Enlargement FAQ

What Is Penis Lengthening Surgery?

You might think the penis that you see hanging between your legs is all you have, but you'll be delighted to know that you have another inch or two extending beneath your skin. If you probe with your fingers you can actually follow it down to where it roots itself on the pubic arch located just behind the scrotum. Your penis is rooted lower than from where it emerges. That's why when you have an erection it sticks up. When flaccid it forms an arch, emerging from your body at the high point of the arch and then dangling down with the weight of gravity. What allows it to maintain this arch are suspensory ligaments that attach to the pubic bone. A few years ago, two surgeons named Dr. Long and Dr. Stubbs (I kid you not), discovered that when these suspensory ligaments were severed the penis would fall forward out of the body. Thus was born the procedure that would make these two doctors and many others since very wealthy.

Does Penis Lengthening Surgery Work?

That depends on what you're looking for. Penile lengthening surgery basically turns the recipient from a grower into a show-er. The flaccid length of your penis can be extended up to two inches but if you want to do something more with your dick than swing it around the locker room to the envy of your friends, it's not ideal, as the procedure adds much less length to one's erect length, half-an-inch being the most frequently reported gain. But half an inch is better than nothing, isn't it? Read on.

What's The Downside Of Penis Lengthening Surgery?

Besides the risks inherent in any surgery, with penile lengthening the primary concern is, get this... penile shortening. Yep, that's right. After throwing down a wad of g-bills and having your groin area sliced open, there is a not insignificant chance that your willy will actually retreat into your body. This happens because when tissue is severed it wants to repair itself. Scar tissue forms and pulls the severed tissues together. To avert this, some surgeons place a permanent spacer between the penis and the pubis to prevent reattachment. Others recommend the recipient wear a penis traction device for several months after the operation. In fact, it has been suggested that the meager recorded gains in erect length may actually be a function of the stretcher itself (more on stretchers/extenders later) rather than the surgical procedure.

There's also a chance that your newly released dick will emerge lower down your abdomen, giving the appearance that it's coming out of your nutsack. This doesn't happen in every case, of course, and it's hardly deleterious to your health, but it does look weird.

The other problem associated with penis lengthening surgery is that the penis is less anchored to the body. It's not completely unmoored but it's less stable and inclined to pivot weirdly when erect. This can be a positive or negative depending on what kind of hi-jinks you're getting up to in the bedroom, but it is a permanent feature of this surgery, so be aware of it. Be aware also that your untethered dick will no longer stick up when erect. Horizontal is the best you're going to do. Again, not a big deal, and it may even be handy in certain positions. But it is a permanent change.

You'll also be left with a sizeable scar at the root of your dick. For the most part this will be hidden by pubic hair, but if you're one of those guys that likes to go clean shaven it will be visible. There's also the problem that as your dick falls forward it will pull the surrounding skin with it. You'll end up with pubic hair half-way up your dick. This can be solved by wearing a dick stretcher for several months or by advancing the skin by means of VY plasty (more cutting and sewing).

How Much Does Penis Lengthening Surgery Cost?

In any of the advanced industrial economies you're looking at a tab of between US$2,500 and US$5,000. You can get it done for half that in developing countries but I guess the question is... do you want to? Rule of thumb: Don't spend more on your wedding ring than your wedding tackle.

Is Penis Lengthening Worth It?

Your call, bub. If you've staked your acting career on the nude scene you're scheduled to shoot next fall, or if you're hoping to earn the admiration of your peers when you join them in the sauna at the company retreat, then you alone can calculate the cost-benefit. But if you're looking to touch places inside her that only the big boys have reached, forget it. In fact, in terms of surgery, there is nothing available that will significantly lengthen your erect dick. Sorry, man.

What About Penis Widening Surgery?

Believe it or not, for many years girth enhancement was the less reputable sibling of penile lengthening. While lengthening may have had its problems, it did generally what it was supposed to do. It was a net positive. Penis widening, on the other hand, was generally a net negative. But times have changed and so have the procedures. There are a plethora of girth enhancement techniques. Some have become standardized, others are still experimental. Unfortunately, effectiveness is strongly correlated to cost and invasiveness. The methods are as follows:

• Fat Injection
• Dermal Fat Grafts
• Alloderm Grafts
• Saphenous Vein Grafts

What Is Fat Injection?

