Grower Vs Shower: What Flaccid Size Says About Erect Size

Short answer: A “shower” looks about the same size soft as hard, while a “grower” looks small when flaccid and gains much more length with an erection. Both are completely normal. In The Definitive Penis Size Survey, the average penis nearly doubled in length from flaccid to erect, and men with the shortest flaccid penises grew the most. That is why flaccid size, the only size most men ever see on other men, is such a poor guide to erect size.

Average Flaccid Penis Size

Measurement	Clinical Average	SizeSurvey Average
Flaccid length	3.6″ (9.2 cm)	3.4″ (8.6 cm)
Flaccid girth	3.7″ (9.3 cm)	Not measured
Erect length	5.2″ (13.1 cm)	6.4″ (16.2 cm)

The clinical figures come from a 2015 review in BJU International by Veale and colleagues, based on more than 15,000 men measured by health professionals. The SizeSurvey figures come from 2,545 adult men who measured themselves. Self-reported erect lengths run high, while flaccid measurements are similar in both.

How Much Does A Penis Grow When Erect?

In our survey, the average penis grew by 197.9% in length from flaccid to erect, meaning the erect length was close to double the flaccid length. But the amount of growth depended heavily on flaccid size:

• Men with a flaccid length of 80 mm (3.1 inches) or less grew by an average of 263%.
• Men with a flaccid length over 80 mm grew by an average of 165%.

The difference was highly significant. In other words, a smaller flaccid penis tends to gain much more when erect, which evens out a lot of the difference you see in the locker room.

What Is A Grower And What Is A Shower?

“Grower” and “shower” are slang, not medical terms, but there is research behind them. A 2018 study in the International Journal of Impotence Research by Yafi and colleagues measured 274 men before and after a medically induced erection. They defined a grower as a man who gained 4 cm (about 1.6 inches) or more:

• About 26% were growers, gaining an average of 5.3 cm (2.1 inches).
• About 74% were showers, gaining an average of 3.1 cm (1.2 inches).
• Flaccid length was the same in both groups, but the growers ended up with longer erections on average.
• Younger age was the strongest predictor of being a grower.

The men in that study were being evaluated for erectile problems, so the exact percentages may differ in the general population, but the pattern matches our survey: flaccid size does not tell you much about erect size.

Why Flaccid Size Changes So Much

In our survey, flaccid length varied far more between men than erect length did. Flaccid size also changes in the same man from hour to hour, because the smooth muscle in the penis contracts and relaxes. Your penis will look smaller when you are:

• Cold, in cold water or just out of a pool
• Anxious or nervous, for example in a locker room
• Just after exercise, when blood is directed to working muscles
• Recently after ejaculation

And it will look larger in a warm shower or bath, when you are relaxed or partly aroused. This is why comparing your flaccid penis to other men’s says almost nothing about how you measure up.

Am I A Grower Or A Shower?

Measure your flaccid length in a warm room when you are relaxed, then your erect length using the same method. If your erect length is 1.6 inches (4 cm) or more longer than your flaccid length, you are a grower by the research definition. See our guide on how to measure your penis for the right technique, then enter your erect numbers in the Penis Size Visualizer to see your percentile.

Is It Better To Be A Grower Or A Shower?

Neither. What matters during sex is erect size, firmness and how you use it, and growers and showers end up in the same range. If you are a grower who feels self-conscious in locker rooms, it may help to know that your flaccid size is hiding a normal erect size. If worry about your size is affecting your life, read Am I Too Small?

Frequently Asked Questions