Editorial
Written byMen's Health Istanbul Editorial Team
Medical reviewer (awaiting sign-off)Prof. Dr. Zülfü Sertkaya
Published
Updated
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The short answer
The penis can look shorter with age for several ordinary reasons. Weight gain around the lower belly can bury the base of the penis, hiding part of its visible length. Erections can become less firm, and a less rigid erection is usually a shorter one. The tissues of the penis can also become less elastic over time. Less commonly, scar tissue from Peyronie's disease or surgery such as prostate removal can cause real shortening. Some of these causes can be improved, so a noticeable or sudden change is worth discussing with a doctor.
Key takeaways
- Fat around the lower belly can hide the base of the penis and make it look shorter without any real change in length.
- Less firm erections are usually shorter erections, so treating erectile dysfunction can help.
- Peyronie's disease and some operations, including prostate removal, can cause genuine shortening.
- A sudden change, a new bend or a lump is worth having checked.
Does the penis really shrink with age?
Sometimes a little, but often less than it seems. Many men who feel they have "lost length" are noticing a change in how much of the penis is visible, or in the quality of their erections, rather than a change in the penis itself. There are genuine causes of shortening too, and it helps to know the difference.
It is also worth remembering that flaccid length varies a great deal from day to day with temperature, stress and arousal, and is a poor guide to erect length.
Can belly fat make the penis look smaller?
Yes, and this is one of the most common reasons. There is a pad of fat just above the base of the penis, over the pubic bone. As men put on weight around the lower belly, that pad thickens and part of the shaft becomes hidden inside it. The penis is the same length; less of it can be seen. In more marked cases, doctors call this a buried penis.
Losing weight can reveal that hidden length. It also tends to help blood vessels and, in some men, erections. A trial published in JAMA in 2004 found that obese men with erectile dysfunction who reduced calories and increased physical activity over two years saw their erectile function improve compared with a control group. Our piece on whether losing weight improves erections looks at that evidence more closely.
Can weaker erections make the penis shorter?
Yes. Length and firmness go together. A partial erection is usually a shorter one, so as erections become less rigid with age, men often notice the penis does not reach the size they remember. Erectile dysfunction becomes more common with age and is linked with the same factors as heart disease, including smoking, diabetes and high blood pressure.
There is also a longer-term concern. The erectile tissue relies on regular filling with oxygen-rich blood. Doctors believe that long periods without erections may contribute to scarring and loss of elasticity in the tissue, which is part of the reasoning behind "penile rehabilitation" after prostate surgery. The evidence here is still developing.
Do the tissues change with age?
Like skin elsewhere, the tissues of the penis can become less elastic over the decades. Changes in the smooth muscle and connective tissue inside the erection chambers can mean they do not expand quite as fully as before. This is a gradual process, not something that happens overnight.
Can Peyronie's disease cause shortening?
It can. In Peyronie's disease, scar tissue forms in the sheath around the erection chambers. Because the scar does not stretch, the penis may bend, narrow or become shorter during erections. Signs to look out for include a new curve, a lump you can feel or painful erections. Our article on what men should know about Peyronie's disease explains the condition in more detail.
Can prostate surgery make the penis shorter?
Some men notice a loss of length after the prostate is removed for cancer. The reasons are thought to include the way the urethra is rejoined after surgery and a period without erections while nerves recover. If this is a worry, it is worth discussing with the surgical team before and after the operation.
What can help?
- Weight loss around the lower belly, which can reveal hidden length.
- Treating erectile dysfunction, since firmer erections are fuller erections.
- Staying active and not smoking, for the blood vessels that erections rely on.
- Getting a new bend or lump checked early rather than waiting.
Be wary of products that promise to add length. Pills, creams and devices sold online for enlargement are not supported by good evidence.
When to see a doctor
A slow change alongside weight gain is common. A sudden loss of length, a new curve, a lump or pain during erections deserves an assessment. If a change in shape is part of the picture, our Peyronie's disease guide explains how it is assessed and treated.
Questions men also ask
Does losing weight make the penis look bigger?
Losing fat from the lower belly can reveal length that was hidden by the fat pad at the base. The penis itself does not grow, but more of it is visible.
Does low testosterone shrink the penis?
In adult men, low testosterone is linked with lower desire and weaker erections rather than a direct loss of length. A doctor can check levels if there are other symptoms.
What is a normal penis size?
A large review of measurements taken by health professionals found an average erect length of about 13.1 cm and a flaccid length of about 9.2 cm, with a wide normal range.
Sources & further reading
- BJU International Am I normal? A systematic review and construction of nomograms for flaccid and erect penis length and circumference in up to 15,521 men (opens in a new tab) (2015) Veale D, et al.
- Journal of Urology Peyronie's Disease: AUA Guideline (opens in a new tab) (2015) Nehra A, et al.
- European Urology European Association of Urology Guidelines on Sexual and Reproductive Health—2021 Update: Male Sexual Dysfunction (opens in a new tab) (2021) Salonia A, et al.
- JAMA Effect of lifestyle changes on erectile dysfunction in obese men: a randomized controlled trial (opens in a new tab) (2004) Esposito K, et al.
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This article is general health information. It does not replace an individual medical consultation, examination or diagnosis. Read our editorial policy and medical review policy.
