The inability to achieve and maintain an erection long enough for all partners to be satisfied, or erectile dysfunction (ED), is more common among older adults. Sexual functionĪs you get older, you may notice changes in sexual function, particularly in the frequency and nature of erections. Combined with the loss of skin elasticity throughout the body and the effects of gravity, the scrotum and penis can both sag and look more wrinkled with age.Ī reduction in blood flow may also lighten the color of the penis later in life. Testicular atrophy (shrinkage of the testicles) is also a normal part of aging. Penis shrinkage can occur with aging, but this does not affect the function of the penis and does not need to be addressed with medical treatment unless you’re concerned with the function of your penis. But as plaque starts to build up in the arteries throughout the body and testosterone levels start to dip (typically in your 40s), changes to the penis can become apparent. Once the penis stops growing and maturing - usually in your early 20s - it doesn’t change much for the next several years.
What happens to your penis as you get older?
