Is my penis the wrong shape?

Penises come in many shapes and sizes, particularly when limp. When they are erect (hard) they tend to be more similar in size and shape. A normal erect penis curves slightly, but can also go to one side by as much as 30 degrees without causing any problem.

If you think your penis is abnormally bent or curved, or is causing you problems in your relationship, such as pain during sexual intercourse, you should visit your doctor or local STD clinic.

Peyronie's disease

Peyronie's disease is a condition that affects about 4% of men over the age of 40.

The exact cause of Peyronie's disease is unknown, but it is thought to occur as the result of an injury to the penis when erect (which can sometimes go unnoticed). Following the injury, the sponge-like erectile tissue becomes inflamed which can lead to scarring on the surface tissue of the penis.

The inflammation and scarring causes the skin to toughen, causing a bend in the shaft of the penis which can sometimes make sexual intercourse painful. It is also thought that some people might be genetically disposed to Peyronie's disease (it runs in families).

It can be difficult for a doctor to diagnose Peyronie's disease as the condition may only be apparent when your penis is erect. Therefore, you may wish to take a picture of your erect penis with a digital camera so you can show the picture to your doctor.

Some men who have mild Peyronie's disease find that rubbing cocoa butter cream (available from pharmacies) into the affected area is of some help.

Vitamin E supplements are sometimes effective in reducing pain and deformity.

Medicines used to treat the condition include Tamoxifen, which is normally used to treat breast cancer, and Verapamil, which is often used to treat high blood pressure.

A relative new technique is extracorporeal shock wave therapy, or ESWT. ESWT involves using high energy sound waves to reduce the pain and deformity. The technique is still being studied so it may not be available in all areas and you should be aware that its long-term effectiveness or safety has yet to be established.

If you have had Peryonie's disease for more than a year and it has not responded to other forms of treatment, surgery may be an option. One option is for the surgeon to cut some tissue from the opposite site of the penis in order to balance out the affected area. The penis should then straighten, but it will be 1-3 cm (0.3 to 1.1 in) shorter,

Another surgical technique is to implant some tissue, normally a vein from the groin or ankle, into the affected area. The addition of the vein will make the toughened area more flexible and there is no reduction in penis size. However, 10-15% of men have reported that they had difficulties obtaining an erection after the operation.