Urological Health Penis Health Can a Penis Get Smaller Permanently? When you need to worry about shrinkage By Jerry Kennard Jerry Kennard, PhD, is a psychologist and associate fellow of the British Psychological Society. Learn about our editorial process Jerry Kennard Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Jason DelCollo, DO on November 22, 2019 Jason DelCollo, DO, board-certified in family medicine. He is associate faculty at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine as well as adjunct faculty with the Crozer Family Medicine Residency Program, and is an attending physician at Glen Mills Family Medicine in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania. Learn about our Medical Review Board Jason DelCollo, DO Updated on May 08, 2020 Print Table of Contents View All Appearance With Age Medical Causes Regaining or Retaining Size Many men worry about penis size, particularly if their penis appears to become smaller over time. The reality is that flaccid penis size may have little or nothing to do with erect penis size and, of course, penis size has absolutely nothing to do with masculinity. Nevertheless, it's true that your penis may change length, usually for completely benign reasons. Appearance of Penis Shrinking With Age Your penis may look smaller as you grow older—due to decreased blood flow and testosterone in the region—but it's just the appearance of shrinkage. Multiple studies have confirmed there's no link between age and length of a flaccid penis. Some men also gain weight in the belly area as they grow older and, as a result, their penis can appear smaller without it actually being smaller. This is because excess belly fat can flop down and extend out over the base of the penis, making it appear shorter. Research has also shown that long periods of impotence or celibacy can result in some loss of size to the genitals. This is something men are more likely to struggle with as they age, though there are many men who grapple with erectile dysfunction even at younger ages. Medical Causes of Penis Shrinkage Outside of normal passage-of-time effects, there are certain health conditions that can result in shrinkage. Perhaps the most common of these conditions is prostate surgery, which can result in losing up to 2 inches of flaccid length. Certain medications can also lead to a shrinking penis, including: Adderall, typically prescribed for attention deficit hypersensitivity disorder (ADHD)Antidepressants and antihypertensivesAvodart (dutasteride), used to treat an enlarged prostateProscar (finasteride), used to treat both an enlarged prostate and hair loss Regaining or Retaining Penis Size Fortunately, most partners don't care about size anyway and, in some cases, if the penis is especially large, it can cause discomfort for the other person. So while the loss in length can be distressing, especially if you weren't expecting it, you should feel secure in the knowledge that there are so many ways to ensure a fulfilling sex life, and penis length doesn't even rank on that list. That said, however, there are some basic tips for regaining or retaining penis size: If you are overweight, lose weight. This will reduce the appearance of a shrinking penis.If you are on medications, review them carefully to determine if any are on the list above. If so, ask your doctor about appropriate substitutions.Physical exercise can actually help with penis size because it improves blood flow throughout the body. However, specific penis exercises may cause damage.Drinking plenty of water can make a difference in penis size.Avoid tight underwear and pants. When you constrict blood flow, you can actually reduce penis size. The Truth About Penile Enlargement Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Veale D, Miles S, Bramley S, Muir G, Hodsoll J. Am I normal? A systematic review and construction of nomograms for flaccid and erect penis length and circumference in up to 15,521 men. BJU Int. 2015;115(6):978-86. doi:10.1111/bju.13010 Veale D, Miles S, Read J, Troglia A, Wylie, K, Muir G. Sexual Functioning in Small Penis Anxiety. Sexual Medicine. 2015;3:147-155. doi:10.1002/sm2.63 Berookhim BM, Nelson CJ, Kunzel B, Mulhall JP, Narus JB. Prospective analysis of penile length changes after radical prostatectomy. BJU Int. 2014;113(5b):E131-6. doi:10.1111/bju.12443 Scranton RE, Goldstein I, Stecher VJ. Erectile dysfunction diagnosis and treatment as a means to improve medication adherence and optimize comorbidity management. J Sex Med. 2013;10(2):551-61. doi:10.1111/j.1743-6109.2012.02998.x