Almost every second man subjectively thinks his penis is too small, and wishes for a larger penis. Therefore, an entire “penis industry” has manifested itself on the Internet, which exploits the wish of many men for a larger penis and praises dubious offers.

Anyone who enters terms related to “penis enlargement” in search engines will receive thousands of hits. Above all, countless pages appear that promise a “nautral penis enlargement” with the help of massage and stretching exercises, penis extenders or of course with the help of medication products and dietary supplements. In any case, from a professional point of view, all these methods are to be doubted, and some of them must also be expressly warned against.

Jelqing and other massage techniques

Every man has pulled on his flaccid penis at some point. The pull fills the connective tissue with blood and the penis becomes longer and thicker. However, the effect lasts only a few minutes.

Jelqing (“jelq” = milking), however, according to various advice sites on the net, is an ancient Arabic stretching technique which, when used consistently, should lead to a permanently larger penis. The semi-erect or erect penis is enclosed with thumb and forefinger and massaged with pressure from the pubic bone to the glans.

As an andrologist, I can only warn against jelq and stretching exercises, which, if done incorrectly or exaggerated, can lead to painful and serious injuries to the penis. In the worst case, there is a risk of ruptured blood vessels, scarring of the penile tissue, aesthetic problems or, in extreme cases, even a complete loss of sensation! In addition, there is always the risk that erectile function is harmed.

There is no medical evidence for an effective permanent penis enlargement through Jelqing and other penis stretching methods!

Certain stretching techniques and exercises for the penis have nevertheless been proven in andrological medicine and can be used in postoperative follow-up. However, they should not be performed without the guidance of an andrologist.

Penis extenders, penile stretchers & vacuum pumps

In addition to the massage techniques mentioned above, various websites also try to advertise penis extenders and penis pumps, which are also supposed to  naturally increase the penis size.

In fact, such devices (Phallosan and others) are used in andrology for therapeutic purposes, but mainly to help men suffering from Peyronie’s disease.

In combination therapy with XIAPEX injections, penile stretchers are used to straighten a crooked penis. Constant stretching of the penis further softens the plaque of PD and enhances the straightening process.

In the same way, penis pumps, i.e. medical vacuum pumps are used as aids in andrology. However, the main purpose is to help men with erectile dysfunction to achieve an erection. The vacuum causes more blood to flow into the penis and it actually appears temporarily larger. However, this does not have a permanent effect on penis size.

One should view the promised exaggerated results when using penis pumps and penis extenders with caution. Again, there are dangers when used falsely: If you exaggerate and stretch your member too much and damage the tissue, you risk that your erection suffers or other injuries occur.

Pills, creams & supplements

The use of pills, capsules, dietary supplements and creams propagated on the Internet for “male enhancement” is strongly discouraged. At best, these preparations consist of harmless substances and have no effects at all; in the worst case, they have unpleasant side effects.

Besides the risk of harming your health, there is no scientific data on the effectiveness of the products being promoted.

Penis enlargement without surgery is not possible

Penis enlargement without surgery is not medically possible. Penis enlargement is only possible through a surgical procedure in which the suspensory ligaments, that attach the penis to the pubic bone are cut (ligamentolysis). As a result, an increase in length of 2.5 to 6 centimeters in the flaccid state, 0.5 to 2 centimeters in the erect state is realistic.

Penile augmentation, i.e. thickening of the penis, is possible through autologous fat transfer or hyaluronic acid, whereby this procedure can increase the circumference of the penis by 3 to 6 centimeters. While surgical penile enlargement and thickening with autologous fat provides a permanent result, penile thickening with hyaluronic acid is not permanent, since hyaluronic acid is broken down by the body and you would have to inject it again after about a year.