This was the first method devised for penis widening. It's also the least invasive, least costly and least effective. It's basically the same procedure used to pump-up lips and fill in wrinkles. Without it, Cher would look her age. Essentially, fat cells are removed from a different part of the body - usually the stomach or buttocks - and injected under the penile skin. Because the transferred cells are from the recipient's own body there is no possibility of rejection. For fat injection to work, you need excess fat somewhere in your body. For most people in the developed world, this isn't a problem. But if your desire to enhance your dick is part of an over-all plan to have the perfect sculpted body, fat injection isn't for you for no other reason than as you lose weight, your dick will shrink.

What Is The Downside Of Fat Injection?

Well for one, fat cells are very delicate. Only 30 percent survive the liposuction and transfer process. This means that the procedure has to be repeated several times. The transplanted fat tissue then needs to re-vascularize itself. This can work well in some areas but not at all in others, leading to bumpy fat nodules all over your dick. And if that's not bad enough, the fat cells can shift in the penis - usually towards the base - resulting in a big fatty bulge at the root of your dick, giving it the appearance of a partially deflated balloon.

Another drawback is the texture of the fat itself. Even when your dick is hard - it's soft. This is especially the case in the first few months after injection before much of the fat has been reabsorbed. During this period the shaft of your dick will appear puffy and bloated. Because no fat will have been injected into the glans, the head of your dick will remain the same size as before, giving your dick the appearance of a pig in a blanket (a sausage wrapped in a pancake) or a hot dog sticking out the end of a bun - both tasty treats no doubt, but perhaps not kind of thing your girlfriend will want to feast on when the lights go down.

How Much Does Fat Injection Cost?

Fat injection is cheap, at least relative to the other surgical interventions. But it's not that cheap. You're still looking at US$1,000 minimum and usually double that. And that may not include subsequent visits when the fat has been reabsorbed. By the time all is said and done you may end up paying more. The only reason to consider fat injection is that it is considerably less invasive than any other form of surgical girth enhancement.

What Are Dermal Fat Grafts?

Dermal fat grafts were a girth enhancement technique developed in the mid-nineties as an improvement on the obvious problems with fat injection. Basically strips of flesh are hived off from your own body and wrapped around your skinless dick. "Wow," you might say. "Doesn't that hurt?" Answer: Yes. It hurts a lot. But as they say... No pain, no gain. And gains are definitely to be had. The operation varies from surgeon to surgeon but the essentials are this:

1. You're put under general anesthesia. This is major surgery we're talking about.
2. Strips of flesh roughly five inches long, 2 inches wide and a quarter-of-an-inch deep are excised from a donor site, usually the gluteal folds (where the butt cheek meets the top of the thigh) to minimize evident scarring. These gaping wounds are sewn together and your unconscious body is flipped over.
3. A circumferential incision (a "circum-cision" as a matter of fact) is then made just behind the glans of the penis and the skin of the penis is peeled back to the base - pray the anesthesiologist knows his stuff because you really don't want to be waking up at this point.
4. The strips of skin and underlying fat (ergo, dermal fat grafts) are placed atop the exposed tunica albuginea and the penis skin is pulled up and sewn back in place.
5. After you wake-up you're given a jar of pain killers with a couple of refills and a bill that will stop your heart. Post surgery, you'll also have to wear a penis traction device for several months to keep the penis stable while the grafts grow into place.

Do Dermal Grafts Work?

You bet. Depending on the thickness of the graft, dermal fat grafts can add up to an inch in flaccid girth and a 0.5 inch to 0.75 inch in erect girth (the grafts get stretched out). This may not seem like much but in dick terms it can be the difference between skinny and fat. It's the same difference proportionally as between a 32 and a 38 inch waist size. Your girlfriend will notice a difference, something she may not do with a three-quarter inch improvement in length. Dermal grafts are far more stable than liquid fat injections. While up to 80 percent of injected fat is reabsorbed, only 20 percent of dermal fat suffers this fate. That's because the grafts themselves are intact pieces of flesh complete with blood vessels and skin. Dermal grafts suffer none of the lumpy unevenness of fat injections. They're also firmer to touch.

