Page 27 - Seniorstoday December 2023 Issue
P. 27
Men’s Health
Here’s what happens to your
penis as you age
All parts of your body age and the penis is no exception, write
Rob McLachlan, Jinghang Luo & Tim Moss
Changes to how your penis looks or works measure penis size – including stretched,
can be signs of underlying health issues flaccid (floppy) and erect. This makes it
and can affect your quality of life. So difficult to compare studies.
understanding which changes are normal However, for some people, conditions
and when to seek help is important. associated with ageing can appear to
Here’s what you can expect to happen decrease penis length. These include:
to your penis as you age, and when to be • obesity (which hides the base of the
concerned. penis)
• the effects of prostate surgery
Will my penis shrink? (temporarily)
There is no definitive evidence your penis • Peyronie’s disease (where scarring in the
length and girth will naturally change as fibrous layer of the penis causes it to bend
you age, despite what you may read. abnormally).
This is because there is no study that Erect penis length may also decrease with
follows the same adults and their penis age due to:
measurements over decades; existing • erectile dysfunction (the inability to
studies only compare penis size between achieve erections sufficient for sexual
different adults of different ages. activity)
There are also many different ways to • less penile elasticity, which reduces how
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #54 | DECEMBER 2023 27
