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The Science Behind Male Enhancement

You’ve seen the spam. You’ve heard legends. But is there any actual science behind the promise of penis enlargement? Quite a lot, it turns out: Thousands of years worth of trying. 

What’s the Latest Development?


While procedures to lengthen the male member have existed for a long time, they only became popular in the late twentieth century. And often, these cosmetic procedures come at a high risk to patients. One procedure which involves cutting the suspensory ligament in the penis “can decrease the angle of elevation of the erect penis. Paradoxical penile shortening can also occur, as a result of spontaneous reattachment of the ligament to the pubis bone.” In other words, the surgery may result in an erection pointing at the floor. 

What’s the Big Idea?

There is a legitimate condition called micropenis, when the male member is more than two standard deviations shorter than average length, which can be treated with hormone therapy. But the condition is typically treated in childhood and the hormones will not alter an adult’s biology. “So the surgeries are dubious, the hormones are only for people with medical conditions, and the penis pumping and stretching methods aren’t dependable (not to mention uncomfortable).” In the end, technique may be more important than size. 


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