Penis Size / Question
Published: October 29, 2002
Dear TeenHealthFX,
I am 19 years old and my penis is only 1 inch long and a half inch wide. I know that his is small and I don't know what to do. I have no armpit hair, pubic hair, or chest hair. Is my puberty coming late? I am at college and I have sex a lot because I am very attractive, but a lot of the time girls don't look at my manhood, they just let me do the work. Nobody ever calls back.
Signed: 1 Inch College Boy
Dear 1 Inch College Boy,
TeenHealthFX hears how this is upsetting you and wants you to try to relax. You are most definitely not alone in your fears -- many adolescents experience anxiety over their sexual development. What you need to try to remember is that this development happens at different times for different people over a wide range of time, and what you are experiencing is most likely entirely normal.
Specifically, puberty begins in males anytime between the ages of 11 and 16. Puberty in males begins with testicular enlargement, followed in about a year by penile enlargement. Pubic hair usually precedes the growth of the penis. Facial hair will also appear, as well as the hair under the arms. However, some men do not grow much facial hair, therefore, they may not grow a lot of hair under their arms. This depends on the individual.
The growth spurt in males occurs usually between ages 10 1/2 and 16 and ends between 13 1/2 and 17 1/2 years of age. Growth does continue at a much slower pace for several years after the spurt but usually stops between 18 and 20 years of age.
So, the males who start puberty earlier will finish earlier and those who start later will continue to grow until a later age. Neither early nor late puberty has any influence on what your eventual growth will be. This has been predetermined by your genetic make-up. Ultimately, height, weight and body build are influenced by diet, exercise and hereditary factors.
You can always check with your doctor if you continue to have concerns. He or she will examine you and be able to answer any specific questions you may have and help calm your fears.
If you would like to meet with a doctor at the Adolescent/Young Adult Center for Health in Morristown, New Jersey, you can call 973.971.6475 for an appointment.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
The teen pregnancy rate in the United States is the highest of any industrialized democracy, nearly twice that of Great Britain and 10 times that of Japan. 
