# Consequences of penis enhancement **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 13, 2005, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consequences-of-penis-enhancement/330820 "2005-11-13T04:02:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2005, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consequences-of-penis-enhancement/330820/1 "2005-11-13T04:02:57Z")
Suppose it really was possible to reliably increase the erect length and girth of penises to the same degree that breast augmentation is currently. What would be the consequences? Would there be an “arms race” as what’s considered a “normal” size went beyond the current average six inches? Would women encourage or discourage this trend? Would we see absurdly large penises that no woman could actually copulate with? After the novelty wore off would there eventually be a consensus on how big is big enough? ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2005, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consequences-of-penis-enhancement/330820/2 "2005-11-13T04:11:22Z")
Joe “Poolie” Newman was a jazz trumpet player with Count Basie and Lionel Hampton. He was notorious as a ladies’ man. In 1989, he tried to enhance his diminished capacity with a penile implant. A buildup of pressure caused his penis to explode one evening in a restaurant, and he hemorrhaged to death. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2005, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consequences-of-penis-enhancement/330820/3 "2005-11-13T04:37:30Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Joe “Poolie” Newman was a jazz trumpet player with Count Basie and Lionel Hampton. He was notorious as a ladies’ man. In 1989, he tried to enhance his diminished capacity with a penile implant. A buildup of pressure caused his penis to explode one evening in a restaurant, and he hemorrhaged to death. That may be the worst way to die that I’ve ever heard of. As for the OP, I suppose you’d see roughly the same results with penile enhancement that you currently see among women with breast enhancement. A fair number of guys would get extensions (either to bring them up to what they think of as normal, or just a bit beyond), a few people would go waaaay overboard and get one too big for any woman to reasonably deal with, and most people would just stick with what God gave them. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2005, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consequences-of-penis-enhancement/330820/4 "2005-11-13T04:59:22Z")
If nothing else, you’ll save a lot of money on gasoline when you buy a smaller, more economical car. ---
**Author:** ![davenportavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@davenportavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davenportavenger)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2005, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consequences-of-penis-enhancement/330820/5 "2005-11-13T06:32:34Z")
> [@Bryan Ekers](#): > > If nothing else, you’ll save a lot of money on gasoline when you buy a smaller, more economical car. HA! I think you’d find a lot more women encouraging their lesbian side, or committing themselves to spinsterhood forever. Six inches (and I think the average is a little lower than that) is more than enough for most women. Also many women would be totally turned off by a man who did that to himself, just like many men aren’t thrilled about women who get breast implants. I know I would be. ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Mahma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@Joe\_Mahma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Mahma)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2005, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consequences-of-penis-enhancement/330820/6 "2005-11-13T15:59:14Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Joe “Poolie” Newman was a jazz trumpet player with Count Basie and Lionel Hampton. He was notorious as a ladies’ man. In 1989, he tried to enhance his diminished capacity with a penile implant. A buildup of pressure caused his penis to explode one evening in a restaurant, and he hemorrhaged to death. Ouch. Would you have a cite for that? ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2005, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consequences-of-penis-enhancement/330820/7 "2005-11-13T18:32:24Z")
> [@davenportavenger](#): > > HA! > > I think you’d find a lot more women encouraging their lesbian side, or committing themselves to spinsterhood forever. Six inches (and I think the average is a little lower than that) is more than enough for most women. Also many women would be totally turned off by a man who did that to himself, just like many men aren’t thrilled about women who get breast implants. I know I would be. I dont know about that, or maybe I have been oddly lucky - first husband was just over 7 inches [measured from the base to tip along the top surface] mrAru is 8.5, and i had 2 other boyfriends in the 8 inch range, and one that hit 10 inches…though in defense I have also dated a guy with not-quite-a micropenis [iirc 3.5 inches hard, same measurement protocal. I vaguely remember reading a micropenis is 2 inches or less] Not saying I want a guy the size of a horse … far from it, but there are plenty of men out there that are longer than 6 inches, and most women have no trouble with handling [giggle] up to 8 inches. I will also admit that instead of turning lesbian, more women would refuse to engage until the men actually learned how to use their tools instead of just banging away full depth and full throttle if they started _augmenting_. You can buy a machine to do that and frankly it isnt that great. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2005, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consequences-of-penis-enhancement/330820/8 "2005-11-13T19:03:51Z")
