Rectifying the Shortcoming

Dear Dr. G,

I am completely thrilled after reading your article last week on penile augmentation with bulking fillers.

Although I was excited, I gathered that the remedy is only for girth enlargement and will not benefit someone who is having some shortcomings.

I agree that many men may have “locker room syndrome” even though the size of their penis is normal as they have an inferiority complex when comparing themselves to their peers in the changing room.

That said, I also think many men also suffer from a micropenis and will benefit from surgery or other forms of medical intervention that can help to enlarge the penis.

Ever since I was a teenager, I started noticing my penis just never grew as much as the rest of my body.

My parents took me to see the doctor, who either assured me that I was normal or were dismissive in their approach towards my concerns.

I am now in my mid-twenties and the size of my penis still bothers me, and I am too embarrassed to meet girls in my university.

For the benefit of all your “shortchanged” readers, I am putting Dr. G on the spot regarding Small Penile Syndrome; firstly, how small is small? What constitutes a micropenis?

Do penis enlargement supplements really work, and what surgery is done for men with a small penis?

When should a person see a doctor or consider surgical procedures?

I really hope you can offer advice as to how to overcome my shortcomings.

Yours truly,

Shortchanged Shawn

A man is only diagnosed with a micropenis if it is at least 2.5 standard deviations smaller than a normal penis; it is generally acceptable for such a penis to be less than 7cm long compared to the average erect penis of 12.5cm.

This is believed to affect 0.6% of the general population and it has been reported that men who have undergone surgical intervention can find it “damaging both to physical and mental health.”

According to the study, “the overall surgical treatment outcomes were poor, with low satisfaction rates and significant major complications including penile deformity and shortening.”

When it comes to other forms of treatment, no lotion or potion that claims to induce penile enlargement has been able to withstand the scrutiny of science; these supplements available online can take the form of pills, patches and ointments.

A recent analysis of such products has revealed their ingredients to be standard vitamins, minerals, hormones and herbs. The claim of increases in penis size have no scientific basis and any testimonials offered as evidence may be a placebo in nature and are generally anecdotal. The consumption of supplements that contain vitamins and harmless herbs are generally risk-free.

However, adulterated supplements with steroids, hormones or medicines such as Sildenafil will have risks to patients with contraindications. Patients with heart disease or certain cancers such as prostate cancer are certainly at risk.

As for surgeries as mentioned earlier, penile augmentation is the application of any technique aimed to increase the length or girth of the human penis. Several methods have been proposed for such an enlargement. These can generally be divided into surgery and physical traction. Surgical methods are the most scientifically robust ways to enlarge male genitalia, and other methods are generally considered unproven.

One surgical technique to enhance penile size is the release of penile suspensory ligaments or ligamentolysis. The suspensory ligament of the human penis is the structure at the base of the pubic bone that plays a role in holding the penis steady. This tends to refract the penis inwards during a flaccid state.

Cutting the ligaments has been proven to increase the flaccid length of the penis, but the overall increase in erect length is less pronounced. The operation is also well known to cause difficulties in stabilizing the penis during penetration, with some even reporting weaker erections and a loss of sensation after the surgery.

Complications such as wound infections and fibrosis are well-reported and these can result in skin contractions, pain and even further shortening.

The 2019 International Society of Sexual Medicine Reviews found that men with a micropenis are the only group of men who may benefit from the surgical intervention.

Generally, it is not unusual for men to encounter a bit of inferiority complex when comparing their penis with their peers and. Dr. G is often put on the spot by short-changed men contemplating rectifying the shortcomings. Trust me when I say that trying to alter the dog’s size can often end up with the dog looking like its dinner.