Does size really matter? – Psychological Outcomes of Penile Augmentation

Are you worried about the size of your penis? Are you thinking about getting treatment to get your penis enlarged? Have you thought about how you might feel after getting this done? Why do you want to have a larger penis?

In general there is a perception that society promotes men with larger penises as being more masculine and more appealing to the opposite sex. Several studies have been conducted looking at men’s perceptions of the size of their penis as well as their levels of satisfaction. Janet Lever is a professor of Sociology at California State University and published the results of an online survey in the Psychology of Men & Masculinity journal in 2006. More than 52000 men and women completed the survey.

This survey showed that despite 85% of women being happy with their partner’s size, 45% of men wanted to be larger and only 0.2% wanted to be smaller. In fact it has been shown that the majority of men who consider themselves to have a small penis are in fact well within the average range. However, it has also been demonstrated that self-worth in men can be influenced by the perceived adequacy of the size of their penis.

As such there has been much interest in treatments and procedures that can increase penis size. Penile enhancement treatments consist of procedures that aim to improve the physical appearance of the penis, sexual function and psychological well being. When talking about increasing the size of one’s penis we focus mainly on increasing girth size as opposed to length.

Methods for penile augmentation can broadly be divided into two categories – surgical and non-surgical. Surgical methods for penile augmentation are generally associated with low satisfaction rates along with higher complication rates. In essence disappointing size gains along with increased pain, infection and scarring as well as potentially impaired sexual performance.

Non-surgical methods of penile augmentation comprise the use of dermal fillers and are considered a safer alternative for penile augmentation as well as having much higher satisfaction rates. Dr Kwak, a Urologist from Korea University has published a number of articles on the use of hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers for penile augmentation. HA fillers are the same fillers used for lips and cheeks.

In 2011 Dr Kwak published the results of a study of 41 men who had received penile augmentation with HA fillers. The study included 41 men who had received treatment and identified high rates of satisfaction amongst these men at 1 month and 18 months after their procedures. In fact, unlike with HA fillers used in the lips or cheeks, fillers in the penis seem to last a lot longer – up to 18 to 20 months.

It has been recognised by many researchers that high satisfaction rates following filler treatment for penile augmentation is associated with improved self-esteem and confidence – especially in sexual situations. Earlier this year (2019), Gemma Sharp and Jason Oates published the results of research looking at psychosexual outcomes of penile filler treatments amongst 25 men in Australia, over a period of 12 months. They surveyed all participants looking specifically at their motivation for penile augmentation, satisfaction with the procedure, their ideas regarding male genital self-image, effects of treatment on self-esteem and relationships as well as penile focussed body dysmorphic disorder. Of those included in the study, 56% were heterosexual and 76% were in long-term relationships. The ages of the men ranged from 23 years up to 69 years of age.

What is Body Dysmorphic Disorder?

Also known as BDD, Body Dysmorphic Disorder is a well established mental health illness where a person is obsessed with perceived defects or flaws in their appearance. As such they seek out treatments to correct these flaws. Often following treatment they are still left dissatisfied and seek out further treatments. This becomes a vicious cycle and is often associated with depression.

‘Why do I want a larger penis?’

Before having treatment, Dr Sharp found that 32% of men surveyed wanted a larger penis to feel better about themselves. More than a quarter of men were always conscious of the size of their penis. A quarter of men wanted to get their penis increased in size for their partner to feel more sexually satisfied – ‘feel full and stretched’.

‘How do I feel after my treatment?’

After penile augmentation participants were very satisfied with the procedure. They felt they were more confident and worried less about the size of their penis. Men surveyed also felt more confident about initiating sex and felt that their partner’s pleasure had increased. However, they also found a handful of men felt more pressured after having their penis enlarged especially in sexual situations as they felt their partner’s expectations had grown.

Overall penile augmentation with HA fillers appears to have positive effects on attitudes towards and distress surrounding penis size. In fact, even those with evidence of penile body dysmorphic disorder appear to demonstrate significant improvements in their levels of anxiety and worry. This is in contrast to the majority of people who suffer with BDD and subsequently feel worse after cosmetic treatments.

The use of hyaluronic acid fillers for increasing penis girth is considered much safer than surgical methods. However, a huge amount of care is still needed when getting this procedure. If you are considering getting filler treatment to increase the size of your penis make sure you really talk through your options and reasons for getting treatment. This is still not a widely accepted procedure and it’s definitely not the same as getting lip fillers! For more information regarding the procedure itself read our blog on penile augmentation with hyaluronic acid fillers.

For further information and a free consultation at Rejuvence Clinic call us on: 0207 531 6600. Alternatively book a consultation with one of our doctors through our online portal: Book an Appointment

References:

  • Lever, J., Frederick, D. A., & Peplau, L. A. Does size matter? Men’s and women’s views on penis size across the lifespan. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 7(3), 129-143. (2006) http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/1524-9220.7.3.129
  • Alter GJ. 1995 Nov;22(4):887-902. Augmentation phalloplasty. Urol Clin North Am. 22(4):887-902. (1995)
  • Kim JJ, Moon du G.J Sex Med. The effects of penile girth enhancement using injectable hyaluronic acid gel, a filler. Journal of Sexual Medicine. 2011 Dec;8(12):3407-13. doi: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2010.01748.x. Epub 2010 Mar 11. (2011)
  • Sharp G, Oates J. Nonsurgical medical penile girth augmentation: A retrospective study of psychological and psychosexual outcomes. Aesthetic Surgery Journal Vol 39(3): 306-316. (2019)

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