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How to make your penis bigger: 8 penis enlargement methods

7 min read

Written by: 

Michael Martin

 and 

Ashley Laderer

Reviewed by: 

Raagini Yedidi, MD

Published: Jun 01, 2020

Updated:  Apr 30, 2026

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Reviewed By

Raagini Yedidi, MD

Raagini Yedidi, MD, is an internal medicine resident and medical reviewer for Ro.

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Key takeaways

  • Other than surgical procedures, there aren’t many legitimate penis enlargement methods (despite anecdotal claims about methods like jelqing, using penis pumps, or taking male enhancement pills).

  • While surgery could increase your penis size, it comes along with serious risks. Less legit penis enlargement methods come with risks, too.

  • Natural ways to make your penis appear bigger include grooming your pubic hair or losing weight. 

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Here's what we'll cover

Key takeaways

  • Other than surgical procedures, there aren’t many legitimate penis enlargement methods (despite anecdotal claims about methods like jelqing, using penis pumps, or taking male enhancement pills).

  • While surgery could increase your penis size, it comes along with serious risks. Less legit penis enlargement methods come with risks, too.

  • Natural ways to make your penis appear bigger include grooming your pubic hair or losing weight. 

Here’s the hard truth: Besides undergoing surgery and using penis implants, most treatments out there aren’t going to increase the size of your penis, no matter what wild claims their ads might make. A quick Google search will show you advertisements for pumps, pills, and weights that claim to increase the length and width of your penis. However, there's very little scientific evidence for these nonsurgical methods to enlarge the penis. So, are there any ways to make your penis bigger? Let’s get into it. 

8 ways to make your penis bigger

Here are the most common procedures and devices that claim they can make your penis bigger — many of which come with some severe risks.

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1. Increase penis length with surgery

With penis enlargement surgery, a surgeon cuts the ligament that attaches the penis to the pubic bone, increasing the perceived length of the penis. 

Is this procedure recommended? Not according to Seth Cohen, MD, a urologist with NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, who frequently sees patients expressing concern about their penis size and asking about penis enlargements.

"The suspensory ligament suspends the penis just like the suspension on a bridge. If you cut the suspensory posts on a bridge, the bridge will lag lower," Dr. Cohen says. "But I really don't recommend it because your erection will never point north again."

The research backs up Dr. Cohen’s view on these surgeries — satisfaction rates aren’t high, and most surgeons will only recommend these procedures in the rare case of a true micropenis. 

2. Increase penis girth with surgery

Some providers offer surgery to increase penis girth. There are two primary approaches used.  

One approach is for a patient’s own fat to be injected into their penis in order to achieve an increase in girth. These procedures aren’t generally recommended because they haven’t been shown to be consistently effective and can carry risks. 

Another approach is when a substance like AlloDerm — sterilized tissue harvested from cadavers—is wrapped under the skin of the penis like seaweed in a sushi roll, resulting in a girth increase. This is considered to be an "off-label” use — AlloDerm is approved for burn therapy and reconstructive surgery, not penis enlargement, though healthcare providers can use a medication or device for unapproved purposes if they believe it is in the best interest of the patient.  

There are reports in the medical literature of complications like erectile discomfort, infection, and skin necrosis when AlloDerm is used for penis augmentation.

3. Penis injections

To enhance girth, some doctors inject temporary cosmetic fillers into the penis, similar to the fillers used on lips, cheeks, and smile lines to plump them up. 

"I've never done this, but I've seen them done a few times," Dr. Cohen says. "Restylane and Juvederm are tried-and-true substances we use as fillers on cheeks, chins, and different areas in the body. They usually last around six months and get absorbed into the body.” However, he stresses that they are not tried-and-true or supported by enough testing on the penis. “We just don't have any data to say it works long-term," Dr. Cohen says.

There is a significant potential downside to shooting fillers into your penis. 

"The penis is a very vascular organ, full of smooth muscle and spaces that hold blood," Dr.  Cohen says. "If you fill one area, it may look very blotchy in another area. So you get this sort of lumpy, bumpy effect that is probably not what people are looking for." 

4. Penis implants

Permanent penis implants placed under the skin of the penis have been available for decades for men with ED who don’t respond to the usual treatments. 

In 2004, the FDA cleared Penuma (which has since been updated and rebranded to Himplant), a penile implant for cosmetic enhancement. The cost of the procedure varies from clinic to clinic but typically falls between $10,500 and $19,000, according to the brand’s website. A study of 400 patients who received Penuma implants found that they experienced an average of 56.7% increase in girth. At long-term follow-up (2-6 years), 81% of participants reported "high" or "very high" satisfaction, while 3% of participants experienced complications that required the implant to be removed. 

Remember, this is just one study. More recent data suggests a higher percentage of participants (up to 10%) opt for the removal of silicone implants. 

A number of urologists now offer the procedure, but not every urologist will recommend a penis implant for enlargement. 

"Penile implants are appropriate in men who have erectile dysfunction that doesn’t respond to more conservative therapies," says Landon Trost, MD, founder of The Male Fertility and Peyronie's Clinic. "The issue with penile fillers or implants is that they have many side effects,” Dr. Trost says. “Fillers and Penuma are generally not recommended by the far majority of sexual medicine specialists." 