What's The Downside To Dermal Grafts?

In a word... pain. Excruciating, unending, "Oh my God it's been two months and I still can't sit down!" pain. Seriously, if you have a job that requires you to sit, think very carefully before submitting to this procedure. There is pain on the other side too. To keep the grafts stable while they fuse you have to wear a traction device that will exert a tugging pressure at the exact place where the de-gloving incision was made. For at least a couple of weeks you're going to deeply regret doing this to yourself.

A second major drawback is scarring. Even with the most skillful surgeon, a scar line will be evident, but it's also very possible you could end up looking like your ass was sewn onto your dick. For the most part, the scars will be hidden, but scarring is a real issue.

A third concern is infection. Because the incisions are made in a place where the flesh folds onto itself and is rarely exposed to air and light they're a veritable breeding ground for microbes.

As well, in the first few days after surgery, the grafts are still free-floating and can buckle and/or shift out of place. And if the traction device is not worn sufficiently, the grafts can fuse on the shortened penis and your erect dick will be shorter or bent, possibly sideways. There's also the possibility of rejection. If the grafts are too thick or the penis skin too tight, the grafts might not receive enough blood and portions may become necrotic. If that happens the grafts may have to be removed and you'll be left with your old skinny dick, two unsightly scars and huge hole where your bank balance used to be.

These problems are not common but they have happened and they could happen to you. Just letting you know.

How Much Does Dermal Graft Surgery Cost?

Anywhere from US$4,000 to US$8,000. It's a lot for sure, but if you're gonna do it, best not to cheap out.

What Are Alloderm Grafts

Alloderm grafts are the same thing as dermal grafts, only they're made from AlloDerm.

What The Heck Is Alloderm?

Well, etymologically speaking it's a union of the Greek words allos, meaning "other" and dermos meaning "skin." But you don't care about that. AlloDerm is a trademark name for a patented process and product developed by biotech firm LifeCell. Technically, AlloDerm is Acellular human cadaveric dermis. In plain language, it's processed skin from the body of a dead guy (or gal).

Now, I know what you're thinking. Yuck! You're probably also wondering how it is that you can sew another guy's dead skin into your dick and not have it be rejected. The answer to this is that all living components of the tissue (cells, viruses, bacteria) are removed in a specially patented process. What exactly that process is I can't tell you because LifeCell is stingy on details.

But isn't tissue made up of cells? Well, yes, but it's also made of a bunch of other stuff including collagen fibers, elastin filaments and other protein derived structures that support the cells. Without them we'd just be blobs of icky stuff. Think of AlloDerm tissue as a city with all the people removed.

When AlloDerm tissue is placed within a living body, stem cells migrate into this de-populated city and attach to these protein structures. Interaction with the surrounding cellular tissue allows the usurping stem cells to differentiate appropriately and repopulate the structure. It all sounds a bit like magic but then so do most of life's processes.

AlloDerm was originally developed as replacement for traditional skin grafts in situations where there was insufficient skin to cover the necessary area. It was especially useful in treating burn victims but it quickly found applications in cosmetic surgery including penis girth enhancement.

Is Alloderm Safe?

Yes, apparently. AlloDerm tissue is screened for a number of viruses. In over 30,000 recorded applications, there hasn't been a single case of disease transmission linked to the grafts.

Do Alloderm Grafts Work?

