Penis Fillers: The Hard Truth About If Size Really Matters
By Pie Mulumba
This article is a repost which originally appeared on Longevity
In a world that seems to be obsessed with size, there’s a strong emphasis on having certain body parts be as big as possible, from breast implants to butt injections. That said, the need for a bigger size has resulted in the huge growth of the penis enlargement industry.
The average penis size is 5.2 inches (13.2cm) long and 4.6 inches (11.6cm) round. Now, while the debate on whether size matters rages on, it appears that some men have already made up their minds. Believing that it does indeed matter, these men, who feel under-endowed, have taken matters into their own hands by looking at pills, creams, and even vacuum pumps. However, it doesn’t end there. Enter, penis fillers.
Wait, did you just say penis fillers?
Yes, penis fillers. A non-surgical procedure, that can cost around $5000, whereby a liquid – usually hyaluronic acid – is injected into the soft tissue under the skin of the penis shaft. The purpose of the procedure is meant to increase a man’s flaccid girth, usually by one or two centimeters in circumference and the effects are intended to last for around 18 months.
Additionally, some clinics use fat injections to increase girth. The fat is harvested from another part of the patient’s body, usually the lower abdomen. Unlike hyaluronic acid, fat injections are permanent.
Are there any risks?
Mr. Asif Muneer, from the British Association of Urological Surgeons, revealed to the BBC that he would discourage his patients from partaking in any form of penis enlargement surgeries,
“All these augmentation procedures are mainly to increase your flaccid girth, and it will have no benefit on your erect length – so functionally it’s not going to improve matters” he explains, “If anything, it might lead to complications that will impair their sexual function later on.”
Additional side effects may also include painful bruising, swelling, infections, unevenness scarring. There may even be a heightened risk of erectile dysfunction due to blood vessel blockage. What’s more, there is also the risk of the filler ending up in the foreskin. This would then mean that the patient would require circumcision.
So, what exactly would possess a man to have hyaluronic acid or fat harvested from his body injected into his penis shaft?
The rise of penis enhancements
When it comes to the impact that social media has on body image, a lot of the attention is focused on the woman’s perspective. However, the rise of social media and the influencers culture can also affect how men view themselves.
For instance, research published in the journal New Media and Society found that men who reported looking at male fitness posts on social media revealed that they regularly compared their appearance to others more often, and there was also an increased desire to have muscles.
Men and their best friends
It may not be premature to admit that the rise of penis enhancements goes beyond sexual satisfaction. With the constant innuendos about large sizes being more desirable, as well as men equating a large size to masculinity and sexual competence, some men may begin to have low self-esteem if they feel that their sizes aren’t up to standard. In fact, a study published in the journal Psychology of Men & Masculinity found that even men with average-size penises wish they were bigger.
Additionally, a recent study published in the Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy that asked for the male participants to self-report their penis length found that many of the men embellished their responses. In fact, only 26.9% of the sexually experienced men self-reported penis lengths of less than 6 inches. On the other hand, 30.8% self-reported lengths of 7 inches or more. What’s more, the study also suggested that men with a high level of social desirability were more likely than others to self-report having a large penis.
So with all of that said, there’s only one question left to ask;
Okay, but what do women want?
Kindness.
According to a study from Clue, that surveyed at 64 000 women, kindness is the most important thing women look for in a partner – not the size of a shaft. Speaking of which, the survey also revealed that the majority of straight women would prefer a male partner to have an average-sized penis, rather than a massive penis. That’s right – women care less about penis size than men.
In fact, women are more worried about it being too big as opposed to too small. This is because a bigger than average penis may cause some pain and discomfort during sexual intercourse. This then reduces the chances of more sex in the future. What’s more, there is also the consensus that men with big penises will solely rely on their size. As such, they will not be as engaging or conscious of their partner’s needs. This, of course, can result in a woman being very dissatisfied with her sex life.
To men, a big penis may sound like a lovely idea in theory, but there’s really nothing to it. Rather, put your physical and mental health before anything else. After all, it’s not the size of the boat that matters, but rather the motion of the ocean.
References
Fatt, S. J., Fardouly, J., & Rapee, R. M. (2019). #malefitspo: Links between viewing fitspiration posts, muscular-ideal internalisation, appearance comparisons, body satisfaction, and exercise motivation in men. New Media & Society, 21(6), 1311–1325. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444818821064
King, B., Duncan, L., Clinkenbeard, K., Rutland, M., et al.(2019) Social Desirability and Young Men’s Self-Reports of Penis Size, Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 45:5, 452-455, DOI: 10.1080/0092623X.2018.1533905
Johnston, L., McLellan, T., & McKinlay, A. (2014). (Perceived) size really does matter: Male dissatisfaction with penis size. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 15(2), 225–228. doi: 10.1037/a0033264