Penis 101 - The Shape Of Penis (Part 2)
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The 20 Different Kinds of Penises You'll Probably (Definitely) Encounter In Life
And how to handle each of them for waaay better sex.
Penises are like snowflakes: No two are exactly the same, but they're all perfect in their own way. That said, depending on how many you've seen in your lifetime, you might be wondering how many types of penises are there, really? Well, it turns our there are a lot more than the scope of emojis would suggest.
“I'd love for people to know that you don’t have to compare a person's penis to some ideal penis shape because all of these different types of penises exist," explains Joshua Gonzalez, MD, a board-certified urologist based in Los Angeles and Astroglide’s resident sexual health advisor. "You can make it work and have fun in the bedroom no matter the penis shape or size."
Basically, penises are just like vulvas in that they're all a little different, says Wendasha Jenkins-Hall, PhD, a sex educator, researcher, and trainer. "Nobody’s penis looks exactly the same since they all have different shapes, lengths and curves. However, when it comes to sex, it's just about finding what works for you and your partner, and communicating what feels best for you both."
So yeah, no matter the kind of downstairs situation you're working with, there's a way to have sex with (and just plain appreciate) alllll of the penises out there. If you're looking to discover just how expansive the scope of penises is, experts narrowed down the breadth of boners to 20 main types. Here's what you need to know about each—plus the ways to best have the most pleasurable sex with all of them.
1. Traffic Cone Penis
Description: “Colloquially, I’ve heard men refer to their penises as a traffic cone penis, where it’s narrow at the head but then gets wider," says Gonzalez.
Real talk: Because the penis gradually gets larger as you get toward the base, penetration might be easy at first; but the deeper they go, the more difficult it may get.
Your move: "With time and ease, you will be able to stretch some to fit around their penis," Gonzalez explains. “You'll definitely want to use a lot of lubricant to allow for deeper thrusting so that it’s not as uncomfortable as the penis goes in and out."
And FYI, missionary position works best when having sex with this penis shape, since you're able to open your legs as wide as possible, allowing them to enter you slowly and fully, Jenkins-Hall says.
2. Mushroom Head Penis
Description: On the flip side, there are also penises that are more narrow at the base but gradually get bigger at the head. If you can't visualize it, picture this: an inverted traffic cone or a mushroom.
Real talk: “There might be initial issues, but once you ease in, things will be okay," Gonzalez explains.
Your move: "Missionary position might be more comfortable for the partner of someone with a mushroom head penis. You would get the initial stretching of the vaginal or rectal wall, and then the tip of the penis could provide some additional stimulation once inside," Gonzalez says.
3. Thick Penis
Description: Some penises are working with a bit more girth than others, meaning they're on the wider side, or may even be wider than they are long.
Real talk: "I know that girth can be uncomfortable, but there are also people who like girth over length when it comes to having sex with people with penises," Jenkins-Hall explains.
Your move: "It’s important when you’re having sex with someone who's girthier that you remember the lube. Because there's so much girth, there's also a lot of friction, which means you need to be careful of getting micro tears on the walls of your uterus or anus," Jenkins-Hall adds.
4. Skinny Penis
Description: Instead of having girth, there are also lots of penises that are on the slimmer side, which means they're super skinny.
Real talk: "A lot of people don’t know hot to deal with a skinny penis, especially if what they want is girth," Jenkins-Hall says. "It’s really all about making sure that you’re in a correct position, and making sure that when you’re having sex with that person that [they're] fully erect. Then, you’re getting as much girth as you can.”
Your move: “One position that can really help with a skinny penis is to have both of you laying on your sides and entering you from behind. Your butt is in the way a little bit and oftentimes your legs are closed. That can give you the sensation of having some girth, because you’re closing your legs around the penis, giving a full feeling," Jenkins-Halls says.
5. Circumcised Penises
Description: The skin covering the penis (a.k.a. the foreskin) has been removed, generally in the infancy phase of life.
Real talk: “This is the most common kind of penis in the United States: “About 90 percent of men over 20 are circumcised,” says Joseph Alukal, MD, an associate professor of urology at Columbia University Medical Center.
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Your move: "There is no really specific sex tip when it comes to having intercourse with a circumcised penis, since most people in this country are circumcised," Jenkins-Hall explains. "That said, you can spice it up in the bedroom any way that you normally would using lube, using sex toys, and trying new positions just to keep it interesting." If anything, she says that it can be fun to put lube on both the outside and the inside of the condom you're using, making things extra sensitive for you both. Don't worry, it won't slip off!