According to the surgeons that use them, yes. They're implanted in exactly the same manner as dermal grafts. A circumferential incision is made just behind the glans, the penile skin is peeled back and the grafts are laid over the corpus cavernosa. The only difference is that they're much thinner (no epidermis, no fat layer) and therefore multiple layers have to be applied to achieve the same kind of bulk. This is problematic in two ways. First, AlloDerm grafts are expensive and so multiple applications are multiply so; secondly, there is a thought that stacked layers cannot be re-colonized by new cells quickly enough before the protein scaffolding breaks down and is re-absorbed. By this reasoning, re-absorption would likely be uneven and lead to the same kind of lumpy dick as fat injection. Surgeons who use AlloDerm grafts for girth enhancement say this isn't the case, but no long term follow-up studies have been done, so no one really knows. The BIG upside to AlloDerm grafts is that you are spared having the grafts sliced from your own body.

What Is The Downside Of Alloderm Grafts?

It's still very new. The first AlloDerm girth enhancement procedure was performed in 1998. Only in the last few years have clinics begun to specialize in girth enhancement using AlloDerm Grafts.

AlloDerm grafts also suffer the same implantation problems as dermal grafts. In the first few weeks they are prone to shifting. A penis traction device must be worn for the first few months. If the grafts fuse when the penis is in a shortened state, your erections will be shorter. Not the kind of thing most guys have in mind when they're trying to make their dicks bigger.

How Much Does Alloderm Graft Surgery Cost?

A lot. Anywhere from US$5,000 to US$10,000. About a third of this amount is for the AlloDerm grafts themselves. Expect this amount to decline in the years to come with improvements in technology, economies of scale and competition. Already there are several other players in the processed tissue market. If you can afford the time more than the money, this might be something worth waiting for. Not only should the price of the procedure drop over the coming years but other surgical techniques are being developed, including saphenous vein graft surgery that may prove superior.

What Is Saphenous Vein Graft Surgery?

Saphenous vein graft surgery involves removing a section of your saphenous vein and grafting it onto the tunica albuginea to enlarge its capacity. The saphenous vein, which runs down the inside of the thigh, is easy to access and sections of this vein have been used as the conduit of choice for heart bypass surgery for decades.

The tunica albuginea is the thin but very tough elastic tissue that encases the corpus cavernosa. If the penis were a blood vessel, the tunica albuginea would be its wall. More than any other component, it is the capacity of the tunica albuginea that determines your dick's size. The skin will stretch larger and the corpus cavernosa will grow to fill the space. Expand the tunica and you expand the dick. At least that's the theory.

The saphenous vein makes an ideal donor material for tunica grafts because the tissues are very similar in structure and thickness. Because it's so thin, the graft quickly establishes a blood supply from the underlying lumen of the corpus cavernosa. And because it's a vein, its endothilium lining releases anticoagulants that prevent the formation of hematomas which could cause contracture and bending.

It's a two stage procedure. Like dermal grafts, the first step is to harvest the donor material. Two small incisions, about one foot apart, are made in the upper thigh. The vein is cut one at one incision and pulled out through the other. It is then cut in half and each piece is dissected along its length. The resulting pieces flattened out are about half-an-inch by 6 inches.

Then, as in graft augmentation, a circumferential incision is made behind the glans and the penile skin is pulled back to the pubis. An incision is then made along the length of each corpus cavernosum from head to base. The grafts are then stitched into each side of these incisions. The overlying skin is then pulled back up the shaft and sewn into place.

Does Vein Graft Sugery Work?

According to one Egyptian doctor, a patient went from a girth of 11.5 cm (4.5") to 19.5 cm (7.7"). Just so you know. that's about the width of a beer can. Hmm. I emailed the doctor to ask for clarification on this figure but failed to get a response. I was prepared to write off the result until I stumbled across a follow-up study of 37 men who had undergone the operation. Measurements were taken 9 months after surgery and while there were no meaningful increases in flaccid diameter, the increases in erect diameter ranged from 1.1 cm (0.4") to 2.1 cm (0.84"). That's diameter, folks; presumably measured at the point of greatest width. In terms of circumference, that translates to a gain of 2 - 2.5 inches. If somebody's not fudging the results, saphenous graft surgery is by far the most effective means of girth enhancement currently available.

Another advantage vein grafts have over dermal or AlloDerm grafts is that you're not required to wear a dick stretcher for six months after the surgery. The penis also looks proportional when flaccid. No little wiener head sticking out of a bun.

