The sexual self-confidence of many men also depends on the size of their penis. Gels, injections and surgeries promise to lengthen the limb if desired. British doctors, however, now advise against such interventions. These are "ineffective and risky," writes a research team of the prestigious King's College London in the journal "Sexual Medicine Reviews". It threatened erectile dysfunction or persistent deafness, while the desired effect was missing.
For the meta-analysis, the researchers had evaluated 17 previous studies and were able to sift through the patient data of 1192 men. The documents provide information about 21 different ways to extend the penis. Some were associated with surgery, others were not.
Less than two inches
Because young men in particular participated in the study, the study is not representative for all patients. In addition, there are few patient records available for some procedures. Compared to other studies, survey studies are still more reliable because they can summarize the knowledge from individual studies and rely on a larger data base.
Among the non-surgical procedures examined were so-called penile extenders. Usually, a sling is placed around the shaft of the penis and pulled on it. As a result, the tissue expands over time. According to the study, the limb lengthened by less than two centimeters in the non-erect state, but pain often occurred. In addition, the desired effect did not last long.
According to the study, injections into the limb did not lead to any prolongation, at best the penis became a little thicker. Suction devices had no effect whatsoever.
Surgical penis extension
One of the most common surgical procedures is ligamentolysis. Doctors use the fact that the longest part of the penis lies inside the body and is not visible from the outside. If some penile ligaments are severed, holding the penis to the pelvis, part of the previously invisible penis will slip outwards. This makes it bigger, even if the organ itself does not gain in length. According to the Center for Penis Surgery, the limb can visually appear two to three centimeters longer. However, according to the British researchers, the procedure did not always produce the desired effect. In addition, complications such as erectile dysfunction often occurred.
"Treatment outcomes were generally poor with low satisfaction rates and a significant risk of serious complications, including penile deformation, shortening and erectile dysfunction," the researchers summarized the study's findings. They therefore advise against such interventions. Also, because the cost can amount to the equivalent of up to 46,000 euros, which are taken over in rare cases by health insurance companies.
"Most men who want penis enlargement mistakenly believe their penis is too small," said urologist Gordon Muir to the Guardian. Which size is "normal" for a penis is medically not defined. According to a study from 2014, the average penis length in the flaccid state is 9.16 centimeters. From a penis length of less than seven centimeters in the erect state, doctors speak of a micropenis.