6. Uncircumcised Penises
Description: Simply put, the foreskin is left intact. It's generally a cultural (region, religion, tradition, etc.) thing.
Real talk: Uncircumcised men have to work a bit harder to keep it clean down there since bacteria can get trapped in the extra skin.
Your move: As the penis goes from flaccid to erect, it helps to roll back the foreskin to stimulate him more. But the head area can also be super sensitive, so start gently, and continuously ask him what feels good, says Holly Richmond, PhD, a sex therapist with practices in New Jersey, Los Angeles, and Portland, Oregon.
. Growers
Description: You know these guys well: Penises that are larger when hard compared to when they're flaccid, explains Dr. Gonzalez.
Real talk: This one's pretty common, Gonzalez says.
Your move: "When getting ready for sexy time, allow your partner to become fully aroused during foreplay," Jenkins-Hall says. "That way, you know what length and girth you’re working with and can adjust your expectations and determine what positions may work for you."
8. Show-ers
Description: Penises that stay more or less the same size whether they're ready to go or flaccid.
Real talk: “No one knows why certain penises function so differently,” says Alukal. But it's not uncommon for some to be owners of show-ers.
Your move: Time to make a stop at your local sex toy shop. Why? "You can use a cock ring to make that large penis erect for even longer," Jenkins-Hall explains, A.k.a., extra long penetration time for *you*. "Also, for deeper penetration, you can lie on your back with your legs up so that they can enter you with their entire length, Jenkins-Hall says.
9. Curved Penises
Description: When erect, their penis bends slightly (or majorly) to one side or the other.
Real talk: The penis will seem pretty straight when it's just chilling—it's only when they're hard that the curve appears.
Your move: Look at curves as an unexpected, sexy advantage. “Experiment and be communicative with your partner,” says sex and couples therapist Ian Kerner, PhD, author of She Comes First. If their penis is curved upward, it might reach up enough to stimulate your G-spot (which is typically located at the front wall of the vagina), says Jenkins-Hall. To reach it, try the cowgirl position. And if it's curved to the side, just be sure that you two adjust your angles to make sure it feels best for both, Jenkins-Hall explains.
10. Small Penises
Description: To actually be considered medically small, "a penis has to be two standard deviations less than the average [five inches]—meaning it’s just over three inches long when erect,” says Alukal. A small penis can be anything that seems smaller relative to others you've seen.
Real talk: Length is one thing, but researchers haven’t measured girth (a.k.a. width) yet in any formal way, so there aren’t any established numbers floating around out for that average, says Alukal. But, many agree that girth matters more than length.
Your move: To feel more of the penis when you're working with less, try the coital alignment technique (CAT): Have their pelvic bone press directly against your clit during penetration.
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11. Big Penises
Description: Penises that are seven inches long or more when erect, which is about two standard deviations longer than the average of five, qualify for the eggplant (versus carrot) emoji.
Real talk: Chances are, you'll never come across a penis that absolutely cannot fit inside you, says Jenkins-Hall.
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Your move: When it comes to sex, it's all about lube, lube, and more lube, explains Jenkins-Hall. And no need to jump right in. Spend time on foreplay which will allow you to ease into penetration. And pro tip: Maybe avoid on-top positions if they feel like too much inside you.
12. Unpredictable Penises
Description: These penises don't always get hard—or stay hard—when they should.
Real talk: “About 40 percent of penises don’t always function as they should,” says Alukal. What’s more, an unpredictable penis could actually be an indicator of a greater health problem.
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Your move: If your partner has penile difficulties, the most important thing you can do is be supportive. If it's an issue say, "We'll figure this out together," and then actually follow through—by helping them schedule a doctor's appointment, says Alukal.
In terms of bedroom play, however, the most important thing to do is give them time for kissing, touching, and oral sex so they become fully aroused says Jenkins-Hall. If they don't get that erection back, no worries. It happens. Instead, have them give you oral sex, engage in nipple play, cuddling, or whatever else makes you orgasm, Jenkins-Hall explains. Penetration isn't everything!
13. Emotionally Sensitive Penises
Description: This type of ESP is a penis that loses its erection due to embarrassment, shameful associations, social anxiety around sex, or other mental hangups.
Real talk: An inability to get or stay hard could be a sign that they're not feeling great psychologically about what's going down (perhaps they realize you have stronger feelings for them than they do for you), Richmond explains. Or it could mean the opposite: They're so into you, they feel too much pressure to perform well.