What Is The Downside Of Vein Grafts?

It depends on what you want from the surgery. If you're looking to show off in the locker room, this isn't going to help you. This is also very invasive surgery. You're not just laying tissue over a de-gloved penis. You're actually slicing open the most important part of your dick. You're looking at a longer healing period for the penis itself and you'll have to contend with scarring at the incision sites, although these should be much less pronounced than with dermal grafts.

There is also the possibility, given the volume increase in the erectile chambers, that your erections will not be as hard as before. This has not been mentioned in the literature for girth enhancement, but it has been discussed as a side effect in other vein graft surgeries on the tunica albuginea.

How Much Does It Cost?

Hard to say. As yet there are no clinics (in North America, at least) that were offering this surgery. It's very new and still controversial. In fact, at the time of writing there was only one doctor in the world with extensive experience in this procedure. His name is Prof. Eduardo Austoni. He teaches urology at the University of Milan. If you're in town, look him up. At some point, barring unforeseen problems with the procedure, it will be performed around the world. Given the complexity of the work required you'll probably be looking at cost anywhere from US$6000 - US$12,000.

What About The Glans?

Okay, let's say you've gone for girth enhancement surgery and you've now got a little-bitty head sticking out of a big fat shaft. What do you do? Well, if it really bothers you, you can submit to glans enhancement.

Glans enhancement is a fairly simple procedure. Essentially, hyaluronic-acid gel is injected through the glans into the area between the glans and the tunica albunginea. As the gel builds up, it causes the glans tissue to flare out. The typical gain is about 20 percent in circumference. The operation takes under an hour and is usually performed under local anesthesia.

What The Heck Is Hyaluronic Acid?

Hyaluronic acid is a component of connective tissue. Its function is to cushion and lubricate. It occurs throughout the body and is perfectly safe. Its use as an injectable gel was approved by the FDA in 2004. Since then, it has become the injectable wrinkle filler of choice for cosmetic surgeons.

Does Glans Enhancement Hurt?

You're turning the head of your dick into a pin cushion. Of course it hurts. The good news is that it doesn't hurt for more than a couple of days.

Is Glans Enhancement Permanent?

No. Over time the gel is re-absorbed by the body. There are two hyaluronic acid gel products currently on the market. Captique and Juvederm. Captique last for about one year, Juvederm sticks around for about two years.

How Much Does Glans Enhancement Cost?

It depends. If you're going with Captique, the cost is around US$2,000 - US$3,000. Juvederm goes for about $1,000 more but it lasts twice as long. If that sounds like a lot to lay out every year or two, it is. Luckily, we can expect these prices to fall over the next few years as more players enter the aging baby boomer sweepstakes.

What Is The Future Of Penis Enhancement Surgery?

Let's say you don't need a bigger dick just yet. Say you're planning to dump your wife for a younger woman 20 years from now. Or maybe you took your son in to be circumcised and the nurse asked you very seriously whether you thought he could afford to lose the volume. What hope lies in the future for dick enhancement surgery?

That's a tough question to answer, of course. Who knows what technologies might emerge in the coming decades? But there are several avenues that look promising. We've seen the putative success of enlarging the tunica albuginea with vein grafts. Might the same principle be used to elongate the penis? The difficulties are much greater, of course because the corpus spongiosum running along the underside of your penis, has to be separated from the cavernosa to allow for an encircling incision.

So far, no doctor has yet suggested this as a technique for generalized length enhancement, but the surgery has been performed on seven men who suffered severe penile shortening due to Peyronie's disease. In essence, a circumferential incision was made in the tunica albuginea near the injured area, the two ends separated and a vein graft sewed into place. The men were instructed to use a vacuum pump to stretch the penis daily for one year. One man who refused to pump ended up with a 1 inch improvement in length. Not bad, you might say, but the other six who did pump gained an average of 2 inches. The rounding of the results to the nearest inch has me a little concerned about the exactitude of the measurements, but the results are compelling. However, before you go running to the doctor you might want to consider that all seven men experienced decreased erectile ability after the operation. This is because the tunica outgrew the ability of the spongy interior of the cavernosa to fill it. Most men needed to use a vacuum device to achieve a serviceable erection. All up, perhaps not a good trade-off. It's like the joke about God giving Man his penis. God: "Here's your penis, Adam." Adam: "Gosh! It's great. Thanks God!" God: "You can't use it."

