Penis enlargement is a common request by male patients for many reasons. The desire to be “bigger” can stem from aesthetic reasons (the perception that the penis is smaller than average), to functional ones (thinking that a bigger penis provide greater sexual pleasure to their partner). Great demand and few treatment options have resulted in the availability of a myriad of ineffective “solutions,” which range from pills and creams to devices like vacuum pumps and weights aimed at stretching the penis. These options are not only unproven, they can pose serious side effects, even leading to erectile dysfunction in some cases. The medically viable option, surgery, falls into two basic categories: increasing the length of the penis by severing the ligament that connects the penis to the pelvic bone, and increasing the width of the penis by using silicone implant, fat or tissue grafts, in what are called penile girth enhancement (PGE) techniques. Current PGE techniques leave a lot to be desired; after implantation, an iatrogenic penile deformity of a thick penile body with a relatively small glans penis may be observed. Additionally, some patients have reported poor glans tumescence during erection.
Using Juvederm for penis enlargement
Dermal fillers are good alternatives to penis enhancement surgery, and therefore something patients who are reluctant to commit to surgery may consider as a treatment option. Dermal fillers enlarge the penis by increasing the girth of the shaft and the head. While the common perception is that women derive sexual pleasure from the length of a penis, the width actually plays a more important role, as a study done by the University of Texas found. In that study, 45 out of 50 (90%) females surveyed reported that penis width felt better when having sex. Additionally, from an aesthetic viewpoint, patients typically want the glans penis (the bulbous “head” or “tip” of the penis) to look normal, as tumescent as the rest of the penis when erect, and appropriately sized to the penile body.
The demand for non-surgical means to augment the penis has been growing, as has the amount of information available for prospective patients from various sources. However, there are also vast amounts of misinformation regarding penis enhancement using fillers, which may mislead patients. This blog post hopes to compile some information regarding this procedure to help men seeking to enlarge their penis gain some insights on this procedure, and to help determine if this is the right treatment for them.
What to expect during treatment
When using dermal fillers for penis enhancement, the filler gel is implanted into the shaft and glans penis via injection. This leads to an increase in penis size and volume, as self-reported by patients who have undergone the procedure. Usually, patients can expect a 20% gain in circumference, with results lasting at least a year and beyond.
Why Juvederm for penis enhancement?
Hyaluronic acid fillers fulfill certain criteria necessary to safely and effectively enhance the penis. Once implanted, it inhabits the extracellular space and functions as a space-filling, cell-protective, and structure-stabilizing molecule. Not only that, hyaluronic acid is conferred with uniquely malleable physical properties and excellent biocompatibility. An added advantage of hyaluronic acid gel over other nonpermanent fillers is increased duration of results. While hyaluronic acid undergoes degradation over time, it is isovolumetric degradation, meaning that the level of correction is maintained even in low concentrations of the filler. This is evident in a study conducted by Kwak et al., where the gross appearance of the glans penis did not change even at five years after augmentation. A high-viscosity hyaluronic acid filler such as Juvederm Voluma is the ideal filler for penis enlargement as it is volumizing, produces predictable effects, does not migrate upon implantation, and is well-tolerated in the majority of patients. As Juvederm Voluma contains a local anesthetic (lidocaine), this procedure is largely pain-free. If necessary, there are additional pain management strategies including additional topical or local applications of lidocaine, chilling the area, and taking Arnica to ease bruising.
The procedure is performed in a quick, 1 hour, in-office injection session, after which no downtime is necessary. When injecting the filler, the fan technique is usually employed, as this technique requires fewer punctures, thereby reducing potential mucosal tearing, bleeding and leakage from the injection sites. The hyaluronic acid gel is implanted into the dermis of the glans penis, subcutaneously at one-third the distance proximally from the tip of the glans to the coronal sulcus (the border of the base of the glans penis). There are minimal side-effects associated with the procedure, mainly in the form of slight bruising. The treated penis will increase in width, with results noticeable immediately, and a continual improvement seen over the next few weeks after treatment. The procedure is non-invasive, thereby allowing most patients to be comfortable enough to engage in sexual activity within 48 hours after treatment.
In summary, using dermal fillers for penis enhancement is a safe and proven treatment, and can be viewed as a viable alternative to surgical treatment.
