Cuban Sexologist: Penis Enlargement Not Necessary

A Cuban health expert focusing on sex and sexual function says that young men dissatisfied with the size of their penises should not opt for enlargement, but rather learn how to use what they already have more effectively, the AFP reported on Oct. 8.

"Self esteem and knowledge" about how to please a partner were more important for satisfying sex than penis length, said Ramiro Fragas, who is a sexologist with Cuba's Ministry of Health. Fragas said that the Cuban men measured up to what is considered average penis size internationally: between 4 and 6 inches.

Fragas said that in Cuba there is a "significant" trend among young men to seek penis enlargement. But just because the crowd is doing it doesn't mean it's a good thing: The sexologist warned that procedures to increase penis size usually resulted in a mere additional "one or two centimeters," with the overall effect--what the AFP article referred to as the "aesthetics" of the post-procedure male organ--possibly being impacted negatively.

Fragas framed the issue in terms of heterosexual interaction, saying, "It is not necessary that the penis be so long to encourage a woman... because she has many areas of erotic stimulation," the APF article reported.

Fragas' comments were part of an interview published in youth newspaper Juventud Rebelde.

In America, too, men clamor for penis enlargement, and TV ads, junk mail, and spam reflect the desire for greater endowment, noted Web MD Men's Health article.

"Guys ask me about it all the time," Harvard Medical School urologist Michael O'Leary told Web MD. "They say they'll do anything to have a bigger penis." However, medical science can't really help much, and neither can vacuum pumps or herbal products.

"It's pretty much bunk," O'Leary said.

Web MD also noted that many men who seek penis enlargement may suffer from a psychiatric condition called penile dysmorphic disorder.

"It's similar to the perceptual distortion of anorexics who still think they're fat no matter how stick thin they get," the Web MD article explained. "According to one study, the majority of men who get penis enlargement surgery have this condition. They are also the least satisfied with the results."

Fragas' prescription for better self-esteem and more detailed fact-based understanding of human sexuality is in line with recommendations for men who struggle with other sexually-related issues, such as premature ejaculation or impotence. While a physiological root cause may be at work in some cases, low self-esteem or performance anxiety often has a significant impact.