Your move: Outside the bedroom (in a safe space or when neither of you are naked and vulnerable), have a conversation to make sure you're both on the same page about your relationship and what you want from each other physically. Miscommunication and assumed expectations can be major buzzkills.
14. Smooth Penises
Description: Have you ever seen a dick so smooth, it could have been carved from marble? That's what I'm talking about here.
Real talk: A smooth penis can feel better and more natural in your mouth for oral sex. Or if it's your first time with penetration, entry should be smoother and more comfortable, Richmond says.
Your move: If you feel under-stimulated during penetrative sex with this type of penis, try adding a cock ring or even just a ribbed condom (the little indentations make for more sensation).
15. Veiny Penises
Description: Some penises have very accentuated anatomy when they're hard—as in, their veins are not only visible but also definitely physically noticeable during sex.
Real talk: Two things generally affect someone's veiny-ness: genetics and muscle. (Typically, those who work out more have more pronounced dick veins.) Their veins might just be closer to the skin and not necessarily bigger, but same diff in the end.
Your move: Extra texture like veins of any kind can feel really awesome for many vaginas says Jenkins-Hall. "When a veiny penis enters a vagina, it can feel really good because most nerve endings in your vagina are in that lower third near the entryway," she explains. Try a position where you're on top and controlling the speed at which the penis is moving in and out. Plus, this was you can stimulate your clitoris, too.
16. Darker Penises
Description: Basically, this just mean penises whose skin is darker than the skin on the rest of their body, and not necessarily that person's race.
Real talk: Perhaps your vulva is a little darker in color than the rest of your skin? In both cases, it's just a matter of pigmentation and melanin.
Your move: The color of their cock has zero bearing on its form or function, says Richmond.
17. Freckled Penises
Description: Like darker-hued dicks, a freckled penis is a special type with distinctive freckles or birthmarks.
Real talk: Again, skin coloration has nothing to do with what they're actually working with—it's purely aesthetic, notes Richmond. That said, freckles and birthmarks could be other things—like STIs or skin cancer—in disguise.
Your move: If you're with a new partner, definitely have a talk about safety, and always, always use condoms if you're not sure. For established partners, if you notice spots, marks, or growths that weren't there before, ask them to get checked out. For STIs, yes, but also cancer.
18. Hairy Penises
Description: Whether they hate shaving, didn't expect to be having sex, or just prefer to go all natural (which is normal!), this type of penis has pubes around its base and ball area.
Real talk: Pubic hair has a purpose, says Richmond. It traps bacteria and dirt, plus holds and emits scents that attract you to your partner (called pheromones).
Your move: If hair bugs you, don't beat around the bush (heh). In a non-shaming way, ask him for a compromise, saying something like, "Hey, maybe we can trim this a little so I don't chafe or it's more comfortable for me?" That said, it's their body, and it's really up to them what they do with it.
For oral, gently push pubes down with one hand, because having a little spiral-y strand on your tongue can feel weird.
19. Shaved Penises
Description: Some people prefer to keep their entire genital area hairless or just trimmed into something less bush-like.
Real talk: Even though pubic hair helps keep germs away, there's nothing dangerous about a shaved penis, Richmond says.
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Your move: Enjoy the view. "You get a clear look at everything—shaft, balls, anus, perineum, everything—so take your time to explore and experiment with what feels good for them, and by association, you," Richmond says.
And rub on some lubricant: "Lube on smooth skin is even more slippery, which can feel amazing when super hard," Richmond explains. Mmm.
20. Lumpy Penis
Description: Basically, if you've got a lumpy-looking penis on your hands, this may be a red flag. "It can be really subtle, but penile cancer sometimes looks like a growth," Gonzalez says. "A lot of times it will look like a bump or a little cauliflower. It usually evolves or starts on the foreskin if the penis isn't circumcised."
Real Talk: "This one is a bit more serious, but there is a small number of people who have penile cancer," says Gonzalez. Here's the thing: It's way rare for someone with a circumcised penis to get penile cancer. Those who are at a higher risk are those who are uncircumcised, he adds.
In addition to lumps or growths, you'll want to ask them if they feel any tenderness around the scrotum area, Jenkins-Hall says. Visually, their penis may also look a little red or discolored. Wait to see if these symptoms persist and if they do, head to the doctor, Jenkins-Hall explains.
Your move: "If you see it, you’ll definitely want to recommend that they get checked out by their doctor," Gonzalez says. "For patients, we always advise them to look for change. So, if there is a little spot there that wasn’t there a few months ago, it’s always better to have the doctor look at it rather than just ignore it," Gonzalez says.
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