But before you get all depressed, consider the advances being made right now in tissue engineering. In 2002, a team of doctors at Children's Hospital in Boston announced they had succeeded in growing corpus cavernosa tissue for rabbits. Why they were growing rabbit dick material at a children's hospital was never mentioned, but the fact is they did it and it worked. The same procedure could presumably be used be used to grow cavernosa tissue for human dicks. Of all the trends in penis enhancement surgery, cavernosa enhancement looks to be the one to follow.

Is Surgery The Answer?

Almost every medical professional who doesn't make his living at it will denounce penis enhancement surgery as a careless and dangerous extravagance. But then, these are the same guys who consider a man's concerns about a 3 inch penis to be a symptom of body dysmorphic disorder that should be treated with psychoanalysis.

If you believe your penis size is an issue, then whether surgery is the answer is something only you can answer. What I would say is that letting anybody take a scalpel to your dick is an extreme response to this problem. No surgical enhancement technique currently available is without its failings. Most don't live up to their billing and all are expensive. I would go on to say that the techniques are getting better and cheaper all the time. No matter what the state of your penis, you're better off waiting - if you can. Admittedly, this is a bit like the joke about the best time to buy a computer? Answer: Never. You obviously don't want to wait half a lifetime before you get a dick you can be proud of. But before you go under the knife, I'd advise you to exhaust your other options first. The two non-surgical options for increasing the size of your penis are penis extenders and penis exercises (jelqing).

What Is A Penis Extender?

A penis extender is any device that exerts a constant tension on the penis with the aim of stretching it longer. This can take the form of weights that hang from the head of the penis or any of several manufactured devices that hold the penis in traction.

How Do Penis Extenders Work?

The theory is that tissue cells, when exposed to a constant tension, tend to divide, allowing the tissue to expand. A moment's thought reveals that this would have to be the case. If it wasn't, any differential growth in body parts would result in horrible malformations. Growing fat or getting pregnant would be like the hatching scene in the movie Alien. Flesh can, indeed, be coaxed to grow.

It's a long established fact that epithelial (skin cells) do in fact divide when exposed to tension. But the penis is made up of several very different tissue and cell types. From our perspective, the two most important components are the corpus cavernosa and the tunica albuginea that encases them. With sufficient tension can these tissues be made to grow? And if so, what is the mechanism is behind this growth?

In truth, nobody knows yet. The tunica albuginea, which is the primary determinant in penis size, is made up mostly of protein structures, collagens and elastins. It is the elastins that allow the tissue to stretch when erect. The cells that produce these proteins are fibroblasts. When the tunica is injured, fibroblasts proliferate and produce more connective tissue. In cases of penile fracture, the tissue generated is collagen which is non-elastic. This is why one often experiences penile curvature (Peyronie's disease) after such an injury.

But penis extenders have been used to successfully to treat penis curvature and the obvious explanation is that, subject to tension, the tunica fibroblasts produce more elastin. Whatever the underlying mechanism, penis extenders do appear to work.

What Kind Of Gains Can I Expect?

It's hard to say. According to the "Tractive Elongation of the Penis by Means of Stretching" study presented at the 1st International Interdisciplinary Symposium on Genitourinary Reconstructive Surgery in Barcelona, Spain (1998), 18 patients who wore a traction device 12 hours a day for six months achieved an average gain of 24 percent.

Bear in mind, however, that this study was presented by J�rn Ege Siana, MD, inventor of the JES extender device and that the study was not peer reviewed. That's not to suggest J�rn was fudging his data, but it does mean we have to be careful in assessing its veracity.

