Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsPrinciplesPenis ExercisesPenis Stretching DevicesHow to Stretch SafelyResultsPossible Risks
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Principles
Penis Exercises
Penis Stretching Devices
How to Stretch Safely
Results
Possible Risks
Verywell / Alex Dos Diaz
What Is Penis Stretching?
Penis stretching is an unproven practice that involves exercises or devices that are thought to increase the length and/or circumference (girth) of the penis. These include vacuum pumps and traction devices that exert pressure on a flaccid (soft) penis.
Penis stretching devices and techniques may be tempting because they can be done in the privacy of your home without the risks associated withpenis enlargement surgery.
Is the Penis a Muscle?The penis is not a muscle. It has the appearance of a muscle because it gets hard during an erection, but it is mostly comprised of spongy tissues. As such, a penis can’t be built or bulked up in the way that a true muscle can.
Is the Penis a Muscle?
The penis is not a muscle. It has the appearance of a muscle because it gets hard during an erection, but it is mostly comprised of spongy tissues. As such, a penis can’t be built or bulked up in the way that a true muscle can.
Penis Stretching Exercises
A Word From VerywellPenile stretching exercises, including manual stretching or penile traction/pump devices, are not universally effective. They may have benefits in specific circumstances, but aggressive or painful exercise should be avoided due to the risk of penile injury.—MATTHEW WOSNITZER, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
A Word From Verywell
Penile stretching exercises, including manual stretching or penile traction/pump devices, are not universally effective. They may have benefits in specific circumstances, but aggressive or painful exercise should be avoided due to the risk of penile injury.—MATTHEW WOSNITZER, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Penile stretching exercises, including manual stretching or penile traction/pump devices, are not universally effective. They may have benefits in specific circumstances, but aggressive or painful exercise should be avoided due to the risk of penile injury.
—MATTHEW WOSNITZER, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Penile Stretching
Penile stretching exercises are done while the penis is flaccid. They generally involve gripping the head of the penis and pulling the penis in different directions.
As the penis is stretched, pressure may be applied in the opposite direction at the base of the penis. The position is then held for several seconds and repeated.
Jelqing
There are also different types of penis-enlargement devices available, includingpenile traction devicesandpenis pumps.
Penile Traction
Penile traction devices are also based on the micro-tear theory. The device looks like a complicated knee brace with a ring that fits snugly around the base of the penis and another situated near the head. Between the two are adjustable rods that you can extend or retract.
Over time, the space between the rings is extended to “grow” the penis.
Can Viagra Increase Penis Size?
Penis Pumps
Penis pumps, also called vacuum pumps, are often used to treat erectile dysfunction and improve recovery afterradical prostate surgery.They have also gained a reputation in recent years for increasing penis size.
If you decided to pursue penis stretching in any form, there are ways to do it without causing injury to the penis.
To perform penile stretching:
Do not stretch to the point of pain. If there is pain, you are pulling too hard.
Jelqing is done as follows:
Stop if you experience any pain or develop an erection.
Penile traction devices all work differently, but they follow similar principles:
Some studies suggest that the device can be worn for six hours a day, but manufacturers often recommend no more than two to three hours daily (especially when first starting). If there is any pain, stop and remove the device.
If you feel numbness or pain, stop immediately. Never use the device when tired or sleepy as you might fall asleep with it on and cause damage.
Overall, there is very little evidence to suggest that penis stretching exercises can effectively increase penis length or girth. Depending on the technique used, the results you’ll see may be minimal at best.
A 2015 study in theJournal of Sexual Medicinereported that penile traction delivered modest increases in penis length (around 1.5 centimeters when erect) after six months of six-hour daily treatments. Participants reported being “moderately satisfied” with the results.
A 2017 study published inTranslational Andrology and Urologyconcluded that there was no evidence to support the use ofjelqing or penile stretching exercises. On the contrary, doing so was more likely to cause injury due to the aggressive handling of the penis.
Additionally, a 2019 review of studies inSexual Medicine Reviewfound that vacuum pumps were not able to increase penis length but could potentially increase penis girth. However, the gains were eventually lost once the practice was stopped.
That said, some stretching exercises can be of benefit to certain groups. These include people withPeyronie’s disease(in which the penis develops an abnormal curve) anderectile dysfunction(the inability to achieve or sustain an erection).They can also helpmicropenis(a penis under 3 inches in length).
