Is your penis too small?

If you're like 86% of men, measuring yours properly will eradicate any concerns

Sizing yourself up
First, stop looking at it from your lofty vantage point - ie from above. That's not how she sees it and it gives you a false impression of size. Second, measure it properly. Most men underestimate the size of their penis. In a study at the University of Pittsburgh, US, 26% of men gauged their own penis size as below average, and only 5% ticked the above average box. What's more, research from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, showed that 86% of men said their penis size worries vanished after they were educated about penis size.

Here comes your education. Grab a tape measure and a ruler. Now measure your penis properly following the instructions below, and compare it to size averages (based on studies in the US and Australia):

Your standby length
To check your flaccid length, undress and measure it immediately. Because a cold or warm room can cause shrinkage or growth, you need to do this before room temperature affects your pride and joy. "Position the tip of the ruler gently against the point where the shaft meets the abdomen," says urologist Dr Hunter Wessells, who has studied penis size. Then simply bend the ruler along the shaft and read the length. An average length is 3.43 inches. Breathe a big sigh of relief.

Your erect length
Get hard and measure it quick. Again, get the ruler on to your penis as soon as you become fully erect. Now measure the top of your erection, ie the side furthest from your testicles, and check the figure at the tip of your shaft, holding the ruler against your penis base. An average length here is 5.03 inches.

Your erect girth
Maintaining your erection, wrap a tape measure around your penis at its base. An average size here is 5.14 inches around.

Your erection angle
With your back against a wall and a mirror in side view, estimate your angle. A 90-degree angle would point directly out in front, 180 degrees up at your chin. An average angle is 105.7 degrees - slightly up from horizontal.