QUESTION: I have a curved penis and I’ve always been really conscious. Is this normal?

For many of us born in the 80s and 90s, the first we heard about a curved penis was while watching Clueless. The film’s three main characters — Tai, Cher and Dion — are sitting in a restaurant booth at the mall talking about sex. At one point, Tai says the one thing that would stop her from having sex with someone is if their “thing” is crooked. 

Which brings us to the topic of today: is it normal to have a curved penis? According to a 2018 study, nearly 20% of people with a penis have a curvature of some kind. Meaning, this is a pretty common occurrence. That’s right, kids. It is extremely common and not at all a weird thing.

Yet, people still feel self-conscious about it. Thank you, terrible sex education system and unrealistic expectations set by porn! 

Yeah, it’s normal to have a curved dick.

The short answer: absolutely, yes, it’s completely and totally normal. Honestly, it’s actually less common for a penis to be perfectly straight. 

Every body part is slightly different and to have a totally straight wiener every single time would be kind of strange. 

The causes of penis curves

Did you know that the penis contains two chambers called the corpus cavernosum? 

Yep, it isn’t just one simple bit of anatomy. When a penis becomes erect, blood flows into the chambers, stiffening the spongy tissue. Thus, an erection is born. 

According to data from The Mayo Clinic, a curve happens when blood doesn’t fill these chambers evenly or when one chamber is slightly shorter than the other. This is completely normal. Every penis is unique, and the way they look varies widely. So, if you’re the owner of a curved penis, you can rest assured that differences in genital anatomy are simply a thing that happens in nature.

Curved penises and sexual performance: Is there a connection?

If you have a curved penis, your sexual performance will not be negatively impacted. There is zero evidence to support that having a slight curve will affect your erections or your ability to give or receive pleasure. 

In fact, curves can sometimes improve pleasure. Say what?! Yes.

This happens because of the placement of the G-spot, the area in the back part of the clitoral structure that sits inside of the body. To reach it, you can insert two fingers into the vagina and curve your fingers up behind the pubic bone. Hence, if your penis is curved in a way that allows you access to the G-spot, you’re in a pretty awesome position, my friends. 

What to do if you have a curved penis and it’s making you anxious.

The best way to dispel shame around how genitals look is to talk about them and normalize them. When we don’t know we’re normal, we’re subject to all kinds of false messaging.

It can really help to educate yourself. For some people, it can help to learn by reading and listening to podcasts. They help you feel less alone, you know?

What else? Chat to your partner. Ask for reassurance. Most of the time, they want to give it to us. When we’re able to seek validation from our partners, it can make us feel more at peace with ourselves.

When a curve might be a problem.

A curved penis could be a problem in some cases, especially if a bend appears suddenly. If the curve of the penis is extreme (think: more than five to 20 degrees) and causing pain with erections or urinating, you definitely want to see a doctor ASAP. 

This could be a sign of Peyronie’s disease. Some people with Peyonie’s disease may experience erectile difficulties, which could stem from the emotional or physical distress of managing its symptoms. 

Lastly, in super extreme cases, a curved penis may result from trauma to the penis through injury. Again, because it bears repeating, this is an extreme situation. We just want you to have all the information in the interest of science.

The bottom line is that a lot of penises are curved, and it’s very normal. Only in rare cases is it something to be concerned about. We need to do away with these unrealistic expectations of how genitals should look. Everyone is different, and it’s all glorious. 

Now, go have an orgasm and don’t be so hard on yourself. 

XOXO GIGI

Part of this blog post originally appeared on InsideHook.