> [@Joe Mahma](#): > > Ouch. Would you have a cite for that? Karl Shaw, _Oddballs and Eccentrics_ (New York: Castle Books, 2004), p. 386. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2005, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consequences-of-penis-enhancement/330820/9 "2005-11-13T20:31:24Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > I dont know about that, or maybe I have been oddly lucky - first husband was just over 7 inches [measured from the base to tip along the top surface] mrAru is 8.5, and i had 2 other boyfriends in the 8 inch range, and one that hit 10 inches…though in defense I have also dated a guy with not-quite-a micropenis [iirc 3.5 inches hard, same measurement protocal. I vaguely remember reading a micropenis is 2 inches or less] It must be odd for the guys in your life when you get out the measuring tape (and protractor, perhaps?), then enter the subsequent data into The Book. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2005, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consequences-of-penis-enhancement/330820/10 "2005-11-13T20:49:00Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > It must be odd for the guys in your life when you get out the measuring tape (and protractor, perhaps?), then enter the subsequent data into The Book. ROTFLMAO, I would have to say that most guys actually at some point in their lives actually measures Mr Happy … and not at my instigation =) Although I did rather question the 10 inches and ask for a remeasure … [though I will TMI and note that I happen to know the measurements of my hand and am able to use it for comparison measuring in a pinch =) ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2005, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consequences-of-penis-enhancement/330820/11 "2005-11-13T21:44:45Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > [though I will TMI and note that I happen to know the measurements of my hand and am able to use it for comparison measuring in a pinch =) So whoever grips the tip gets to bat first? ---
**Author:** ![dotchan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@dotchan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dotchan)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2005, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consequences-of-penis-enhancement/330820/12 "2005-11-13T22:44:42Z")
Well, given the aritificial self-endowments men have used in the Elizabethan age (i.e., codpieces)…not gonna link anything. Google that yourself. Your reaction may vary. On the more practical side, how could one realistically enlongate the penis without problems? Breast implants work because it’s mostly fat tissue, and even then there were tremendous problems with some small but significant issue with them moving around or bursting. The penis’ engineering is a bit more daunting to overcome, methinks. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consequences-of-penis-enhancement/330820/13 "2005-11-14T13:50:09Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > Although I did rather question the 10 inches and ask for a remeasure … After further review, the play stands as called…[/NFL Referee Voice] ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consequences-of-penis-enhancement/330820/14 "2005-11-14T19:12:33Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > I dont know about that, or maybe I have been oddly lucky - first husband was just over 7 inches [measured from the base to tip along the top surface] mrAru is 8.5, and i had 2 other boyfriends in the 8 inch range, and one that hit 10 inches…though in defense I have also dated a guy with not-quite-a micropenis [iirc 3.5 inches hard, same measurement protocal. I vaguely remember reading a micropenis is 2 inches or less] So, based on your experience, does size matter? Is there an “optimal” size (other things such as the guy’s appearance, personality, sexual skill, etc., being equal)? ---
**Author:** ![George\_Kaplin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3e96dc/32.png) [@George\_Kaplin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/George_Kaplin)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consequences-of-penis-enhancement/330820/15 "2005-11-14T19:31:35Z")
[sub]Anyone else amused by the perfect combination of OP title & username?[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consequences-of-penis-enhancement/330820/16 "2005-11-14T21:57:05Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > So, based on your experience, does size matter? Is there an “optimal” size (other things such as the guy’s appearance, personality, sexual skill, etc., being equal)? Size not so much, though i prefer at least the stated minimum of 6 inches, i prefer penetration to oral all things equal and the almost micro just wasnt something i would prefer on a long term basis. I can say that I would find more than 10 inches and 2 inches diameter uncomfortable. Never been one to care about a guy’s appearance as long as he was clean and neat [dont like long scraggly hair, unkempt beards/moustaches - i prefer a more neat military look and find mullets disturbing] bathed regularly and was a good personality type. I also have no preference circumcized/uncircumcised. And no penile piercings … or nose piercings. ---
**Author:** ![Mellivora\_capensis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mellivora\_capensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mellivora_capensis)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2005, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consequences-of-penis-enhancement/330820/17 "2005-11-15T15:18:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\*George Kaplin \*\* > Anyone else amused by the perfect combination of OP title & username? \ Ahem…yes. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2005, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consequences-of-penis-enhancement/330820/18 "2005-11-15T17:51:06Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > So, based on your experience, does size matter? Is there an “optimal” size (other things such as the guy’s appearance, personality, sexual skill, etc., being equal)? Yes. And the optimal size sure the hell isn’t 10 inches! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2005, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consequences-of-penis-enhancement/330820/19 "2005-11-15T18:47:33Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > Never been one to care about a guy’s appearance as long as he . . . bathed regularly . . . :dubious: Picky, picky! ---
**Author:** ![Airblairxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Airblairxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airblairxxx)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consequences-of-penis-enhancement/330820/20 "2005-11-16T02:00:55Z")
> [@dotchan](#): > > On the more practical side, how could one realistically enlongate the penis without problems? Breast implants work because it’s mostly fat tissue, and even then there were tremendous problems with some small but significant issue with them moving around or bursting. The penis’ engineering is a bit more daunting to overcome, methinks. For edification purposes only, I offer you . . . [Male Bridge.](http://www.malebridge.com/ecm/Home.html) No endorsement of this site is implied or should be inferred. Warning: the “Before and After” section pretty much defines the phrase **N** ot **S** afe **F** or **W** ork. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consequences-of-penis-enhancement/330820.md?page=2)