Carl's major concern is his curved penis. Whether there are major medical repercussions to it is far from his mind. It is so far, he has never discussed the issue with a doctor. His worry centres on how he is viewed sexually.

"Jamaican women aren't very kind. So if you creep them out, there's no second chance," the 27-year-old said. He admitted that apart from his insecurity about how his penis is viewed aesthetically, he generally hesitates when it comes on to sex because he fears he will be unable to perform effectively.

He started noticing the bend at 18. When he had an erection, it would curve to the right. He feels no pain except when he attempts to steer it to the other side.

A curved penis is, actually, not uncommon, according to Dr Lawson Douglas, a urologist and professor. The reasons for it vary as much as the effects.

"When you think about it, 90 per cent of penises are bent," he said, explaining that it is only when the curvature is so severe that it makes sex for either partner painful or it affect the man's daily life that it is aggressively treated.

The reasons for the curvature can be congenital, that is, present from birth, like hypospadias and chordee. Under normal circumstances the urethral opening of the penis, from which urine and sperm flow, is at its tip. With hypospadias, the urethra does not form completely to the tip of the penis. It can be located anywhere along the underside of the organ and each location is usually associated with some amount of curvature.

Espipadias

With chordee, an abnormal curvature of the penis when it is erect usually occurs during a rarer condition called espipadias, according to information from www.urologyhealth.com. The penis usually turns towards the abdomen. Both conditions can be corrected using surgery.

Another condition called Peyronie's disease is also marked by curvature. It usually develops later in a man's life, when he is 50 years old and older. According to a WebMD article, "It is an abnormal curvature of the penis caused by scar tissue in the erectile tissue. Because the scar tissue prevents straightening of the penis, the curvature is most obvious during an erection. The curvature may be so severe that it prevents penetration during intercourse."

Dr Douglas explained that although there is no concrete evidence as to why Peyronie's occurs, there is some reason to believe that it may be caused by trauma (eg. hitting or bending) of the area. He said it's also associated with diabetics and those with fibrosis tissue in the hands and feet.

The symptoms of Peyronie's are distinct. There is a noticeable lump on the shaft of the penis when it is not erect. "If you can't feel a lump in the penis it is not Peyronie's," Dr Douglas explained.

Other symptoms include a noticeable curve when the penis is erect, painful erections or tenderness at the lump, an inability to maintain an erection and an inability to achieve penetration during sex.

If Peyronie's is caught during the preliminary stage, further curvature can be prevented by prescribing the patient vitamin E which is usually taken orally. In the more advanced stages it may be corrected through a relatively low risk surgery called plication, where the scar tissue is removed from the side without the scar and the penis minimally shortened. Sometimes a penile prosthesis can be used so the man can maintain an erection during sex. This doesn't usually pose a problem for the average Caribbean man. He however, reinforced "Operation is the last resort."

All curvatures are best diagnosed by a professional.

For regular curvatures which are not identified as diseases, he said, especially younger men will come in to rectify them for aesthetic reasons and also because it makes sex painful for their partner.

Grace25, found herself in with a partner who had a curved penis.

"We were making out. When I saw it I thought nothing of it at first except that it was skinny and curved, until during sex it became a problem because it was painful. It hurt for up to a week after," she said. She felt too embarrassed for him to ask if he had ever had it checked out by a doctor.

"I was sort of freaked out and I said it (intercourse) wasn't going to happen again, but it did a month later. Over time I got over it," she said.

As for Carl he is still battling with his insecurities but he said he is thinking about visiting a specialist.