For one user's perspective, I refer you to the reportage of our intrepid dick stretcher reviewer. After wearing the stretcher on and off over the course of a year for about four hours a day (one third of the suggested 12 hours/day), our correspondent achieved an erect gain of about half-an-inch (about half the gain suggested by the 1998 study). The flaccid gains were considerably more impressive - over one inch - and this is in line with the gains reported by Dr. Siana. But as our correspondent observed, a taffy-like dick isn't going to help you score with chicks.

If worn long enough and consistently enough, the results from extenders are reputed to be impressive. Certain members of a Hindu sect known as the Sadhu, who are famous for hanging rocks from there penis, have stretched their dicks to such lengths that they can tie them in a knot. It's worth noting though that by the time they get to this length, these penises are good for little else but tying in knots.

Ultimately the gains achieved are likely to reflect the time you are willing to put into this. The more you wear it, the longer it gets. This is a long-term project. It is likely though that even in the long term there is a limit to what you can gain.

How Many Hours A Day Can I Wear The Extender?

Twelve hours a day is considered the upper limit. Unless you're very dedicated you'll find it hard to max out your daily allotment. You'll find it much easier to maintain your commitment if you set a goal of 4 - 6 hours a day.

Can Extenders Be Worn In Public?

Yes and no. In the "up" position they tend to bulge at the belt line. In the "down" position they can be worn under loose-fitting clothing, but they can be visible when the wearer is walking. When the person is sitting, they can actually be disturbingly obvious (unless they're worn in the "up" position). They can only be worn for an hour or so at a time before they start to hurt, which precludes any activity which lasts longer than that, and perhaps most worryingly, they have an annoying habit of allowing the penis to slip out. When that happens, the device is no longer secured to the body and can come tumbling out at the least opportune moment - as our correspondent can attest.

Can Extenders Be Worn While Sleeping?

Yes, but you won't get a whole lot of sleeping done. Either the pain of extended wear will wake you up, or the discomfort of wearing it will preclude your actually falling asleep.

Are Extenders Safe?

Yes for the most part. You have to use common sense, though. The mantra "no pain, no gain," does not apply to penis extenders. If you start to feel pain it means you're strangling your dick. Take the damn thing off and let your dick breath a bit

You should also avoid wearing your extender while performing any activity involving speed. That means, sports, driving, biking, etc. You've got to remember that you've got your soft vulnerable dick strapped inside a hard metal cage. An unexpected blow in just the wrong way and you could rip your dick right off. Just letting you know.

Are The Extender Gains Permanent?

That's the claim, but in truth, nobody knows. When our dick stretching correspondent stopped wearing the stretcher for three months he reported a small amount of shrinkage, but this lost length was reclaimed very quickly when he began wearing the stretcher again. The body and its myriad tissue are constantly in flux. Skin, when not exposed to tension, tends to shrink. That's why overweight people can lose weight without excess skin sagging over their beltline. But as I pointed out earlier, the tunica albuginea, which largely determines the size of your erect dick, is not skin. Your flaccid dick doesn't shrink, so maybe your expanded dick won't either.

How Much Do Penis Extenders Cost?

Anywhere from US$200 - US$400. The prices vary from seller to seller. Some offer extra silicone straps and foam cushions. Others offer more expansion pieces. Generally, the whole package is considerably less than the sum cost of its parts. If you cheap-out on the initial package, you could end up paying more in the long run for the extra bits.

Is The Price Worth It?

A bigger dick for the price of a 4 gig Ipod Nano? Where do I sign? Compared to surgery, the extender is vastly more cost effective. And nobody is slicing your dick open. But if your problem really is the price, then there are cheaper means of enlargement available. Read on.

What Is Jelqing?

Jelqing, also known as natural penis enlargement, is a form of repetitive penile massage. The word is reportedly derived from the phrase jalgh zadan, which is Persian slang for masturbation. Purportedly, it is a technique that has been passed down through the generations from father to son although how the Arab Ward Cleaver broached the issue with Beaver is perhaps best left to the imagination. Now, this might seems at odds with our idea of what would be acceptable in Islam, but the Koran is actually strangely silent on the issue of penis enlargement. And Arab culture in general has a more tolerant - and frankly, healthy - attitude towards the penis than our Judeo-Christian culture. And let's not forget that lusty Persian culture of yore. Maybe some traditions die harder than others.

