A top consultant at King’s College Hospital has warned there is limited evidence penis enlargement works after a review of 1,000 men found low patient satisfaction and risks including possible deformity and even shortening.
Gordon Muir, a consultant urologist, led a review on surgery and other treatments to enlarge penis size with colleagues from King’s College Hospital and King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience.
Their research focused on penile enhancements for men without penile abnormalities.
It found a low level of evidence that penis extenders work, and no consenus was reached on whether surgery is ever necessary.
A review of seventeen published studies, looking at enlargement interventions on more than 1,000 men showed that overall treatment outcomes were poor, with low patient satisfaction and significant risk of major complications – including penis deformity, shortening and erectile dysfunction.
Although some men reported an increase in size, the most effective treatment was found to be – when offered – counselling.
The review will now help inform doctors treating patients with Body Dysmorphic Disorder or Penile Dysmorphic Disorder to make sure they are given the right treatment, and help them avoid ineffective and potentially dangerous procedures.
Mr Muir said some clinics claiming to offer solutions were ignoring advice.
“We have a large research base in the field of penis enlargement and genital dysmorphia,” he said.
“Many men who wish to undergo penis enlargement procedures have an average-sized penis but believe their size to be inadequate.
“Sadly, some clinics seem to ignore this.
“Most treatments to increase penis size are not evidence-based, and their efficacy is extremely limited.
“Many vulnerable men suffer by having needless, ineffective surgical and non-surgical procedures.
“Hopefully this study will help to show men who do not have penile abnormalities that counselling can be the most effective form of treatment.”