Italian stallion: Mars wasn't quite as shy about the size of his manhood judging by this restored Italian statue - but an increasing number of Italian men are opting to undergo penis enlargement surgery, according to a doctor
They are known for their Lothario ways, with the mere thought of being swept of their feet by an Italian stallion making many British women go weak at the knees.
But it seems that Italian men are not quite as confident as you might think.
A top Italian plastic surgeon has claimed that 'changing room syndrome' is causing a surge in the number of men opting to undergo penis enlargement surgery.
Dr Alessandro Littara, director of the Centre for Sexual Medicine in Milan, has revealed that the number of surgical procedures to boost men's manhood is on the rise by as much as 25 per cent every year in the Mediterranean country.
Despite the operation costing between £2,500 and £6,000, the centre, which specialises in penis enlargement, carried out 300 procedures in the past year.
The high cost of the operation - formally known as penoplasty - means that it is mainly men aged between 30 and 50 who are opting to go under the knife, as they are most likely to be able to afford it.
According to Dr Littara, patients usually request that their penis is made thicker, with some wanting it longer and others wanting both.
Dr Littara told The Independent that most men don't want surgery to satisfy their partners - many are married - but instead puts the surge down to what he calls 'changing room syndrome'.
He says that many men are merely trying to keep up with their peers.
He said: 'With everyone seeing images of the body the whole time these days, men are more aware and worried about their bodies - all the parts are important and the genitals are no exception.
'We're living in the age of images, with sexual ones very often on the front page,' he told Adnkronos news agency.
'So sex gets more attention and people feel the need to be more competitive.'
But the surgeon added that many men have no need to stress over the size of their manhood and he often has to turn people away.
He said that some have unrealistic expectations while others show signs of psychological damage.
Risky: The procedure does have its risks however - a 2011 study found an 'unacceptably high' rate of complications in penoplasty operations
The idea that Italian men might not be so confident in the trouser department will come as a surprise given that even former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has something of a reputation as a lothario, with his sexual exploits previously landing him in hot water.
But the decision of many to opt for surgery is not only a drastic one in terms of finances, the procedure is certainly not without its risks - a study by the University of Turin in 2011 found that the operation had an 'unacceptably high' rate of complications.
Compared to their counterparts from other European countries however, it seems that Italian men have little to worry about.
According to a 2012 survey by Richard Lynn, emeritus professor of psychology at Ulster University, of international penis size Italian men are better endowed than chaps from Germany, the UK, France and Spain.
The research claimed that the Italian average was 6.2 inches when erect compared to a British average of 5.5.
The only European country to top Italy in the table was Iceland with an average of 6.5 inches.
Men from the Republic of Congo had the biggest penises, with an average of 7.1 inches.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2405347/Top-surgeon-claims-demand-penis-enlargement-operations-rises-25-cent-year-Italian-men.html#ixzz2dPq5pSey
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