This section describes some of the anatomical points of interest of the penis and the surrounding countryside.

The shaft is the main body of the tube, located between the body and the glans. The skin on this area is loose and is not attached to the structures inside. Usually soft and spongy when the penis is flaccid, the shaft becomes harder, straighter, and more rigid when erect.

The head, or “glans” (if you want to be more technical) is the knobby bit at the end of the penis. This is one of the more sensitive zones of the penis, and can sometimes be too uncomfortably so. The head can sort of “puff up” during an erection.

The urethra is a small hole, usually located at the tip of the head. Urine exits the body through this hole, and this is also where semen comes out during ejaculation.

The frenulum is a band of skin that connects between the head and the foreskin/shaft, located on the ventral (testicle side) of the penis. This is one of the more sensitive zones.

In some circumcisions, the frenulum is completely removed along with the foreskin.

This is a ridge or overhang that circles the base of head where it connects with the shaft. This is the part that give the head its mushroom or helmet shape.

The foreskin is a fold of skin at the end of the shaft that forms a pocket which will often entirely cover the head of the penis when flaccid. When erect, the foreskin often gets pulled back to rest along the shaft, exposing the head.

A large number of people who have penises have had some or all this region removed (often involuntarily as infants) in an operation called a circumcision.

This is a shapeshifting bag of skin containing the testicles, located just below the base of the penis where it meets the torso.

Also commonly referred to as “balls”, these are small egg-shaped lumps inside the scrotum. Their primary purpose is to produce sperm cells and various hormones, and they can be the source of acute pain when mistreated.

Pubic hair is a tuft of short, curled hairs located above and around the penis and covering the scrotum and perineal area. People who apparently enjoy being really itchy will sometimes shave this hair off for some reason.

The perineum is a zone between the legs, behind the testicles and in front of the anus. The base of the penis extends through this area, so it can be slightly sensitive and respond positively to certain kinds of pressure or stimulation.

The raphe is a thicker band of skin that runs down the ventral side of the penis, starting around the frenulum, down along the center of the scrotum, and back towards the anus. It can resemble a long scar.

The prostate is a small lump of an organ that is responsible for producing some of the fluid that goes into semen. It’s located between the penis and the rectum, a few inches inside from the perineum. For some people, prostate stimulation can be pleasurable, although its internal location can make that challenging or be off-putting.