Penis extension surgery, and other procedures that promise to elongate men’s genitals, do not work, according to a new study.
Research revealed going under the knife is not only ineffective, but is so risky that it should be considered “unethical outside of clinical trials”.
The study, which was published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, said men can be left physically or psychologically scarred from the surgery – and those who carry out the procedure are exploitative “charlatans”.
The team reviewed 17 previous studies of penis enlargement, which assessed 21 different types of procedure, both surgical and non-surgical, performed on 1,192 men, in Britain and abroad.
The researchers looked at penis enlargement procedures including silicone injections, fat injections and a surgery known as suspensory ligament incision, where the doctor makes a cut above the penis and divides the ligament that anchors it at the base.
They found men were left with problems including penile deformity, curvature, infections, non-healing wounds, numbness, sexual dysfunction and – in some cases – a shortening of the penis. Some had such bad results they had to have subsequent skin graft operations.
Needless to say, most men were displeased with the results of the procedures – the satisfaction rate was less than 20%.
“It’s wrong on every level."”
- Gordon Muir, a urologist at King’s College hospital
Lead author on the paper, Gordon Muir, a urologist at King’s College hospital in London, said: ”[The review] found overall treatment outcomes were poor, with low satisfaction rates and significant risk of major complications.”
“They can cost up to £30,000 or even £40,000, [and] often the man ends up with a penis that is disfigured,” added Muir, who said most procedures are carried out privately.
Part of the problem is that many men who undergo these procedures have a normal penis length and are suffering from body dysmorphia, found the study. Muir said providers were “preying on these vulnerable men” by offering them procedures that are of no value. “It’s wrong on every level,” he said.
The researchers did warn of the limitations of the study. It is unknown how many penile operations are performed across the UK, so it’s hard to know how representative they are of the wider experience.