When it comes to penises, they come in all shapes and sizes. They can be long or short, thick or thin, and circumcised or not. But one thing most of them have in common is the toadstool-like tip, known as the glans. This rounded shape has been linked to sexual pleasure, but is there a reason why it’s shaped like that?
Mushroom-shaped penis are the result of increased blood flow to the glans during sexual arousal. This engorges the tissue, which gives it its unique mushroom-like appearance. In addition to its sexy look, the shape also enhances sexual stimulation by making it easier for the glans to make contact with the walls of the vagina during penetration. This allows for more erogenous stimulation and can lead to greater sexual pleasure for both partners during sex.
A study conducted by Gordon Gallup, Ph.D, at the State University of New York found that the mushroom-shaped glans may be an evolutionary adaptation to allow men to scoop out rival semen from their partners’ vulvae before ejaculation. In the days when birth control was nonexistent, this function would have been essential for ensuring a man’s chances of impregnating his partner.
However, not all scientists agree with the theory. Dr Daniel Boyer, a clinical pathologist and Associate Professor of Pathology at the University of Michigan, says that the mushroom-shaped glans is not an adaptation for scooping out semen from rival men’s vulvae. Instead, he suggests that the penis’ mushroom-like structure evolved to create more pleasurable sensations for both partners during sexual activity.