When Does the Penis Stop Growing?

Are you concerned about your penis growth? Well, there's a chance your penis has not finished growing.

The male penis starts growing right at birth and generally peaks when men enter their late teenage years or early twenties.

Although genetics plays a large part in penis size, it's not the only factor contributing to penis growth throughout this timeframe.

In this article, you'll learn about the penis growth timeline and the factors affecting penis growth.

Penis Growth Timeline

Every person is unique in their timeline of growth and maturation – this includes their penis size.

For most men, the two factors that contribute to a "normal penile growth timeline" include:

1. Age of puberty onset (typically between 9 and 14 years old)
2. How fast other developmental changes are happening in your life (i.e. scrotum enlargement, public hair growth, etc.)

On average, penis growth occurs in boys between the ages of 11 to 15. The penis length will begin growing first, followed shortly after by the girth. Most young men will reach their full length or "adult size" between the ages of 18 and 21.

While some experience most growth quite rapidly, only taking a few short months, others may experience subtle changes over the years. No matter your penis growth timeline, it's important to note that the exact time you stop growing depends on many factors.

Factors Affecting Penis Growth

Some of the most common factors that affect penis growth are as follows.

1. Genetics

can play a significant role in determining penis size.

How genetics can influence our physical traits, such as height, hair color, or facial appearance, can also factor into how much the penis grows during early adulthood. Interestingly, the penis's growth spurt may vary quite a bit from one sibling to another. Even though men are all given a Y chromosome during conception, it depends more on which X chromosome they receive from their mother. That can cause one brother to have a larger penis than the other.

Interestingly, the penis's growth spurt may vary quite a bit from one sibling to another. Even though men are all given a Y chromosome during conception, it depends more on which X chromosome they receive from their mother. That can cause one brother to have a larger penis than the other.

2. Hormones

Hormones are another factor that can alter the size of your penis. Testosterone is the primary hormone involved in triggering the onset of puberty.

As testosterone levels increase, so does the size of your penis. That also stimulates the growth of facial and pubic hair, a drop in vocal tone, and a spike in libido.

Although penis size does not directly affect sexual function, it does help improve confidence. For this reason, hormone therapy has become a safe and effective method for increasing penis size in young men.

3. Diet

A healthy diet that combines a ton of fresh fruits and vegetables, fiber-rich foods, and low in saturated fats has been shown to improve the health and size of the penis.

Research has found that a diet rich in antioxidants can help improve blood flow, increase penis length, and improve the strength and function of an erection.

Some of the best antioxidant-rich foods include:

• Artichoke
• Broccoli
• Blueberries
• Goji berries
• Pumpin
• Spinach
• Strawberries
• Sweet potatoes

4. Lifestyle Habits

There are a ton of lifestyle habits, both good and bad, that can affect penis size.

On the one hand, exercise is shown to be a beneficial lifestyle habit that contributes to an increase in penis length and girth.

Like antioxidants, exercise can help improve blood flow through the penis, allowing it to grow and perform well throughout the years.

Exercise is even proven to be a protective factor against erectile problems such as premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction.

On the other hand, smoking is a harmful lifestyle habit that can cause permanent damage to the health of the penis.

Since smoking inhibits blood flow, it reduces penis growth potential and the strength and performance of an erection.

5. Stress Levels

High levels of stress can negatively impact the size of your penis.

Even from a young age, stress can play a role in altering our levels of testosterone hormone. As mentioned earlier, this is an essential hormone involved in penis growth.

Without it, men may achieve a below-average penis size by the time they have completed puberty which may result in various other health issues.

What’s the Average Penis Size?

Since there are several ways to measure an "average penis size", we focus on average erect penis length and girth (rather than flaccid penis measurements).

Research shows that the average penis length is 13.12 centimeters (5.17 inches), while the average girth is 11.66 centimeters (4.59 inches).

Although these measurements reflect the vast majority of subjects in this study, 10% of men also fell above or below these values.

When measuring your penis, it's important to remember that for the same reason, there is not one age that results in peak penis growth; there is also no single penis size that is considered "normal" for everyone.

When to Be Concerned?

When it comes to the male genitalia, the same question comes up time after time: "does penis size matter?".

Board-certified urologist Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt [1] explains that men of all sizes are likelier to perform well during sex.

Without realizing it, many men will cause more harm than good by overanalyzing or worrying about their penis size, causing even more significant problems for their sexual health and functioning. A prevalent male sexual disorder is known as erectile dysfunction.

This condition refers to men's inability to experience an erection to its full capacity (or experience less frequent erections). Often, erectile dysfunction is caused by low confidence, performance anxiety, guilt, or even depression.

As a result, some young men may perceive their penis as smaller than the average length. In this case, we recommend visiting your healthcare provider for help.

Do Women Care About Penis Size?

Even though the size of an erect penis is not shown to affect sexual pleasure, it's normal to wonder what women think about this.

When it comes down to it, most women don't mind!

Sexologist and author Dr. Jess O'Reilly [2] explains that when comparing the sexual satisfaction of couples, 94% of women report being very satisfied with their partner's penis size. In comparison, only 55% of men report this same level of satisfaction with their penis size.