Risks of Penis Stretching
Handling the penis aggressively in any way can cause damage. As a general rule, if the procedure hurts, stop.
Here are some possible complications to consider:
Summary
Penis stretching involves devices or techniques that claim to increase the length or girth of a penis. This includes manual stretching, jelqing, penile traction devices, and vacuum penis pumps. To date, there is little evidence that any of these techniques work. In some cases, there is a greater chance of penile injury or deformity.
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Marra G, Drury A, Tran L, Veale D, Muir GH.Systematic review of surgical and nonsurgical interventions in normal men complaining of small penis size.Sex Med Rev.2019;2019:S2050-0521(19)30012-5. doi:10.1016/j.sxmr.2019.01.004Nowroozi MR, Amini E, Ayati M, Jamshidian H, Radkhah K, Amini S.Applying extender devices in patients with penile dysmorphophobia: Assessment of tolerability, efficacy, and impact on erectile function.J Sex Med. 2015;12(5):1242-1247. doi:10.1111/jsm.12870Lee JKC, Tan RBW, Chung E.Erectile dysfunction treatment and traditional medicine—can East and West medicine coexist?Transl Androl Urol.2017;6(1):91–100. doi:10.21037/tau.2016.11.13Hamilton Z, Mirza M.Post-prostatectomy erectile dysfunction: Contemporary approaches from a US perspective.Res Rep Urol. 2014;6:35-41. doi:10.2147/RRU.S39560Usta MF, Ipekci T.Penile traction therapy for Peyronie’s disease-what’s the evidence?.Transl Androl Urol. 2016;5(3):303-309. doi:10.21037/tau.2016.03.25Hatipoğlu N, Kurtoğlu S.Micropenis: etiology, diagnosis and treatment approaches.J Clin Res Pediatr Endocrinol.2013;5(4):217-23. doi:10.4274/Jcrpe.1135Joseph J, Ziegelmann MJ, Alom M, Savage J, Köhler TS, Trost L.Outcomes of RestoreX penile traction therapy in men with Peyronie’s disease: Results from open label and follow-up phases.J Sex Med. 2020;17(12):2462-2471. doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2020.10.003Yan XL, Yang Y, Fu FD, Wu CJ, Qin F, Yuan JH.Optimal pressure in penile rehabilitation with a vacuum erection device: evidence based on a rat model.Asian J Androl.2019 Sep-Oct;21(5):516–21. doi:10.4103/aja.aja_7_19
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Marra G, Drury A, Tran L, Veale D, Muir GH.Systematic review of surgical and nonsurgical interventions in normal men complaining of small penis size.Sex Med Rev.2019;2019:S2050-0521(19)30012-5. doi:10.1016/j.sxmr.2019.01.004Nowroozi MR, Amini E, Ayati M, Jamshidian H, Radkhah K, Amini S.Applying extender devices in patients with penile dysmorphophobia: Assessment of tolerability, efficacy, and impact on erectile function.J Sex Med. 2015;12(5):1242-1247. doi:10.1111/jsm.12870Lee JKC, Tan RBW, Chung E.Erectile dysfunction treatment and traditional medicine—can East and West medicine coexist?Transl Androl Urol.2017;6(1):91–100. doi:10.21037/tau.2016.11.13Hamilton Z, Mirza M.Post-prostatectomy erectile dysfunction: Contemporary approaches from a US perspective.Res Rep Urol. 2014;6:35-41. doi:10.2147/RRU.S39560Usta MF, Ipekci T.Penile traction therapy for Peyronie’s disease-what’s the evidence?.Transl Androl Urol. 2016;5(3):303-309. doi:10.21037/tau.2016.03.25Hatipoğlu N, Kurtoğlu S.Micropenis: etiology, diagnosis and treatment approaches.J Clin Res Pediatr Endocrinol.2013;5(4):217-23. doi:10.4274/Jcrpe.1135Joseph J, Ziegelmann MJ, Alom M, Savage J, Köhler TS, Trost L.Outcomes of RestoreX penile traction therapy in men with Peyronie’s disease: Results from open label and follow-up phases.J Sex Med. 2020;17(12):2462-2471. doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2020.10.003Yan XL, Yang Y, Fu FD, Wu CJ, Qin F, Yuan JH.Optimal pressure in penile rehabilitation with a vacuum erection device: evidence based on a rat model.Asian J Androl.2019 Sep-Oct;21(5):516–21. doi:10.4103/aja.aja_7_19
