Dating can be a minefield at the best of times but when you're one of the rare people with a 'micropenis', it's 10 times harder.
A 36-year-old man from North Carolina, who has the 'world's smallest penis', has opened up about the impact of not being well-endowed has on his life, including how his sexual relationships have suffered.
A 'micropenis' is defined as an atypically small penis which measures 3.67 inches or less, which is 'discovered in infancy or early childhood', according to Cleveland Clinic.
Michael Phillips' manhood measures just under an inch, meaning he definitely fits the requirements of having the rare medical condition.
Advert
“I’m still not sure that I have yet fully come to terms with having a micropenis,” Phillips told IGV Official in a resurfaced interview.
The condition impacts only 0.6 percent of the global population and is understood to be as a results of a 'fetal testosterone deficiency'.
In his early years, Phillips presumed he was just smaller than average and held onto the hope that he was just a late developer whose manhood would eventually grow.
Sadly for the American, this never happened.
The reduced size of his manhood has led to him facing several issues throughout his life.
“The biggest challenges I’ve faced [are] having a sexual relationship and still being a virgin and being able to talk about it openly because of how embarrassing of a topic it is,” Phillips said.
He recalled an incident during his high school years where a girl saw his 'micropenis' and proceeded to laugh at him, which resulted in him avoiding dating and relationships for a long time.
“I have had a couple experiences of having sex and wasn’t able to get it in and everything,” Phillips admitted in an interview with The Sun. “From there I just stopped trying to date and lost interest in it.”
His frustration from these experiences led to him seeking medical advice and he then learned of the medical condition he has.
Learning of the true reason behind his below average manhood enabled Phillips to be more accepting of its size.
He urged people to be more aware of the medical condition as many believe if a man has a small penis there's no reason behind it, but this is clearly incorrect in some cases.
The 36-year-old is now raising awareness of his conditions with the aim of helping other sufferers accept their 'micropenis'.
“You can choose to be happy just being here in this great world we live in,” Phillips urged. “Find people you are confident in sharing your problem with, and they might surprise you with how understanding and accepting they are.”
Topics: Health, Sex and Relationships, Community
Danni King