What to know
- Dermal fillers, commonly used for facial enhancements, are being marketed as a quick fix for penile enlargement.
- The procedure can carry significant risks, including infection, lumps, and long-term complications.
- Many urologists and medical experts do not recommend fillers for this purpose due to a lack of safety.
- Less invasive doesn’t always mean safer. Consult a qualified medical professional before considering any enhancement procedure.
Think fillers are just for fuller lips? Some clinics offer injections below the belt for men, but this urologist is advising against the practice.
What is a penis filler?
Exactly like the name describes it. A penis filler fills the male genital area to enhance girth.
Most commonly, it’s typically the same kind of filler as the one used for the face: hyaluronic acid is injected under the skin along the shaft of the penis, Dr. Dean Elterman, Lang Family Chair in Urologic Innovation at the University of Toronto and UHN, told Now Toronto.
Why do men seek penis fillers?
From body dysmorphia to wanting a boost in confidence, there’s a multitude of reasons why men might seek penis fillers.
“I think there’s a lot of social media/pornography unrealistic expectations about what is a normal size, and I think a lot of men have this disproportionate view of what is an actual normal penis versus what they may want to have,” Elterman explained.
“Then, people just have these other expectations with who they’re dating or perhaps they want some boost in confidence.”
Men who have also had some previous surgeries where there was a shortening of the penis might want some cosmetic restoration to have their penis appear bigger or similar to what it was before, Elterman added.
How does it work?
The procedure takes less than an hour and is performed under local anesthetic, Elterman explained.
Post-procedure, there may be a bit of discomfort, bruising, and swelling, but he shared that he hasn’t heard it’s an “awfully painful procedure” afterwards.
How long until patients can masturbate or have sex post-procedure?
Those who undergo the procedure are typically given instructions on aftercare, but Elterman shares it usually surrounds modelling or shaping the penis. Some practitioners use a sleeve or bandage around the genital area to help heal it in an “even fashion.”
“You don’t want it to be lumpy or bumpy, so there may be some instructions given for aftercare,” Elterman said.
To heal enough before having sex or masturbating, Elterman suggests waiting four weeks, and while some can start after two weeks, he doesn’t recommend it.
How does the procedure affect pleasure in sex?
Typically, there isn’t any change in sexual function or sensation, Elterman explained.
“A lot of the sensation is in the head of the penis, the glands, and there isn’t actually any filler inserted there because you’re putting the filler in a deeper layer,” Elterman said.
But the heightened confidence might enhance sexual experience.
“A lot of it is psychological. If men have a confidence boost, they may find that sexual activity is better or more pleasurable for them, or they have less anxiety around it,” he said. “But the actual erectile or orgasmic function should not be impacted by the placement of filler under the skin.”
Nodules, lumps, infections, scarring to disfigurement: Why Elterman doesn’t recommend the procedure
Elterman says there are a number of complications that can arise from the procedure, including:
- Nodules under the skin.
- Lumps under the skin.
- Infections.
- An abscess.
- Skin necrosis.
- Scarring.
- Painful erection.
- Curvature of the penis.
- Erectile dysfunction.
- Disfigurement of the penis.
Elterman says these complications are not typically seen with hyaluronic acid and are mostly seen with other unrecommended fillers, such as silicone, but it’s still possible.
However, fillers done with hyaluronic acid are reversible.
“It’s used because you can mold it, shape it, and in the worst case scenario, there’s some reversibility,” he said. “You can actually give this enzyme called hyaluronidase that can dissolve the filler and take away its effects.”
The filler usually lasts six to 18 months.
Despite being often advertised as low-risk procedures, Elterman cautions that many Canadian urologists avoid performing them because of their risks.
So, those who normally do penis fillers have no formal training in penis surgery, and if there’s a complication, they’re not really able to fix it and will need to bring the patient to the emergency department or give a referral to a urologist.
Mental health and body dysmorphia: What to know before committing to the decision
As one of the reasons men seek penis fillers is due to body dysmorphia, Elterman suggests seeing a psychiatrist or psychologist for an assessment if it’s of concern.
“It’s a very fine line when you’re doing cosmetic surgery to want to make a patient happy and meet their expectations, but also do it in a responsible and ethical fashion,” he said. “I think there should be some element of screening when it comes to mental health and body dysmorphia.”
