Fillers are everywhere now - smoothing lines, plumping cheeks, adding volume around the eyes, nose and lips in clinics up and down the country. But some men are now having fillers injected into their penises to increase their size.
Author
- Adam Taylor
Professor of Anatomy, Lancaster University
These fillers often contain hyaluronic acid, a substance naturally found in the body that draws water into the tissues - which is why it can smooth wrinkles and fine lines .
When injected into the penis, it can increase girth. One Korean study found an average girth increase (flaccid) of 2.3cm, or almost 30%. However, more than half of men who had hyaluronic acid filler needed an average of 1.5 further retouch injections to "correct contour irregularities".
One issue is that the results don't last forever. The body naturally produces an enzyme called hyaluronidase, which gradually breaks the filler down. By 18 months, about 44% of the increase from the injection has been lost. Repeat injections are needed to maintain the effect.
In situations where filler injections have gone wrong, this does also mean that the effects can be reversed with hyaluronidase injections, although this takes a few hours to work.
Not without harms
Research is limited when it comes to the risks, but a recent study estimated that complications occur in about 9% of men receiving hyaluronic acid fillers .
These complications can include bruising and swelling , as well as lumps and nodules. More serious problems include skin irritation, tissue breakdown and infections .
The timing of these problems can vary. Bleeding and bruising tend to occur during the first week or two. Nodules may appear around the third week. Infections often appear around six or seven weeks after treatment, although they can occur years later .
In severe cases, infection can progress rapidly to multiple organ failure . There have also been cases of tissue death requiring part of the penis to be removed . And in March, social media influencer Igho Ubiribo, known as "Ego", died from a pulmonary embolism following a penis filler procedure in Thailand.
Hyaluronic acid is not the only way men are trying to increase penis size. Another option involves taking fat from elsewhere in the body and injecting it into the penis. This carries its own risks.
These include injecting fat into the wrong area, as well as swelling and bruising . Men can also develop lumps or deformities caused by uneven fat distribution or the death of the injected fat .
There is also the risk of infection with bacteria such as S aureus or E coli . In the most serious cases, tissue can die or the patient can die from a fat embolism .
A procedure marketed to men and women
Another treatment being offered for sexual enhancement is PRP, or platelet-rich plasma .
These injections are not just marketed to men. The so-called "P-shot", or priapus shot, is promoted for men, while the "O-shot", or orgasm shot, is marketed to women.
The treatment involves taking blood from the patient's arm and spinning it at high speed to separate the different components. The platelet-rich part is then injected into the target area.
The claims surrounding PRP can be broad, and "enhancement" can mean very different things.
PRP is not intended to increase penis size. Instead, it has been promoted as a way to improve appearance, blood flow and nerve function.
For women, the O-shot involves injections into the labia or clitoris. It is claimed to increase vaginal sensation, improve sexual satisfaction and make it easier to achieve orgasm. However, the evidence for these claims is weak.
PRP has been studied in men with erectile dysfunction, and one review found evidence of moderate improvements. However, a more recent study suggests the benefit may be smaller than previously thought.
In women, PRP has also been studied as a treatment for stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. A systematic review found some improvement in symptoms.
Even so, the European Association of Urology says there isn't enough evidence to recommend PRP for erectile dysfunction.
This is an important point when considering cosmetic and sexual enhancement treatments.
Many of these procedures began as treatments for medical conditions affecting the same parts of the body. But treating a medical problem is not the same as changing someone's appearance.
When it comes to the penis and reproductive organs, appearance also has little bearing on fertility or the ability to produce children.
Many of these treatments promise a quick improvement in appearance or sexual function. But until we have larger, better-quality studies, it is difficult to know whether those benefits are worth the potential risks.
Adam Taylor does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
