreau KL, Babcock MC, Hildreth KL. Sex differences in vascular aging in response to testosterone. Biol Sex Differ. 2020;11(1):18. doi:10.1186/s13293-020-00294-8

  5. Staniorski CJ, Rusilko PJ. The concealed morbidity of buried penis: a narrative review of our progress in understanding adult-acquired buried penis as a surgical conditionTransl Androl Urol. 2021;10(6):2536-2543. doi:10.21037/tau-20-1232

  6. Veale D, Miles S, Bramley S, Muir G, Hodsoll J. Am I normal? A systematic review and construction of nomograms for flaccid and erect penis length and circumference in up to 15,521 men. BJU Int. 2015;115(6):978-86. doi:10.1111/bju.13010

  7. Kadono Y, Machioka K, Nakashima K, et al. Changes in penile length after radical prostatectomy: investigation of the underlying anatomical mechanism. BJU Int. 2017;120(2):293-299. doi:10.1111/bju.13777

  8. Barrett-Harlow B, Clavell-Hernandez J, Wang R. New developments in surgical treatment for penile size preservation in Peyronie's disease. Sex Med Rev. 2019;7(1):156-166. doi:10.1016/j.sxmr.2018.07.001

  9. Andrianne R, Sempels M, Mormont C, Fontaine M, Bonnet P, Waltregny D, 120 successful cosmetic reduction corporoplasty and scrotoplasty in a patient with the complaint of self-perceived too large penis and scrotumJ Sex Med,2018;15(Supplement_3):S178-S179. doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2018.04.122

  10. Takeshima Y, Suzuki M, Ikegaya H, et al. A cross-sectional cadaveric study of the correlation between genital organ measurements, serum testosterone, and serum prostate-specific antigen levels in Japanese male subjects. Int J Physiol Pathophysiol Pharmacol. 2021;13(2):36–42.

  11. Scranton RE, Goldstein I, Stecher VJ. Erectile dysfunction diagnosis and treatment as a means to improve medication adherence and optimize comorbidity management. J Sex Med. 2013;10(2):551-61. doi:10.1111/j.1743-6109.2012.02998.x

  12. Cakir OO, Serefoglu EC. Post-finasteride syndrome: An underestimated phenomenon. Urol Androl Open J. 2016;1(1):e3-4. doi:10.17140/UAOJ-1-e002 

  13. Wang Y, Chen F, Ye L, Zirkin B, Chen H. Steroidogenesis in Leydig cells: effects of aging and environmental factors. Reproduction. 2017;154(4):R111-R122. doi:10.1530/REP-17-0064

  14. Marra G, Drury A, Tran L, Veale D, Muir GH. Systematic review of surgical and nonsurgical interventions in normal men complaining of small penis size. Sex Med Rev. 2019;2019:S2050-0521(19)30012-5. doi:10.1016/j.sxmr.2019.01.004

By Jerry Kennard
 Jerry Kennard, PhD, is a psychologist and associate fellow of the British Psychological Society.