As a woman, I can only imagine how frustrating and disheartening it would be, to purchase a “regular-sized” condom… only to discover it was too large.
Well, if this has ever happened to you – you’re not alone! And, the FDA finally has realized that smaller condom sizes are needed in the US.
Recent CDC figures on condom use revealed just a third of single men use condoms regularly and one of the most common reasons for non-users is they ‘slip off’.
A study by Indiana University on almost 2,000 men revealed the average erect penis length is 5.57 inches – about an inch shorter than the standard condom size. The average condom size, in America, is 6.69 inches.
Now the Food and Drug Administration, which regulates health industry standards, has conceded that there is a need for smaller condoms in a desperate bid to lower the rates of sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies.
Regular-sized condoms can vary greatly in size, ranging all the way up to 8.3 inches long, and around 4.1 inches in circumference.
These average sized condoms, according to an American-based condom manufacturer, only fit 12 percent of men. The rest have varying widths and lengths that are not catered to by the one-size-fits-all approach.
These figures sit in line with scientific research.
The most high-profile study, conducted by Dr Debby Herbenick at Indiana University, asked 1,661 men in the U.S. to give the size of their penis. Researchers were not involved in the measuring, leaving this practical aspect to each individual.
According to Dr. Herbenick, she trusted men to give accurate measurements, since any exaggeration would simply leave them with a poor-fitting condom.
‘If they reported a bigger-than-reality size to us, they would get a baggier condom,’ she said. ‘If they reported a smaller-than-reality size to us, the condom would be too tight.’
The study documented varying lengths – from 1.5 inches to just over 10 inches.
Of course, the self-reporting aspect of this study leaves some questions to its accuracy, in addition, the method for achieving erection was left to the participant’s discretion, which could affect size. The research team also found that the size of the erect penis varied depending on how it was achieved. Oral sex proved more arousing than masturbation or being stimulated only by sexual fantasies.
However, one thing remained consistent – “regular-sized” condoms are often too big for the average American male.
So, what’s the problem with having a condom that’s too large?
Obviously, if a condom comes off during sex, it’s not going to be effective in preventing pregnancy or protecting you against STDs. Now, this might not seem to be a worry, if the condom is simply too long, but, as you’ll see in the graphics below, there are several potential issues with condoms that don’t fit properly.
