Living with an implant
Can a penile implant increase size?
Short answer: no. Here is what girth expansion means, why some clinics imply otherwise, and what to expect instead.
5 minute read
- Written by
- Istanbul Penile Implant Centre editorial team
- Medically reviewed by
- Prof. Dr. Bülent AlıcıMD, Professor of Urology and Andrology
- Published
- Last updated
A penile implant is not a lengthening procedure and it is not a cosmetic one. If a clinic implies that an implant will make you bigger, that is a marketing claim rather than a clinical one.
How an implant is sized
During surgery the erectile bodies are opened and measured directly. The surgeon then selects cylinders that fit those measurements. The device is sized to your anatomy — it cannot exceed what the tissue will accommodate without risking erosion and pain.
What girth expansion means
Inflatable implants expand in girth when inflated, which is what makes the erection firm. That is expansion of the cylinders within your own anatomy, not an addition to your natural size. Some devices, such as the AMS 700 LGX, are designed to expand in length as well as girth on inflation — again within the implanted size, and whether that model is suitable depends on what the surgeon finds during the operation.
Why some men feel shorter afterwards
A proportion of men perceive the penis as slightly shorter after implant surgery. This is more likely if there was already shortening from Peyronie’s disease, previous surgery, or long-standing erectile dysfunction with scarring of the erectile tissue. It is one of the most common sources of dissatisfaction, and it is almost entirely a matter of expectation set before surgery.
What an implant is for
It restores reliable rigidity when other treatments no longer work. That is a substantial thing, and for most men it is the thing that was actually missing. Judge the result against that, not against a size expectation nobody can deliver.