Jelqing involves a series of exercises designed to force blood into the penis. Basically, it goes like this:

1. The penis is warmed through with the application of hot cloths.
2. The penis is stretched for a few minutes.
3. Lotion (or warm olive oil, if you're a traditionalist) is applied to the hand and penis.
4. When the penis is tumescent (but not hard) the penis is squeezed at the base betwixt the thumb and forefinger and moved distally along the shaft forcing blood into the erectile chambers.
5. Repeat step 4 for fifteen minutes.

That's it basically. Do that every day and you'll get a bigger dick. At least that's the theory. There are an astonishing number of different exercise programs offered for money that demonstrate additional exercises and methods as well as optimal schedules, safety tips, etc.

How Does Jelqing Work?

The theory behind jelqing is that blood is forced into the penile tissue and the resulting pressure forces them to expand beyond their normal limits. When this happens, it stimulates the production of proteins that serve to build-up the tissue. In a way, this would explain why vacuum pumping doesn't build tissue. For the growth factor chemicals to work they need to be circulated. When the penis is erect there is very little circulation of blood. Because jelqing is performed when the penis is merely tumescent, there should be an increased blood flow to the tissues affected. Is this theory valid? Who knows. Science has yet to seriously explore how jelqing affects the biomechanics of tissue growth.

So, does it work? Unfortunately, science has been deplorably remiss in conducting unbiased studies into the effectiveness of jelqing. The consensus is, however, that there is something going on. Much like extenders, there is no overnight success, and the road to gains takes time.

Is Jelqing Safe?

It very much depends on how it's done. If jelqing works by increasing pressure on the internal tissues of the penis, then it stands to reason that too much pressure is going to do damage Blood vessels can burst, tissues can rupture, nerves can detach. In extreme cases, scar tissue can form that will actually shorten the penis. The same caveats that apply to vacuum pumping apply here. Again, given the costs involved, an investment in an established program is not a bad idea.

What Is The Downside Of Jelqing?

Apart from the potential for serious injury through over-doing it, the major drawback to jelqing is the hassle of it. You have to put on lotion and start pulling on your dick without giving yourself an erection. That's already too tall an order for me. Much like penis traction, you have to commit yourself to a daily effort over a long period of time to see real results.

What About Pills And Patches?

No stretching, no squeezing, no counting backwards from a hundred while the nurse swabs your dick with iodine. Just pop a magic pill and watch as your little sprout grows into a beanstalk.

Oh, that it could be so! Unfortunately it can't. Penis enlargement pills don't confer any permanent gains on your penis. That doesn't mean they don't have a positive effect. To be sure, there's a lot of sugar pills being Fed-Exed to hopeful dupes the world over, but a lot of pills on the market do actually - at least temporarily - make the penis larger. Something you may want to think about for your date with Suzie from the temp pool.

How Do Penis Pills And Patches Work?

There are two principle mechanisms, vasodilation and hormone stimulation. Some pills invoke one or the other. Some invoke both. Vasodilators work to (temporarily) expand blood vessels in the penis. This allows more blood to flow in and out giving your penis a fuller look. Hormone stimulators boost the body's production of androgens such as testosterone. This in turn increases sex drive and can induce harder and, perhaps, longer erections.

Quite a few men use penis pills or patches in conjunction with jelqing programs or extenders; the theory being that the increased blood flow leads to better delivery of oxygen, which in turn allows for the faster healing of stressed tissues. I can't vouch for this effect but I suppose it can't hurt.

Which Is Better? Pills Or Patches?

In terms of the medication delivered they're the same. They're just different delivery systems. Pills tend to release a large amount of medication for a short period of time, but because they have to be broken down by the digestive system it takes a hour of so before they become fully effective. Patches, on the other hand, promise almost immediate delivery, but their effect is intended to last a longer period of time at a lower level of intensity.

Related Websites:
Penis Enlargement Scams - Mayo Health
The Long And Short Of It
U.S. Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons
Penile Augmentation Surgery