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			What the hell do you think?!
	The '''penis''' (plural ''penises'' or ''penes'') or '''phallus''' is the external ] ] ], and, in ]s, the external male organ of ]. It is ] to the female ], as it develops from the same embryonic structure. The penis is capable of ] for use in ].

	==The human penis==
	The human penis differs from some other mammalian penises by lacking an ], instead relying entirely on engorgement with blood to reach its erect state. It also lacks the ability to be withdrawn into the groin, and is larger-than-average in proportion to body mass.

	===Structure===
	]
	The human penis is made up of three columns of erectile ]:
	* the two ] and
	* one ]

	The corpus spongiosum lies on the underside (known also as the ]) of the penis; the two corpora cavernosa lie next to each other on the upper side (]).

	The end of the corpus spongiosum is enlarged and cone-shaped and forms the ]. The glans supports the ] or prepuce, a loose fold of skin that in adults can retract to expose the glans. The area on the underside of the penis, where the foreskin is attached, is called the ] (or frenulum).

	The ], which is the last part of the ], traverses the corpus spongiosum and its opening, known as the ], lies on the tip of the glans penis. It is both a passage for ] and for the ] of ]. Sperm is produced in the ] and stored in the attached ]. During ejaculation, sperm are propelled up the ], two ducts that pass over and behind the bladder. Fluids are added by the ]s and the vas deferens turns into the ]s which join the urethra inside the ]. The prostate as well as the ]s add further secretions, and the semen is expelled through the penis.

	The ] is the visible ridge between the ] halves of the penis, found on the ] or under side of the penis, running from the meatus (opening of the urethra) across the scrotum to the ] (area between scrotum and anus).

	=== Relation to female genitals ===
	The glans of the penis is ] to the ], the corpora cavernosa are homologous to the body of the ], the corpus spongiosum is homologous to the ]s beneath the labia minora, and the scrotum is homologous to the ], ] and ]. The raphe does not exist in females, because there the two halves are not connected.

	=== Erection ===
	''Main article: ]''
	]

	] is the stiffening and rising of the penis which occurs in the ] male, though it can also happen in non-sexual situations. The primary physiological mechanism that brings about erection is the autonomic dilation of arteries supplying blood to the penis, which allows more blood to fill the three spongy erectile tissue chambers in the penis, causing it to lengthen and stiffen. The now engorged erectile tissue presses against and constricts the veins that carry blood away from the penis. More blood enters the penis than leaves until an equilibrium is reached (equal volume of blood flowing into the dilated arteries and out of the constricted veins). A constant erectile size is achieved at equilibrium.

	The vasodilating effects of the drug ''] citrate'' (marketed as ]®) have been found to be efficacious in treating certain forms of ] and ].

	Erection enables, although is not essential for, ] and some other ]. Although the average erect penis points approximately horizontally, it is common and normal for an erect penis to have a wide range of vertical angles, from nearly vertically upward to nearly vertically downward, depending on the tension of the suspensory ligament which holds it in position when erect.

	===Size===
	''See main article ]''

	In comparison to body size, the human male penis is among the largest of the ]s. One study has found that the average human penis is 5 ]es (13 ]) in length when fully engorged with blood during arousal, though this varies quite a bit. The size of a flaccid human penis has an even greater variation in both length and width that often does not correspond to the size when fully aroused. When a man with a relatively large flaccid penis has a normal or below average length penis when fully aroused, or when a man with a relatively small flaccid penis has a normal or above average length penis when fully aroused, they are sometimes known by the slang terms "showers" and "growers" respectively.

	===Normal variations===
	Depending on temperature, a flaccid (not erect) penis of normal size can withdraw almost completely within the body. Such a penis will be of normal size when erect - not unusually small.

	Other variations:
	* ''Pearly penile papules'' are raised bumps of somewhat paler color around the base of the glans and are normal.
	* ] are small, raised, yellowish-white spots 1-2mm in diameter that may appear on the penis, as well as the inner surface and ] of the lips of the face, and are normal. See ''Pearly penile papules'' for a picture.
	* ''Sebaceous prominences'' are similar raised bumps on the shaft of the penis, located at the ]s and are normal.
	* ], an inability to retract the foreskin fully, is harmless in infants and pre-pubescent males, occurring in about 8 percent of boys at age 10. See ] for a more complete discussion.

	===Disorders affecting the penis===
	] (swelling) of the foreskin can result from sexual activity, including ]. It appears worrying but so long as the foreskin is in its normal position and blood flow is present it's harmless. See ''paraphimosis'' for situations where the foreskin can't be moved to its normal position or the swelling persists. If the condition recurrs regularly, medical advice should be obtained, since it can be a symptom of conditions such as chronic heart disease. ('''')

	''Pathological Phimosis''--where a non-retracting foreskin is accompanied by pain or physiological distress, or affects physical hygiene, requires treatment which can be surgical or non-surgical according to the severity of the condition. See ] for more details.

	] is an inability to move the foreskin forward over the glans. It can result from fluid trapped in a foreskin which is left retracted, perhaps following a medical procedure, or accumulation of fluid in the foreskin because of friction during vigorous sexual activity. Applying pressure to compress the glans, then moving the foreskin to its normal position is the initial procedure to follow, perhaps with the assistance of a lubricant. Placing the penis in normal granulated sugar can reduce the swelling via osmosis. If the condition persists for more than several hours or there's a sign of lack of blood flow, a hard glans with no erection or an inability to urinate, it should be treated as a medical emergency.

