Phalloplasty FAQ

Silicone leakage from breast implants has been a big controversy since the first silicone implants for breast enlargement were introduced to the world of plastic surgery. Meanwhile, research and new material development have made breast implants consisting of a silicone pocket and soft silicone gel filling relatively safe. Nevertheless, the chance of rupture and material leakage is always possible when the implants are exposed to large amount of forces. However, while this might be true for breast implants, it is not for our implant! Our soft silicone penis enlargement implant consists of a soft but solid silicone material which when even cut in half, does not leak. If you would like, you can compare the material or the implant consistency to that of a gummy bear. Simply said, our silicone implant is a soft but solid structure without any fluid or gel component and without the risk of leakage. Regarding your second question, the implant covers about 2/3 of the penis surface, which is about 270 degrees. By doing so, the lower part of the penis carrying the urethra is not being covered. We do indeed have some patients who are using injections for erectile issues and have the implant insert. After implant insertion we teach our patients how and where to inject in order to avoid puncturing the implant.

Patients seeking solutions for a small penis size frequently have a distorted view of what they actually have. In these instances, psychological counseling may prove helpful.

Given the location of the placement of the subcutaneous soft silicone implant under the penile shaft skin, sensation is typically not affected, and nerves are not damaged. To your 2nd question, our patients generally describe the feel and looks of the penis after surgery as “natural” or “normal”, but “bigger” or “huge”, etc. If asked, the majority of patients refer to their penis after surgery as being big and naturally looking and report never being addressed about having had any procedure done to the penis. This is especially the case with men who attend gyms or public showers.

While we can perform a removal of dermal grafts or fat, subsequent implant surgery cannot be guaranteed at this time. The internal skin condition must be assessed during removal surgery and IF shown to be healthy enough, implant surgery MAY BE considered after several months of skin recovery. If the skin condition is determined to be not suitable for implant surgery, the implant surgery will not be scheduled.

As noted on our websites, the Elist implant penile enhancement surgery is a patented procedure currently performed at our facility only. If you visit our research section you will find the announcement of our most recently prepared paper about the use of the Elist implant, including an IRB-approved, 400 patient, 5 year retrospective review that was published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Sexual Medicine.

During the Elist implant surgery, the suspensory ligament is not cut, but it is rather stretched while putting in the implant using the suspensory ligament as a proximal resistor. While immediately extending the flaccid penis length, the implant continues to stretch the suspensory ligament and the penile skin with its length (ca. 2 inches of additional implant length remains inside the pubic area for later gains), as well as its weight, and allows for further extension of the penis for additional and progressive length gain.

If your job does not require any excessive amount of heavy lifting or strenuous physical activities, you can go back to work the next day when at home; many patients choose to take of a whole week just for themselves to recover better from the surgery. The recovery period is usually 4-6 weeks; light upper body exercises are allowed 2 weeks after surgery, light lower body exercises after 4 weeks, and sexual activity can be resumed 4-6 weeks after surgery and upon our approval.

The Elist implant consists of medical grade soft silicone; it is a solid structure which is soft to the touch (comparable to a gummy-bear; though not as soft). However, it does not have the same consistency as a women’s breast implant, which consists of a shell and a saline / silicone GEL filling. When the penis is erect, the strength and stiffness of the erection will likely be bigger in dimension, and the erection feels natural.

Unfortunately, most men are not aware in how far a wrong decision regarding the choice of procedure might affect the outcome and severely damage the penis. One of the reasons why we do not perform PMMA, besides not being approved for use in the penis, is the severe internal and skin damages PMMA does to the penile skin. We have had many patients who were treated for fat removal, AlloDerm removal, and PMMA removal, which had left them with more or less severe conditions. Usually, and based on our experience, the only way to close the skin wounds is a complete removal of any remaining PMMA, and trial of primary closure IF sufficient skin remains available. Since a partial removal of the necrotic edges of damaged skin is needed for wound closure, the remaining skin might not be sufficient for a primary wound closure and require skin graft transplantation. Regardless of your decision, it is highly recommended that you proceed with appropriate medical and surgical care in order to prevent further damages to the penis.

Circumcision is a must if you are considering the penile enhancement surgery with the subcutaneous soft silicone implant. If you are considering the penile enhancement surgery, we can perform the circumcision. The implant surgery can then be performed after 6 weeks of recovery if the skin has healed properly.

Yes, you can come to us for the penis lengthening and widening procedure using the patented subcutaneous soft silicone implant. Our patients have not only regained any lost size as a result of the prosthesis but were able to achieve additional length and girth after the implantation of the Elist implant. Please note that these two procedures (penile prosthesis for erectile dysfunction and Elist implant for penile enhancement) cannot be performed during the same setting. The penile prosthesis for erectile dysfunction needs to be placed in first, and after a recovery period of 6 (six) weeks, the Elist implant can be placed in for increased length and girth.