Penile enlargement surgery – historical perspective

Enlargement of the penis by surgery is not a novel procedure. Even since mankind became of the genitals, almost every culture has been mucking around with the genitals. There are countless anecdotal reports on penile enlargement techniques used by different cultures in different eras.

The crudest method of penile enlargement has been the use of a traction device. While this may sound ancient and foolhardy, it is still a widely used technique and advocated by many non health care professionals. Other cultures have inserted safety pins and needles in the penis to promote inflammation and engorgement of the penis with blood. And still others have recommended daily use of weights tied to a string to elongate the penis. And the most insane has been the methods used by ancient civilizations in South America- the courageous Incas have even let snakes bite their penis- the end result in each of these scenarios has been a painful penis which was severely deformed.

In North America, our educated folks were not very impressed with the old methods of penile enlargement and we had to wait until the early 1980s until adequate surgical techniques were developed.

The first penile enlargement surgery was performed in China but like everything else in life- we in America have always wanted to be the biggest and best and so, the technique of penile enlargement was perfected here. Today, penile enlargement surgery is a flourishing business for cosmetic surgeons.

Even though penile enlargement surgery has been performed for about 2 decades, it is still not recognized by the various Surgical Organizations. In fact, many traditional surgeons are against it. Currently there are no guidelines, rules or quality control measures for this type of surgery.

Many surgeons consider penile enlargement surgery to be experimental, risky and not indicated. While a few individuals have obtained the desired result, there are just as many who have developed severe and irreversible complications. Like the beginnings of any surgery, technical problems still do occur and the side effects are unpredictable. For most surgeons this is unchartered territory and fraught with hazards. The procedure is still only done by a few surgeons and the procedure remains unrecognized by the Surgical Organizations.

There is a strong belief among health care professionals that men who remain dis-satisfied with their penis size should be careful about undergoing what is considered experimental surgery. Perhaps a psychological evaluation may be a better option. For those who do seek surgery, heed the adage, Buyer Beware.