Penile Enlargement Surgery
Penile length and girth vary from person to person as a result of genetic factors, racial characteristics, inadequate nutrition in the womb or in the first years of life, and hormonal problems. Advancing age is also known to be a factor that reduces penile length. The size and shape of the penis can influence patterns of behaviour, not least because the organ is seen as a symbol of strength among men. Indeed, as they begin to discover their sexual identity many men question the size of their penis, and when the answer does not meet their expectations they can experience both physical and psychological problems. The number of men who cannot reach sufficient satisfaction during intercourse, who cannot satisfy their partner — or believe they cannot — and who as a result develop performance anxiety and go on to encounter sexual function disorders such as premature ejaculation and erection problems, is far from small. Where penile length and girth fall short of ideal measurements, or where the penis is of ideal size but still causes the person anxiety, penile enlargement surgery allows us both to lengthen the penis and to increase its girth — and to carry out every change in a single operation, under a single anaesthetic.
Penile enlargement surgery has been chosen more and more often in recent years, and I therefore encounter a great many questions about it. I will answer questions such as “What is penile enlargement surgery?”, “Who should have it?” and “How is it performed?” — but first I would like to focus on that famous question so many men wonder about.
What Is a Normal Penis Size?
In essence, a “normal” or “ideal” penile length is not something that can be confined to exact figures. I would say that the penile dimensions considered ideal are those that do not make urination difficult, that allow sexual function to be carried out, and that provide satisfaction for the partner as well.
There is more to it, of course.
As I see constantly, the answer to “what should the ideal penile length be?” is a subject of great curiosity. Focusing solely on length when discussing ideal size is far from the right approach. Girth is just as much a criterion that directly affects the pleasure a couple takes during intercourse.
- An erect length of 13.12 cm,
- and an erect girth of 11.66 cm are the figures we would describe as ideal or normal.
While we are on the subject, I would also like to mention the medical condition known as micropenis. Where the penis does not have sufficient length for sexual intercourse and satisfaction, the condition is termed micropenis. It presents as a reflection of genetic and hormonal problems. An erect length of 9.3 cm or less indicates the presence of micropenis.
Men who do not have ideal penile dimensions — or who, even with a penis larger than standard, are unhappy with its size and experience psychological difficulties, performance anxiety above all — can achieve greater length and girth through penile enlargement surgery. Both they and their partners can then meet with a more satisfying and healthier sex life.
So what is penile enlargement surgery, and how is it performed? Let us go into the operation in detail together.
What Is Penile Enlargement Surgery?
Surgery in which the length and girth of the penis are increased is called penile enlargement surgery. As the name suggests, the operation may involve lengthening, girth enhancement, or both. To clear up any uncertainty about how it is performed, I would like to take the two operations separately.
How Is Penile Lengthening Surgery Performed?
Men who cannot have intercourse because of penile length, who together with their partner cannot reach satisfaction during intercourse, and who feel anxiety about their length, can achieve a permanent increase through penile lengthening surgery.
There is no drug treatment or non-surgical application that can increase penile length. The method used most often is a surgical one, based on cutting roughly 80% of the suspensory ligament that attaches the penis to the abdominal wall, thereby releasing the portion of the penis that remains inside the body.
The suspensory ligament attaches the penis to the pubic bone. This connection between the penis and the pubic bone helps keep part of the penis inside the body. When 80% of the ligament is cut, there is no longer any support holding that portion inside, and the penis can be made longer both when flaccid and when erect.
At this point I would like to make an important note.
For the length gained through penile lengthening surgery to be apparent when erect as well, patients must not have excessive fat accumulation at the base of the penis — the area where hair growth is dense — and must not neglect the exercises recommended after the operation.
Although it varies from person to person, penile lengthening surgery allows us to achieve an increase of 3–4 cm in our patients’ penile length. That increase is permanent provided the exercises recommended after surgery are performed without interruption. Even so, some shortening may be encountered due to changes in penile anatomy that come with age. This has nothing to do with the lengthening surgery itself.
How Is Penile Girth Enhancement Performed?
The other operation carried out under penile enlargement surgery is girth enhancement. There is an important connection between penile girth and sexual satisfaction. The pressure the penis exerts on the vaginal walls during intercourse is what allows intercourse to end in satisfaction for both the man and the woman. I cannot therefore overlook the fact that girth is just as important a variable as length.
During girth enhancement surgery we take fat from beneath the skin of the patient’s anterior abdominal wall using special syringes, without making any incision in the skin, and pass it through a set of specialised filtering processes. The fat we obtain is then injected into the subcutaneous area of the penis prepared for the procedure.
Girth enhancement — which may also be called fat injection into the penis — differs from lengthening surgery in that it is not permanent for life. Because around 50% of the fat tissue injected beneath the skin is absorbed by the body within an average of one to three years, the penis can return to something close to its former appearance. In younger patients this period may be longer. The procedure is safe, however, and can be repeated during a person’s sexually active years provided six months pass between injections. Non-surgical girth enhancement with filler can also be used afterwards.
Having introduced the operations we perform under penile enlargement surgery, I would like to give some information on questions such as which anaesthetic should be used and how long the operation takes.
Which Anaesthetic Should Be Used?
Before penile enlargement surgery we decide together with our patients on the most appropriate anaesthetic method. Although the operation can be performed under general anaesthetic, we generally prefer spinal anaesthesia: during the operation the patient temporarily has no sensation below the waist only. They can chat with us during surgery, listen to music, or sleep if they wish.
How Long Does Penile Enlargement Surgery Take?
When lengthening and girth enhancement are performed at the same time, penile enlargement surgery is completed in two to three hours. These are comfortable procedures, and afterwards the patient stays in hospital for one day and can be discharged the following day, walking out unaided.
Everything so far is clear — but who should have penile enlargement surgery, and who is considered a suitable candidate?
Who Should Have Penile Enlargement Surgery?
Penile enlargement surgery cannot be assessed purely as penile aesthetics. Some men experience physiological or psychological problems because of short length and/or reduced girth. Neither they nor their partners can reach satisfaction during intercourse. This damages family relationships and gives rise to performance anxiety in men — and that anxiety can in turn lead to sexual function disorders such as premature ejaculation and erection problems.
Penile enlargement surgery may therefore be requested by the male patient or by his partner. Although the operation can be performed on many men in general, there are some basic suitability criteria.
Penile enlargement surgery is suitable for men who:
- have realistic expectations regarding the lengthening and girth enhancement carried out under it,
- cannot reach sufficient satisfaction during intercourse because of penile dimensions,
- are unhappy with their penile length and experience problems with self-confidence.
A Final Word
I would say that men who are satisfied during intercourse and who satisfy their partner have their “own” ideal penile dimensions. But not every man experiences that satisfaction. Today, thanks to the advantages offered by both anaesthesia and surgical techniques, penile enlargement surgery is completed comfortably. After surgery, quality of sexual life increases and a more confident period begins for the man. As always, of course, correct patient selection and surgical experience are important variables. Care should therefore be taken when deciding on the enlargement operation and on the urology and andrology specialist who will perform it.