Side effects of implants can include sexual dysfunction, infection, penis deformities, and more, but can vary on the individual level. More research is needed on these procedures.

5. Penile extenders

Penis extenders are traction devices that you strap to your flaccid penis and wear for an extended time, often several hours a day. This can result in penile lengthening, although it might take months to see results. 

"Nearly anything can be stretched in the body, including the penis, and that has been done for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years," says Dr. Trost, who developed a traction device called RestoreX to help men with Peyronie's disease, a condition in which the penis becomes unnaturally bent.

In three randomized, controlled trials, nearly all men who used RestoreX experienced penile lengthening, according to Dr. Trost. However, these studies were done in men with Peyronie’s disease or those recovering from prostate surgery, so the results may not apply to men without these conditions who are seeking cosmetic enhancement.

"Regarding penile girth, that is less well established," he says. "There are no known therapies which have consistently shown an ability to increase penile girth outside of penile injections (fillers) or surgery."

6. Jelqing or penis stretching 

There's plenty of info online about jelqing, or stretching exercises in which the semi-erect penis is pulled and massaged with the fingers or a specially designed device. But results aren't permanent, and like penis weights, jelqing comes with no small risk of injury.

"I've had plenty of patients come to see me, post-jelqing, with neurological tears, so now they have a numb penis, or tearing and overstretching of the arteries and veins, so they have permanent ED," Dr. Cohen says. "If you tear the microvasculature or micro neurological input to the penis, no one can correct that." 

In short, jelqing is not recommended and lacks evidence of efficacy. 

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7. Penis pumps

Penis pumps — vacuum devices that coax blood flow into the penis — can help you achieve an erection, but they won't permanently make your penis bigger. 

In a study published in BJU International, 37 men used penis pumps for 20 minutes three times a week for six months. Researchers found that the participants' average penis length increased by only .3 cm (which was not statistically significant), the treatment was only 10% effective, and only 30% of the patients were satisfied. 

Dr. Trost doesn't recommend the use of penis pumps for cosmetic purposes, noting they might actually cause other problems. "There is a question as to whether the use of a vacuum device in younger men, who are trying to augment the penile girth, may result in some degree of erectile dysfunction," Dr. Trost says. "In general, men who try vacuum devices for ED use them a few times and then put them on the shelf." 

8. Male enhancement pills

No matter how sweet the siren song of those "male enhancement pills" behind the bodega counter or in Google ads, they won't make your penis bigger, according to the experts. 

"There are no supplements out there that are going to grow the size of your penis," Dr. Cohen says.

Can you make your penis bigger naturally?

While there is no natural method to make your penis bigger, there are a couple of things you can do to improve how you feel about the appearance of your penis, which may increase your confidence in bed.

1. Groom your pubic hair

Many people find that when they shave, wax, or trim their pubic hair, their penis stands out more, creating the appearance of a larger penis. If the view of your penis is obstructed by unruly pubic hair, try out some pubic hair trimmers or visit a local waxing salon. 

2. Weight loss 

As people age, they may accumulate fat in their bellies near the genitals. Similarly to pubic hair, you may find that carrying extra weight in the lower abdomen can cover a portion of the penis and make it look smaller. Extreme cases have earned the phenomenon a name: buried penis syndrome. 

When you lose weight, your “fat pad” or excess fat in your pubic area will shrink, potentially making your penis look bigger, even though it hasn’t actually grown. 

Do you have penis dysmorphia?

The penis-enlargement industry has sprung up and continues to grow — so to speak — largely because porn and pop culture have caused many people to develop unrealistic expectations and disordered thinking about wanting a bigger penis. 

Psychologists term this "small penis anxiety" or "penis dysmorphic disorder" (PDD) — the irrational, unshakable belief that your size isn't satisfactory. This condition is on the spectrum of body dysmorphic disorder. 

"This is something that gets stuck in our heads — you watch too much porn, and all the porn stars have these massive penises. But those are often also augmented or injected with different substances to give them an artificial erection," Dr.  Cohen says. "So don't believe what you see on TV."

In all likelihood, your penis is perfect just the way it is. Despite what pornography may lead you to believe, the average erect penis length falls between 4 and 6 inches. Some penises are smaller, some are larger. 

If you’re dealing with penis anxiety or dysmorphia, consider talking to your healthcare provider about a referral to a mental health professional. If you have a partner, open communication can also help ease concerns and keep expectations grounded.

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Bottom line

If you’re unsatisfied with your penis size and want to make it bigger, here’s what you should keep in mind.

  • One of the only legit ways to increase your penis size is surgery. However, this comes with serious risks. 

  • Any other products or techniques that you see online claiming to result in a bigger penis (like jelqing or male enhancement pills) are scams and aren’t backed by research. They don’t work and may also pose risks.  

  • You can make your penis appear bigger by grooming your pubic hair or losing weight.

  • The average penis is 4–6 inches. Chances are, your penis is fine the way it is. If you’re feeling concerned about its size or appearance, it can help to talk openly with your partner and consider speaking with a professional.

DISCLAIMER

If you have any medical questions or concerns, please talk to your healthcare provider. The articles on Health Guide are underpinned by peer-reviewed research and information drawn from medical societies and governmental agencies. However, they are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

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