Non-surgical penis enhancement
Dr Sherif El Wakil - Aesthetic medicine
Created on: 09-17-2018
Updated on: 04-17-2023
Edited by: Carlota Pano
What is non-surgical penis enhancement?
Non-surgical penis enhancement covers a range of treatments and techniques which aim to increase the visible length or girth of the penis. Treatments offered include various forms of medication, manual techniques, special equipment, and injections. However, some treatments have more evidential backing than others.
Medication
Medication for increasing penis size is widely advertised on the Internet. However, the only case where medication has been found to affect the size of the penis is in the case of testosterone treatment for children with delayed puberty. Once someone has finished puberty, taking extra testosterone cannot induce the penis to grow further.
There are a number of drugs available to tackle erectile function, but these do not increase penis size beyond its maximum erect length.
Manual techniques
Manual techniques such as “jelqing” are popularised on the Internet as safe ways to extend the penis, but none have any evidence base of success.
Penis extending equipment
Two main types of equipment are sold for extending the penis. Vacuum devices cause the penis to temporarily reach its maximum erect size, but do not enlarge it beyond this point.
However, there is limited evidence that weighted extended devices can result in a modest increase in the length of the penis. The drawback is that to have a noticeable effect, the device must be worn for at least four to six hours per day over a period of several months.
Liposuction
This treatment avoids surgery on the penis itself and aims to increase the apparent length of the penis by removing surrounding fat that can hide some of the length. Liposuction is not suitable for men who have very little fat in that area, but can produce dramatic results in men who are overweight.
Injections
Some plastic surgeons offer injections of hyaluronic acid or botox to tackle retraction when flaccid, to increase flaccid length, and to enhance the girth of the penis. The main downsides to this treatment are that injections carry a number of risks and could make having sex painful, and sometimes the injected substance will be absorbed by the body over time, necessitating “top-ups” on a regular basis.
What type of specialist offers non-surgical penis enhancement?
At present, the only medically registered specialists in the UK offering non-surgical penis enhancement are plastic surgeons, a handful of whom offer penile injections.
Are there any alternative treatments?
It is possible to increase the length of the penis with surgery, but this is not widely available in the UK. Only people born with a condition called micropenis are eligible for penis surgery through the NHS.