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Marra G, Drury A, Tran L, Veale D, Muir GH.Systematic review of surgical and nonsurgical interventions in normal men complaining of small penis size.Sex Med Rev.2019;2019:S2050-0521(19)30012-5. doi:10.1016/j.sxmr.2019.01.004Nowroozi MR, Amini E, Ayati M, Jamshidian H, Radkhah K, Amini S.Applying extender devices in patients with penile dysmorphophobia: Assessment of tolerability, efficacy, and impact on erectile function.J Sex Med. 2015;12(5):1242-1247. doi:10.1111/jsm.12870Lee JKC, Tan RBW, Chung E.Erectile dysfunction treatment and traditional medicine—can East and West medicine coexist?Transl Androl Urol.2017;6(1):91–100. doi:10.21037/tau.2016.11.13Hamilton Z, Mirza M.Post-prostatectomy erectile dysfunction: Contemporary approaches from a US perspective.Res Rep Urol. 2014;6:35-41. doi:10.2147/RRU.S39560Usta MF, Ipekci T.Penile traction therapy for Peyronie’s disease-what’s the evidence?.Transl Androl Urol. 2016;5(3):303-309. doi:10.21037/tau.2016.03.25Hatipoğlu N, Kurtoğlu S.Micropenis: etiology, diagnosis and treatment approaches.J Clin Res Pediatr Endocrinol.2013;5(4):217-23. doi:10.4274/Jcrpe.1135Joseph J, Ziegelmann MJ, Alom M, Savage J, Köhler TS, Trost L.Outcomes of RestoreX penile traction therapy in men with Peyronie’s disease: Results from open label and follow-up phases.J Sex Med. 2020;17(12):2462-2471. doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2020.10.003Yan XL, Yang Y, Fu FD, Wu CJ, Qin F, Yuan JH.Optimal pressure in penile rehabilitation with a vacuum erection device: evidence based on a rat model.Asian J Androl.2019 Sep-Oct;21(5):516–21. doi:10.4103/aja.aja_7_19
Marra G, Drury A, Tran L, Veale D, Muir GH.Systematic review of surgical and nonsurgical interventions in normal men complaining of small penis size.Sex Med Rev.2019;2019:S2050-0521(19)30012-5. doi:10.1016/j.sxmr.2019.01.004
Nowroozi MR, Amini E, Ayati M, Jamshidian H, Radkhah K, Amini S.Applying extender devices in patients with penile dysmorphophobia: Assessment of tolerability, efficacy, and impact on erectile function.J Sex Med. 2015;12(5):1242-1247. doi:10.1111/jsm.12870
Lee JKC, Tan RBW, Chung E.Erectile dysfunction treatment and traditional medicine—can East and West medicine coexist?Transl Androl Urol.2017;6(1):91–100. doi:10.21037/tau.2016.11.13
Hamilton Z, Mirza M.Post-prostatectomy erectile dysfunction: Contemporary approaches from a US perspective.Res Rep Urol. 2014;6:35-41. doi:10.2147/RRU.S39560
Usta MF, Ipekci T.Penile traction therapy for Peyronie’s disease-what’s the evidence?.Transl Androl Urol. 2016;5(3):303-309. doi:10.21037/tau.2016.03.25
Hatipoğlu N, Kurtoğlu S.Micropenis: etiology, diagnosis and treatment approaches.J Clin Res Pediatr Endocrinol.2013;5(4):217-23. doi:10.4274/Jcrpe.1135
Joseph J, Ziegelmann MJ, Alom M, Savage J, Köhler TS, Trost L.Outcomes of RestoreX penile traction therapy in men with Peyronie’s disease: Results from open label and follow-up phases.J Sex Med. 2020;17(12):2462-2471. doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2020.10.003
Yan XL, Yang Y, Fu FD, Wu CJ, Qin F, Yuan JH.Optimal pressure in penile rehabilitation with a vacuum erection device: evidence based on a rat model.Asian J Androl.2019 Sep-Oct;21(5):516–21. doi:10.4103/aja.aja_7_19
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