Question: How can you tell if a cock ring is too tight, too loose, or just the right fit? I feel it's very tight when my penis is flaccid, and it worries me if there might be issues when erect.
Answer: Blood flows into the penis through the deep arteries within penile tissues. Blood exits the penis through the dorsal veins near the surface at the top of the penis. The idea behind a cock ring is that pressure can compress the dorsal veins on the penis's surface, slowing down the outflow of blood. However, the pressure should not be enough to prevent blood from flowing into the penis through the deep arteries.
In general, this process is quite effective as arteries are deeper in the penis and harder to compress. However, as you rightly pointed out, if the cock ring is too tight, it can cause concerns by preventing blood from flowing into the penis through the arteries.
The answer depends on how tight the cock ring is, and conducting some experiments can help find the right tightness.
If the penis is still soft (flaccid), initially slowing down blood flow into the penis is acceptable. In this case, the soft penis allows the ring to compress enough to slow down blood flow. You can observe the expansion at the base of the ring to judge if this is happening. It's a sign of blood entering the penis as it starts to erect but can't pass through the compressed arteries.
When this happens, we recommend gently compressing the base of the penis to force blood out. This compression should be gentle yet forceful. If gentle/forceful compression cannot force blood through, it indicates the cock ring is too tight.
Once blood is squeezed out, the penis will start to swell and erect. As the erection begins, the cock ring will expand with the penis. Therefore, the expanded cock ring will no longer compress the arteries deep in the penis, allowing blood to flow freely into the penis.
Summary:
If the ring is too tight and uncomfortable, it's too small; try a larger size.
If the ring feels tight but not uncomfortable, and blood can be squeezed through with gentle/forceful compression, the size is right.
If it's hard to squeeze blood through, and blood still pools at the base after erection, the cock ring is too small.
If there's pain or numbness, the cock ring is too small.
If the cock ring feels very comfortable but is not effective, it might be too large.
Remember, you can try different sizes, as cock ring manufacturers produce a variety of sizes. Always choose a cock ring that suits you instead of using an ill-fitting one.