The perfect penis in about an hour   by Dana James Health Reporter Everyone is talking about the prosthesis that Marky Mark Wahlberg used in the movie Boogie Nights, but little do they know he could have avoided the whole embarrassing situation with a 55-minute outpatient operation. Penis enlargement surgery has been available since 1991. Of all the men who have this procedure, 95 per cent have done it to boost their self-esteem and confidence. The surgery involves two separate procedures, both completely natural and do not involve implants or other foreign materials. The first is a lengthening procedure, originally developed more than 20 years ago to treat boys suffering from "microphallus", an abnormally small penis. The second procedure is a fat transplant process adapting traditional plastic surgery techniques. The amount the penis can be lengthened depends on the man's anatomy. The results generally range from one to two-and-a-half inches. The lengthening is achieved by making an incision in the pubic region and removing the fundiform and suspensory ligaments of the penis. This allows the part of the penis which is contained inside the body, to move forward. There is no way of knowing what the length increase will be prior to the operation. No actual length is created since the penis is not divided or added to. This procedure allows the penis to be repositioned so it sticks out further from the body and allows greater flaccid and erect lengths. Director of Patient Services at Cosmetic Surgery International Scott Clark said, "Cosmetic care, unlike any other surgery, is to enhance a body part." Unlike breast augmentation surgery, in which patients see immediate results, penile lengthening requires the use of medications to prevent scar tissue and weights to increase the length of the penis. After the surgery, a lengthening device is used. This specialized stainless steel weight is worn from the end of the penis. The weight helps the penis to heal at its new length and helps to achieve the longest penis possible. The most immediate increase will be noticed in the flaccid state but with the use of the weights, the erect length will develop over the following months. The widening process involves a transfer of fat cells from the patient's lower abdomen into the tissue between the skin and the erectile tissue of the penis. The patient's own fat cells are used for the augmentation because they have a lesser risk of rejection from the body. The circumference can be increased by 30 to 50 per cent, depending on the results desired by the patient. Some surgeons feel the transfer of fat cells is not the most effective way to widen the penis. There is a new procedure called Dermal Graft Augmentation, which involves taking the dermal grafts from the crease where the thigh meets the buttocks. The doctor inserts the dermal strips on each side of the penile shaft. The graft is then positioned and tucked into the penis. The patient may experience discomfort in the buttocks region for two to three weeks after the surgery is performed. Clark said, "There is only so much lengthening that the body will allow the surgeon to do, but people come in here and want their penis to be widened as big and round as an oil can. We decide who is ready to have a penis enlargement. We make sure they are mature and of sound mental state before performing the operation. If an 18-year-old boy came in here because he was getting ridiculed in the locker room, then we wouldn't perform the operation." Lengthening and augmentation procedures take approximately 25 minutes each. Surgery involving both procedures is recommended to be performed six to 12 months apart. This is the best combination for proper healing. There are approximately 50 surgeons in North America who have performed more than 15,000 penis enlargements a year. But some surgeons are opposed to the operation. "There aren't a lot of doctors who are qualified to perform the operation," Clark said. Some side effects of the operation are scarring, infection, numbness and loss of function, irritation or loss of skin, tightness, and bleeding. After the lengthening procedure, a patient should have three days of bed-rest. After the penis widening procedure, the patient is required to stay in bed for five days. Patients are also advised to abstain from sexual contact for six weeks until the penis has properly healed. In Toronto, Dr. Robert Stubbs performs the majority of penile enlargements. The lengthening procedure costs $4,345 and a girth enhancement by fat transfer costs $1,872.50. To have the dermal graft procedure done, the cost is $4,547.50. "Most cosmetic surgeons refer their patients to Dr. Stubbs. He has done the most penile enlargements in the area and is the most experienced," said Dr. M. Bederman, a cosmetic surgeon. Dr. Stubbs was unable to comment because he was in surgery at the time. "Since it is a relatively new procedure, it hasn't had ample time to become common," Clark said. Judging by the number of advertisements in the November issue of Men's Journal magazine, penis enlargements are in demand. Men considering surgery should take time to look into every aspect of the procedure and find a good surgeon. "There are pumps and cheap devices that are selling all over North America. They're gimmicks," Clark said. "The pump restricts the blood flow of the penis, like tying a string around the finger. Your finger swells up because it has so much blood trapped in a small place but as soon as you take the string off the finger returns back to its normal size." If you're not one for surgery, pain, or abstaining from sex for six weeks, remember the old saying, "It's not the size of the boat, it's the motion in the ocean." Back to PSURG Home Page