Doctor, are my "measurements" normal?

This is a recurring question for the clinical research Specialists in Andrology. In effect, it often represents a frequent reason for a medical visit, above all, for those of a young age. In most cases, it deals with a false problem. Upon average, one can distinguish at least twenty or so cases of true hypodevelopment of the penis having a length of less than 10 cm.

Then, there are a series of cases in which the development of the penis is not considered truly pathological, but among the low percentile: this deals with a condition in which the maximum length during erection reaches 11-12 cm with a reduced circumference. Frequently, conditions of a reduced development of the penis cause profound psychological discomfort, which sometimes profoundly conditions the patient's relationships and may generate disturbance in sexual functioning. In these cases, anatomical correction signifies a clear improvement in the quality of the life of the subject.

What are the therapeutic possibilities?
The necessary beginning before deciding on a treatment is obviously to discard false problems. In cases where, rather, a reduced development is truly present, there are both pharmacological and surgical types of treatment.

Hormonal Therapy is reserved solely for cases of phyogonadism, that is, conditions in which the development of primary sexual characteristics (testicles) and secondary characteristics (the penis, facial hair, prostate, etc.) are insufficient: in general, after six months of therapy, excellent results can be obtained.

Surgical Therapy is applied in case the dimension of the penis of the adult subject is effectively lacking; it consists in removing pubic fat and cutting into the suspension ligaments to the penis, in this way causing a major extension of the penis during flaccidity; in the erection there are no significant variations.

Very recently, there has been a fine-tuning of the special penile devices called extensors; these are based on the principle that when the human tissue is subjected to a force of traction, the tissue reacts by an augmentation of its dimensions due to cellular growth. It deals with the well-noted principle already profited on in medicine on simple tissue such as the cutis. It is enough to think of the example of subcutaneous expansors which obtain a growth of the strips of skin from transplants on burnt areas or in plastic surgery operations

Regarding therapy of extensors, at the moment we have no international literature available; in case the treatment with extensors be undertaken autonomously, it should be done under a specialist's control with periodic penile scans (ecographs) to survey possible damaging effects of the trauma to the covering of the corpi carnervosis of the penis. It requires, therefore, maximum caution.