Penis surgery

Penis girth surgery

Some surgical techniques to increase penis girth involve injecting fat taken from another part of the body into the penis. Some studies have reported increases in circumference of 1.4-4cm. However, studies that followed men up over a longer time suggest disappointing results, with complications including disfigurement, scarring, lumpiness and infection. Another method, still in its experimental stage, involves pulling back the skin of the penis to wrap a tube-like biodegradable frame filled with tissue cells around the shaft.

Professor Wylie says the use of biodegradable frames has had better results than fat injection. "The problem with injecting fat is that over time, the body will re-absorb the fat which can result in a return to the penis?s original size," he says.

Penis length surgery

The most common technique involves cutting the ligament that attaches the penis to the pubic bone and performing a skin graft at the base of the penis to allow for the extra length. Professor Wylie says the surgery can result in an average gain in length to the flaccid penis of 2cm, but there will be no change to the size of the erect penis. Furthermore, the erect penis won't point as high as before the operation because the ligament which was cut no longer offers support.

"A lot of men who have this treatment don't truly appreciate this loss of angle," says Professor Wylie. "It can make sex quite uncomfortable. You've got to do a lot more manoeuvring with your partner. The advantage of a 2cm gain in flaccid length is far outweighed by the loss of angle of erection."

As penis enlargement surgery is for cosmetic purposes, it's unlikely to be available on the NHS.

Liposuction

For men with a large gut, liposuction, a surgical procedure to remove fat below the abdomen, can make their penis look larger. Removing excess fat around the pubic area can make a partly buried penis appear more prominent.

Professor Wylie says the cosmetic results are generally considered reasonable by patients. "Liposuction can result in a 2cm gain in length in the short-term, but the fat will return to the pubic area if the patient puts on weight again," he says.

"The procedure can give the patient a confidence boost, but for it to be sustained over the long term, they need to improve their diet and get exercising."

However, like all surgical procedures, liposuction carries the risk of side effects and complications. Find out more about the risks of liposuction.

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