	In ], anomalous scar tissue grows in the soft tissue of the penis, causing curvature. Severe cases can benefit from surgical correction.

	A ] can occur during periods of frequent and prolonged sexual activity, especially ]. It is usually harmless and self-corrects within a few weeks.

	] is a condition characterized by pain on sitting and loss of penile (or clitoral) sensation and orgasm. Occasionally there is a total loss of sensation and orgasm. The ] can be damaged by narrow hard cycle seats and accidents.

	] can occur if the erect penis is bent excessively. A pop or cracking sound and pain is normally associated with this event. Emergency medical assistance should be obtained, after which long term consequences are usually prevented. In one study , the few patients suffering permanent penile curvature were the ones who had waited longest before seeking treatment.

	In ], ] can cause tingling in the penile skin and possibly reduced or completely absent sensation. The reduced sensations can lead to injuries for either partner and their absence can make it impossible to have sexual pleasure through stimulation of the penis. Since the problems are caused by permanent nerve damage, preventative treatment through good control of the diabetes is the primary treatment. Some limited recovery may be possible through improved diabetes control.

	], sometimes called erectile dysfunction or ''ED'', is the inability to have and maintain an erection sufficiently firm for satisfactory sexual performance. A wide variety of generally effective treatments are available. Diabetes is a leading cause, as is normal aging.

	] is a painful and potentially harmful medical condition in which the erect penis does not return to its flaccid state. The causative mechanisms are poorly understood but involve complex neurological and vascular factors. Potential complications include ischaemia, thrombosis, and impotence. In serious cases the condition may result in gangrene, which may necessitate amputation.

	====Developmental disorders of the penis====
	] is a ] where the ] is positioned wrongly at birth. Hypospadias can also occur ]ally by the downward pressure of an indwelling urethral catheter. It is usually corrected by surgery.

	A ] is a very small penis caused by developmental problems.

	====Psychological disorders related to the penis====
	*] - ] of shrinkage of the penis and retraction into the body
	*] - the contested ]ian belief of a woman ]ing men for having a penis

	===Altering the male genitalia===
	<div style="float:right; margin-left:10px; margin-right:10px; width:300px; text-align:center">
	]
	]<br>
	<small>''An uncircumcised penis, a circumcised penis''
	</small>
	</div>
	''Main article: ]''

	The most prevalent form of genital alteration in some countries is ]: for various cultural, religious, and more rarely medical reasons, part or all of the foreskin is removed. In many cases, such as in some United States hospitals, the ] and part of the shaft skin is also removed.

	Less commonly, the penis is sometimes ] or decorated by other ], usually for the purpose of aesthetics, or increased sensitivity. Piercings of the penis include the ], the ], the ], the ], and the ]. ] or stretching is a further form of body modification.

	Other practices which alter the penis are also performed, although they are rare in Western societies without a diagnosed medical condition. Apart from a ], perhaps the most radical of these is ], in which the urethra is split along the underside of the penis. Subincision originated among ]s, although it is now done by some in the U.S. and Europe.

	===Fears and reassurance===
	Possibly due to shame inculcated in regard to genitalia, some people suffer from misunderstandings and resultant fear.

	] is a kind of hysteria that appears to be culturally conditioned and largely limited to Sudan, China, Japan, and South-east Asia.

	As mentioned earlier, the ] is the visible ridge between the lateral halves of the penis, found on the ventral or under side of the penis, running from the meatus (opening of the urethra) across the scrotum to the perineum (area between scrotum and anus). This "scar" is actually the "biological zipper" that closes the urethra during the normal course of fetal development. When the urethra does not close normally, the resulting condition is called ]. Surgery is required to close the urethra. Treatment may involve multiple surgeries and attendant pain.

	<!-- is there any evidence of this whatsoever? commented out in expectation of an example. -- Adolescent males trying to ] successfully for the first time, and ignorant of the utility of lubricants, may chafe themselves and become fearful due to having learned "myths" about penile cancer. -->Other beliefs involve the idea that ] can cause insanity or blindness.

	In childhood, according to the study ''Paediatric penile trauma'', male circumcision is the most common form of genital trauma; it occurred in two-thirds of the physical traumas examined (El-Bahnasawy 2002)


	==Non-human penises==
	]
	Most ], except for the two largest species of ]s, have a bifurcated penis. That is, it separates into two separate columns, and so the penis terminates in two ends. The ] has ] control over his penis, so he sometimes uses it as an ] ] with which to probe the ocean floor. The ] has the longest penis for its own length: up to twenty times the length of the animal.

	The ] is devoted entirely to collecting penis specimens from all the land and sea mammals living in Iceland. The museum has received a legally-certified gift token for a future specimen belonging to ''Homo sapiens''.

	==See also==
	{{commons\|Penis}}
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	==External links==
	* (actual-size chart suitable for printing out and comparing)
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	* Note: This is an anti-circumcision website.
	* Note: This is an anti-circumcision website.

	{{reproductive_system}}

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Revision as of 23:23, 25 April 2005

What the hell do you think?!