PENIS ENLARGEMENT

Many men in Germany are dissatisfied with the size or shape of their best piece. But if the penis is really smaller than average, it has a big impact on self-confidence. International studies show a size between 4 and 26 centimetres when erect. The average penis length in Germany is 13 centimetres. "Some men suffer from 'small penis syndrome'. They feel inadequacies with a more normal size because they have had bad experiences. Or they feel below average because they perceive the girth to be too small. Only from a length of 7.5 centimetres do we speak of a so-called micropenis. But only 2 to 3 percent of the male population suffer from this," says Dr. Cornelius Grüber, plastic aesthetic surgeon in Hamburg. All of them can be helped - with an operation that also builds up the men's self-confidence. It often consists of two procedures: penis enlargement and penis thickening.

THE MOST COMMON REASONS FOR PENIS ENLARGEMENT:

• When flaccid, the penis measures only approx. 4 centimetres
• When erect, the penis measures only about 7.5 centimetres.
• Unsatisfactory sex
• Personal suffering from a penis that is too thin
• Feeling of shame, combined with impaired self-confidence
• Fear of showing oneself undressed in front of a sexual partner

Many men first try to change their discomfort with manual exercises and non-invasive methods. However, medical stretching massages, called jelqing, usually do not have the desired effect. More effective are special stretching devices (penis extenders) that have to be worn for months. The aim is to stretch the ligamentous suspension of the penis and pull the hidden part of the erectile tissue further forward. Vacuum pumps have long been used to treat erectile dysfunction. They create an erection through negative pressure, while a rubber ring suppresses the outflow of blood. Some patients report a slight lengthening of the penis after several months of training, with blood being pumped into the penis several times a day. However, this does not permanently lengthen the penis. "What is visible of the penis is only about 50 per cent of the entire organ. The other half is hidden in the pelvic floor, attached to the pelvic bone by a retaining ligament. This inner part can be partially brought out with a cavernous body relocation plastic surgery," says the plastic aesthetic surgeon, who runs the HANSEATICUM in Hamburg together with his specialist colleague Dr Sonja Tomschik. 

PENIS ENLARGEMENT

In a penis augmentation, the plastic surgeon cuts through the front inner retaining ligaments that are attached to the pubic bone via an approx. 3-centimetre-long, triangular incision in the pubic area and creates a new attachment using the body's own material. In this way, the inner oblique part of the male member shifts outwards and a visible lengthening is created. "I use a microsurgical technique to avoid causing injury and minimise the risk of complications," says the experienced surgeon. "The length gained depends on the angle of inclination of the penis, the ligamentous structures and the length of the connecting cartilages of the pelvic bones. A gain of two to six centimetres is realistic." The length gained depends on the ligamentum suspensorium penis. Depending on how strong this elastic ligament is, which connects the root of the penis to the abdominal wall and the pubic bone, the penis lengthens. Dr Cornelius Grüber: "If you achieve an erection length of 11 centimetres before the operation and an erection length of 14 centimetres after the operation, you have gained a third more length."

THE AFTERCARE

There is little pain after penis lengthening. A slight soreness after the anaesthetic has worn off is normal. A painkiller will provide relief on the first day. Immediately after the plastic surgery procedure, the area is swollen and should be cooled regularly. After one week, light sport is possible again, and after 6 weeks the penis is fully functional again. During this time, extreme physical exertion - and also sex - are taboo. In order to let the small scar heal as invisibly as possible, scar care is recommended in the morning and in the evening.

THE PENIS THICKENING

If desired, the penis can be thickened with an autologous fat transplantation (e.g. autologous fat injection) in the second step of the operation. This lipotransfer takes about 1 hour. The specialists at the HANSEATICUM obtain the material for this by liposuction from the patient's pubic area, hips, abdomen or thighs. The fat cells are prepared, drawn onto syringes and injected at even intervals along the shaft. 

Dr. Cornelius Grüber: "Of course, we can also perform penis thickening with autologous fat independently of penis enlargement and vice versa. What is important for the patient's satisfaction is that the proportion of length and thickness is right." A realistic gain for thickening is 20 to 25 per cent. The procedure can be repeated as often as desired. The downtime is about three to four days. After four weeks, it is possible to train in the gym again, sex is possible again after six weeks - and the penis is fully functional. Self-fat treatments have developed a lot over the past few years and have become more sophisticated Thanks to new "harvesting" techniques, the cells quickly find a connection to a blood vessel after transplantation, grow and can survive up to 80 per cent. This means that the effect is permanent. The cost of penis thickening with autologous fat starts at 3808 euros. 

An alternative with a less durable effect is penis thickening with fillers. The procedure is minimally invasive, and the size and shape of the member can be adjusted gently without surgery. The risks of surgery are eliminated when volume is increased with fillers. Since the gel-like substance is broken down again by the body, the effect lasts up to 2 years - depending on the metabolism. The costs for penis thickening with fillers depend on the amount of filler used and the extent of the treatment and start at around 600 euros.