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Health

The Rise of the Locker Room Penis

Does the Penuma implant really give you BDE?

Despite the well-documented fact that many partners prefer average-sized penises (1), scores of men experiment with gimmicky pills, toys, and exercises that promise to give them BDE to rival Pete Davidson’s. The majority of these tools are questionable at best—and risky at worst. But recently a new, more legitimate option has gained traction: the Penuma implant, a set of silicone implants that give the penis extra girth and the appearance of extra length.

The procedure’s popularity has skyrocketed in recent years. “There are people who fly in for this who are very well off, and there are people who save their money and they’re not very wealthy, but it’s something that really matters to them,” says urological surgeon Lanna Cheuck, D.O. “They’re after what we call a ‘locker room penis’ because you can walk around a locker room and hang lower, thicker, and girthier without having an erection.”

Read on to learn more about how the Penuma implant works, what to expect from Penuma surgery, the impant’s cost and what to consider before getting it.

What Is the Penuma Implant?

The Penuma implant was invented by urologist James J. Elist, M.D., who began offering it in 2004 at his clinic in Beverly Hills. The surgery was FDA cleared in 2007.

During the procedure, a surgeon puts two soft silicone implants into the corpora cavernosa, the two spongy columns of erectile tissue that run up and down the penis. The implants increase the girth of the penis so that it looks bigger even while soft.

“Patients want this because they feel very self-conscious when they’re in the locker room naked,” says Cheuck. “They really want to look like they’re bigger when they’re flaccid, and with their partners as well, they feel more confident when they have more girth.”

Can It Add Length?

The main effect of the Penuma implant is to increase girth. But because a thicker penis is less likely to get lost in the pubic fat pad, it can look longer, too. 

“Although it can lengthen the flaccid stretched penile length, when erect, the penis doesn’t necessarily lengthen,” says Cheuck. “Think of it as a stretched rubber band; it stretches the flaccid state of the penis so it hangs lower.”

As Robert Valenzuela, M..D., a urologist who offers the procedure, puts it, you’ll be “a shower, not a grower.”

An unnamed physician (we’re assuming?) in a TikTok from Penuma likens the effects of the surgery to the lift and perk women get from breast implants. “In the same way the Penuma creates a scaffolding and a protuberance to the penis, it’ll be subtly firmer at rest…be very much attractive and very much a turn on because the penis is larger and wider and longer as it sits flaccid.”

BETTER ERECTIONS

Penuma Surgery

The procedure is done under general anesthesia, so it should be painless.

First, your junk is shaved and cleaned with antibiotic solution to minimize the risk of infection. Then, a small incision is made above the penis, and an implant is inserted into each of the two corpora cavernosa, from the base to the head.

The implants are sutured into place, then the skin is closed up. Right afterward, the penis might be a bit swollen, and you’re advised not to have sex or masturbate for at least six weeks.

How Much Does it Cost?

Only about a dozen doctors in the U.S. offer the Penuma implant; they’re listed on the procedure’s website. These doctors charge from around $15,000-20,000 — definitely not cheap, but neither are most cosmetic surgeries.

Before and After: What You Can Expect

The Penuma implant comes in different sizes, depending on what your goals are and how big you are to begin with. “Some guys, even if they want an XXL, it wouldn’t fit in their penis; there wouldn’t be enough skin to cover it,” Valenzuela explains.

Those who get the Penuma implant generally gain 2.5-3 centimeters of girth.

OK, But What About Sex?

Out friendly Penuma TikTok expert notes that sex after Penuma is great—at least for the partner.

“The partner feels them as being larger…the partner can usually tell that there’s an implant. There’s a certain sense of firmness to the penis.”

Better orgasms for your partner is a plus—and something that should be important for you. But your own orgasm may not change. “It feels like normal sex,” one Penuma patient told Men’s Health.

Also worth noting: Penuma can’t improve erectile function. Meaning: if you have erectile dysfunction, you’ll still need to seek other treatments for that. “We’re opening up doors to men who are focused on the size of their penis, not necessarily function,” says Valenzuela.

Any Downsides?

Apart from the cost, they’re pretty minimal. “Any type of implant that you’re putting in your body is foreign, and sometimes the penis can get infected,” says Cheuck. However, as techniques for the Penuma implant have improved, the chances of negative outcomes have gone down. Currently, there’s about a one percent infection rate, a five percent seroma (fluid retention) rate, and a scarring rate of less than one percent, according to Valenzuela.

Another uncommon but possible risk: the skin could erode around the implant near the tip of the penis during the first six weeks after the procedure, in which case the implant will need to be taken out to prevent infection, says Valenzuela. People with uncontrolled diabetes may not heal properly, so such patients are generally turned down.

PENIS HEALTH

Alternative Options for Penis Enlargement

If you’re looking to add girth but don’t have the cash or the stomach for the Penuma implant, Cheuck says there are other options.

Regenerative Penile Injections with PRP

The so-called “P shot” involves taking platelet-rich plasma (PRP) from your blood and injecting it into your penis. “This increases girth temporarily, and if you do that every month, it brings more blood flow to the penis and therefore more girth,” says Cheuck, who offers PRP for penile enhancement. The results will be less drastic than the Penuma implant, though; you’ll gain one centimeter of girth at most, and it’s not permanent.

Dermal Fillers

Another option is to get dermal fillers injected into the fascia (the layer underneath the skin) of the penis. Each filler is 1 cc, so the volume can go up depending on how much filler you use, according to Cheuck. The procedure can be done every month to slowly build the area.

If you’re curious about what option would be best for you, speak with your urologist or others who offer the procedures you’re considering. Do your research and make sure you’re going to someone reputable and vetting them thoroughly before making a decision.

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