A full-blown erection may be experienced during a sexual encounter, during a massage (either intimate or therapeutic), in the morning (as in morning wood), or at other random moments. A full-blown erection can be embarrassing if it happens at an inopportune moment. However, a full-blown erection is desirable for sexual penetration, whether it’s vaginal or anal.
Many male erections are not full-blown and are known as partial erections. During a partial erection, the penis becomes harder and larger, but it is not completely hard.
Certain factors may inhibit a man’s ability to experience a full-blown erection, including fatigue, anxiety, stress, the consumption of alcohol, some medications, and erectile dysfunction.