Ever since cosmetic procedures became commercialized, women have been the target. From breast enhancements to facelifts to labiaplasties, we’ve been told we’re not big enough, small enough, or lifted enough. But with the recent wave of “lookmaxxing,” it seems the (surgical) light is on men for once — and for some, that light is pointed straight at their crotch.
Yes, men receive penis filler, a non-surgical procedure that aims to increase the girth of the penis. And, although men have been interested in it for some time, in recent years, penis filling has been on the rise (ahem). In fact, Dr. Joshua Gonzalez, a board-certified urologist and sexual medicine specialist, tells Cosmopolitan that his clinic performs these procedures several times a week.
“Most patients I see come in to gain a little height, often just to improve their confidence in the bedroom,” says Dr. Gonzalez. “Some men have had experiences where they felt inadequate — maybe their partners had mentioned something about their size — but a lot of times it’s sort of an internal struggle or insecurity that they’ve been dealing with for a while.”
Whether for aesthetic reasons or because they want to “fill” their partner more during sex, men shell out thousands of dollars to get the penis of their dreams.
Let’s back up: what exactly is penis filler?
When you think of the term “filler,” you probably think of injectable treatments for your face. Well, penis filling is more like it than you think.
“Penile fillers use dermal fillers that have been used for decades on the face and lips to add volume to the penis and they primarily increase girth,” explains Dr. Gonzalez.
First, the penis is numbed using a few small injections, but it only feels like a quick pinch. Once the penis is numb, the hyaluronic acid passes beneath the fascia, the two layers of connective tissue that support, protect, and hold the internal erectile tubes together.
The entire procedure takes between 30 and 60 minutes and requires approximately 2 to 3 office visits spread over several weeks. After that, patients are generally recommended to return every 12 to 24 months for maintenance, although Dr. Gonzalez says he sees his patients’ filler last up to 2 to 3 years.
The amount of filler used depends on the size desired by the patient. Sometimes, as a result, patients will experience their penis becoming “bigger” at a time when it is flaccid. And erect. But Dr. Gonzalez says that aside from slight swelling for 2-3 weeks, their penis shouldn’t feel any different than it did before the procedure.
But sometimes it looks different for their partners.
Are there any risks?
Penis filler is minimally invasive, but, like any procedure, it is not without risk.
“I love using hyaluronic acid fillers because the biggest complications we see tend to be lumps, bumps, or asymmetric migration,” says Dr. Gonzalez. “These can all be repaired and corrected using hyaluronidase or by adding additional filler nearby to make things more even.”
Although Dr. Gonzalez has seen limited problems in his patients, complications have arisen elsewhere. A study of 230 men who received HA injections for penis enlargement reported that 4.3% of them experienced complications during six months of follow-up, including bleeding, nodules, and infections.
Infection is also possible with any injection procedure. Although Dr. Gonzalez says the risk is very low when the procedure is performed using sterile technique, serious infections following penile HA injections have been reported, including one case in which an infection progressed to septic shock and required intensive treatment and surgery.
The type of load also matters. HA is safe, but permanent fillers like silicone or paraffin are less so. These materials have been associated with delayed inflammation, granulomas, infection, tissue death, deformity, and other complications that may require surgical treatment. So always make sure you know exactly what is going on inside your penis.
As for sensation, Dr. Gonzalez says he doesn’t expect patients to feel any changes when the procedure is performed by an experienced injector who understands the anatomy of the penis. But there isn’t enough research yet to tell us if this is still true. Most penile filler studies involve small groups of patients and very limited follow-up, leaving less information about rare or long-term complications.
As with any procedure, it is important to know what is at risk and whether a larger girth is worth it.
Is having sex different afterward?
Patients who receive penis filler are asked to wait at least 10 days after the procedure to resume having sexual intercourse. Once the waiting period is over, their sex life could change in several ways.
This was the case for Sylvia* and John*, who chose to have the operation despite some of Sylvia’s concerns and hesitations.
“The first treatment wasn’t extremely noticeable, but after a few treatments it was visibly and physically noticeable,” she says. While Sylvia expected growth, she didn’t know that girth could increase so drastically.
As a result, Sylvia explains that penetration immediately felt noticeably different. “It seemed fuller and seemed to go deeper. We definitely had to go a little slower at first and (use) a little extra lube to help. But once it settled in, it hit all the right places,” she says.
John noticed a difference too. Although his penis still feels “normal,” as Dr. Gonzalez said, he can tell that it is heavier and hangs lower when flaccid. He likes knowing that his wife feels the difference.
“It’s nice to feel my wife adjusting to everything when sex begins (she has to exhale slowly when I first penetrate her),” he says.
Sylvia appreciates the change, although she said she never had a problem with her height. However, when John told her about penis filler, she gave him “100% support.”
She explains that she has always been attracted to her husband and the penis filling did not affect that.
“I think it made things a little more interesting in the bedroom,” she says. “I mean, you might like ice cream, but who wouldn’t prefer to eat it with toppings?
Gn Health
