Penis enlargement surgery: does it really work?

There are two main types of surgeries that help increase the size of the penis, one to increase the length and the other to increase the width, however it is worth remembering that neither of them is recommended and recognized by the Brazilian Society of Urology.

Furthermore, this type of surgery usually does not bring the expected results and can even cause serious complications such as deformation of the penis, scars or infection, for example.

The need for penile enlargement surgery should always be discussed with a urologist, to understand the benefits and risks in each case.

When surgery is indicated

Penis enlargement surgery is usually indicated in the case of micropenis when treatment with testosterone injection or growth hormone supplementation is not sufficient. Although the micropenis does not represent a health problem, it can cause frustration and directly interfere with a man’s quality of life and, therefore, in this case the doctor may recommend surgery.

Furthermore, some men may find that their penis is smaller than they would like and, therefore, may consider having surgery. However, surgery to enlarge the penis is the last treatment option due to the risks associated with the procedure, such as deformities, difficulty in erection, scars and infection, for example.

It is important to highlight that surgeries to enlarge the penis are not recommended and recognized as effective surgery by the Brazilian Society of Urology.

Types of penis surgery

Depending on the indication and objective of the surgery, surgery can be performed to increase the width or length, which is normally only noticed when the penis is erect. Furthermore, some techniques may only cause the impression of penis enlargement, due to the suction of fat located above the penis or through the release of a ligament that “holds” it.

Despite this, the main types of surgery that exist to enlarge the penis are:

Surgery to increase width

Surgery to increase the width of the penis can be done in two ways:

• Fat injection: liposuction is performed on another part of the body, such as the flanks, belly or legs, and then some of this fat is injected into the penis to fill it in and give it more volume;
• Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) hyaluronic acid injection: the procedure is known as penile bioplasty and consists of applying PMMA to the erect penis to increase its diameter, however it is not recommended by the Brazilian Society of Urology or the Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery due to the associated risks. Find out more about penile bioplasty;
• “Network” placement: an artificial and biodegradable “net” made of cells is placed under the skin and around the body of the penis to give it more volume.

Depending on the type of surgery, and each specific case, there may be an increase of between 1.4 and 4 cm in the diameter of the penis.

In either case, there are high risks, with fat injection causing deformity of the penis, while with mesh placement it is more common for an infection to develop, for example. Furthermore, in the case of applying PMMA there are risks related to the amount of substance that is placed on the penis, which can lead to an excessive inflammatory response in the body and result in necrosis of the organ.

Surgery to increase length

When the goal is to increase the size of the penis, surgery is generally recommended that cuts the ligament that connects the penis to the pubic bone, allowing the sexual organ to be freed and appear larger.

Although this surgery can increase the size of the flaccid penis by around 2 cm, it is often not noticeable when the organ is erect. Furthermore, due to the cutting of the ligament, many men report that during an erection they have greater mobility of the penis, which may require some adaptation to perform the sexual act.

What is recovery like?

Recovery from penis enlargement surgery is relatively quick, and it may be possible to return to work within 1 week after the procedure.

In most cases, it is possible to return home the day after surgery, and it is only recommended to rest at home until the stitches are removed and follow some guidelines that include taking the painkillers and anti-inflammatories prescribed by the doctor, as well as maintaining the always dry and clean dressing.

Sexual relations should only be resumed, generally, after 6 weeks or when indicated by the doctor and more intense physical exercises, such as running or going to the gym, should only be started after 3 months.

Other options for penis enlargement

Other solutions that exist to enlarge the penis are to use pills or vacuum pumps, which increase the amount of blood in the sexual organs and which, therefore, can give the sensation that the penis is larger.

Furthermore, when you are overweight, the penis can become covered with fat and, therefore, the urologist may also recommend liposuction of the intimate area, which removes excess fat and better exposes the body of the penis, for example. See more about penis enlargement techniques and find out what really works.