Plastic surgery has come a long way, and with it, procedures like
phalloplasty have also evolved. Today, a lot of men who are not
satisfied with the size of their
penis are turning towards phalloplasty
to surgically enhance its size. The procedure, which once used to be
complicated and risky, is now increasingly in demand. If you do not like
the size of your penis, you too can opt for this surgery. However,
before you opt for this procedure, familiarize yourself with all the
various aspect of phalloplasty so that you can make an informed choice.
What is Phalloplasty?
Phalloplasty is a medical term for a procedure used to reconstruct
the penis. It is also often known as
penile enlargement surgery or a
penis reconstruction surgery. This surgery is performed to artificially
modify the penis, however, most often it is done for cosmetic purposes.
The surgery may also be used for sexual reassignment, where the penis is
constructed using tissues from other parts of the body.
Who is Eligible for Phalloplasty?
Anyone can get phalloplasty performed on themselves. However, this
surgery is usually recommended for patients who have congenital
anomalies. This could include a very small or micropenis and other
conditions such as epispadias and hypospadias. Epispadias is a rare
congenital defect located on the opening of the urethra. This condition
does not allow the urethra to develop fully, therefore forcing the urine
to exit from the wrong place in the body. Hypospadias is a similar
birth defect in which the urethra opens on the underside of the penis.
This procedure is also ideal for males who need penis reconstruction
because of a complete or partial loss of the organ in an accident or a
mishap. Phalloplasty is becoming increasingly popular with transsexual
patients who want to change their female anatomy to male. In essence, it
can be performed on anyone who wants to reconstruct or enhance the
appearance of the penis.
Penile Lengthening Phalloplasty
Of the several types of phalloplasty surgeries available, penile
lengthening is perhaps the most popular. This is a highly coveted
procedure, usually sought after by men who are not happy with the length
of their penis. Ideal for men who suffer from having a micropenis, this
procedure is relatively new and still improving. The first penile
lengthening surgery was performed by Dr. Long Daochau, in 1984. The
surgery was performed in China and was mildly successful. However, this
was the first time, the male organ was surgically enhanced, and ever
since a lot of improvements have been made to the procedure, to make it
more safe and have less side effects and risks.
For men, who believe that a longer penis would help them improve
their self esteem and confidence, making them more popular with the
ladies, there are several other safer options to consider. However, for
men who have damaged, disfigured or extremely small penis, this is an
ideal surgical technique. This surgery is aimed at increasing the
flaccid length of the penis. This would also affect the length of the
erect penis to a large extent. Through this surgery, men can add 0.5 to
1.5 inches to their penis length. For this surgery, the penis is
separated from the pubic bone and a suprapubic liposuction is performed
to add fat and tissue to it. In cases, where more length is desired, the
scrotal fold in the pubic region is repositioned, moving it closer to
the pubic area.
Penile Girth Enhancement Phalloplasty
The circumference or the girth of the penis is often an important
factor in how men view or regard their
penis. Girth enhancement
phalloplasty is another popular procedure, in which the circumference of
the penis is increased. To achieve this result, free fat from the body
is transferred to the penis. This is a much safer procedure than the
lengthening surgery. However, this procedure has its disadvantages too.
Girth enhancement surgeries have often failed because it may not be able
to achieve uniform girth enhancement throughout the length of the
penis. Uneven fat absorption may further depreciate the appearance of
the penis. Often, the fat may disappear over time or the fat graft may
get displaced during vigorous sexual activity. Lumps and bumps on the
shaft of the organ, are some of the other problems that this kind of
surgery may cause.
In the more advanced form of the surgery, a graft is stitched to the
fascia of the penis in a flat position so that the appearance is
uniform, and bumps can be avoided. This kind of surgery may also
increase the length of the penis, but circumference of the penis usually
increases from 10% to 30%. The extent of the widening usually depends
on the size of the grafts. These grafts may be obtained from different
parts of the body – usually the forearm.
Common Complications
While the procedure of phalloplasty has improved over the years, with
improvement in both technology and medical understanding of the penis,
the procedure still has several risks and complications. A large
majority of men require revision surgeries to maintain the added length
and girth, while several experience incorrect healing of grafts, causing
mutilation and shrinking of the penis. A post operative study on men
reported that more than 25% of patients who received phalloplasty had
several serious complications due to the surgery. Some of the most
common complications men may experience after this procedure include:
- Loss of the penis because of disease or damage to the blood vessels that supply blood to it.
- Blood clots in the penis or the pubic region
- Shortage of blood supply in the groin
- Mild to severe infection
- Death or decay of parts of the penis (limited necrosis)
- Bruises that may not heal
- Scarring
- Urinary fistula that may require revision surgeries
- Prosthesis change because of complications
In cases, where larger reconstruction of the penis is attempted, the
chances of having complications are higher. This is why most doctors
prefer recommending other,
natural methods for penile enhancement instead of recommending phalloplasty which is often dangerous and may cause more damage to the organ.