MONDAY, Feb. 06, 2012 — Hyaluronic acid injections are used to ease arthritis pain, plump-up lips, and fill wrinkles — and now the fillers may also be used to enhance penile girth.

Because of a growing demand for so-called “penis enlargers” (just Google the phrase and you’ll find a plethora of products and potions touting their ability to augment your manhood), scientists from Korea University in Seoul decided to test injecting hyaluronic acid — a substance that’s naturally found in our bodies but also made in labs — would fill out participants’ penises.

The study enrolled 50 brave men with “subjective small penises,” the researchers wrote in the Journal of Sexual Medicine ). These men received injections of 20.5 cc of hyaluronic acid (which is about two-thirds the size of a medicine cup, according to MSNBC) into the tissue surrounding the penis. The volume of the penis was measured before the procedure and then 18 months later — and the doctors also took note of the patients’ penis-size satisfaction post-procedure.

The results? On average, the men experienced an increase in circumference of 4 cm (about 1.5 inches), and the enhancement remained over 18 months. And the participants were pretty happy about it, too: On a scale of 0-4, they rated their satisfaction a 3.3. There were no serious side effects reported, and the scientists concluded that the filler “is a very effective and safe technique for penile augmentation.”
Penis Enlargement Injections: Should You Try It?

Besides the whole “injecting-a-needle-into-the-penis” aspect of the procedure, the penile injections sound promising. But are they for you?

Tony Youn, MD, a Michigan-based plastic surgeon, explains in an article on MSNBC that the current options for penile enlargement tend to either be ineffective and lacking in scientific proof — or tremendously invasive. “One surgery to widen the penis involves cutting it open and implanting radiated cadaver skin around the central shaft,” he writes. “Think this is extreme? Some doctors lengthen the penis by cutting the suspensory ligament and then attaching a weight to the end of the penis daily. For six months.”

While he acknowledges that hyaluronic acid injections sound like a better bet than those mentioned above, he isn’t completely on board. Instead, he recommends a risk-free, needle-free, side-effect-free option: Weight loss.

“Removing fat from around that area can make what’s left look bigger,” he says.

Are you convinced that a penis injection is a good idea for enlargement? Would you or your partner try this? Let us know in comments.