Why is the tip of the penis mushrrom shaped

PENISES come in different sizes and vary from one man to the next.

But most people will have noticed that the tip of the penis is a certain shape and looks a little bit like a mushroom.

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Posting to TikTok, one doctor has revealed why it has a resemblance to a toadstool.

Dr Karan Rajan explained: "The theory behind why the head of the penis is mushroom shaped is that it evolved as a tool to scoop out and remove the semen of love rivals.

"The hypothesise was that with every thrust of the penis, this ridge would help to clear the vagina of any competition.

"Instead replacing it with his own sperm, thus ensuring that his lineage carries on and wins first place."

'Penis mushroom shaped' is currently trending on Google due to a spike in TikTokers using the phrase.

This idea was investigated in a 2003 paper led by Professor Gordon Gallup from the State University of New York.

They tested their theory in the lab - with latex penises and model vaginas.

Mixing starch and water together, they found the ridge around the top of a man's penis could scoop out more than 90 per cent of the "semen" substitute, in just one thrust.

Prof Gallup said: "We theorise that as a consequence of competition for paternity, human males evolved uniquely configured penises that function to displace semen from the vagina left by other males.

"Thus, the human penis may enable males to substitute their semen for the semen of their competitors."

He said they found evidence that couples tend to have more energetic sex if the woman has been suspected of cheating, or if a couple has been apart.

It could, he said, be down to a sub-conscious desire to rid his partner of any trace of another man's semen.

Prof Gallup's colleague, Rebecca Burch added: "A longer penis would not only have been an advantage for leaving semen in a less accessible part of the vagina, but by filling and expanding the vagina it also would aid and abet the displacement of semen left by other males as a means of maximising the likelihood of paternity," in the study, published in the Journal of Evolutionary Psychology.

Is it normal for your penis to curve?

There are many things you might be too embarrassed to ask your GP, especially if it's to do with down below.

Dr Philippa Kaye said some penises can have a curvature.

Penises come in all shorts of shapes and sizes and you might notice that when your penis is erect that it points straight upwards or straight downwards or that it has a slight curve or bend to the left or right.

Dr Kaye said that this is normal, but if your penis has a more significant curve or it’s causing you pain or difficulties when you are having penetrative sexual intercourse then you should see your GP.

She explained: "There is a condition called peyronie's disease where there is a more significant bend and that has treatment options such as suction devices and surgery - so get it checked out if you’re worried."

The theory dates from centuries ago when women would have sex with a number of partners, to increase their chances of getting pregnant.

So, while that might be why the human penis evolved as it did, chances are it will be less important to blokes these days.

When it comes to the size of the member, Dr Philippa Kaye said most people underestimate their size.

She explained: "Now historically having a large penis has been associated with the idea that it might make you more virile or more masculine or more fertile and that’s simply not true.

"Now the size of the penis will obviously vary between people but on average a flaccid penis is about 9cm long but that does not mean there is something wrong if yours is smaller or larger than that.

"When erect they tend to range between about 13-18cm in length.

"Research has also shown that women are more likely to say they are satisfied with the size of their male partner's penis than the male in that partnership is."

She said that the last thing to remember when discussing male/female penetrative sex is that most females will not reach orgasm from penetration alone and as such the size of the penis may well not matter.

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