Men are often concerned about the adequacy of their genitals. Concerns over penis size and a desire for a longer penis are common in the male population. Many men wonder if it is possible for their penis to grow (on its own) after puberty? Sometimes it will but most often it will not.
The male penis normally starts to grow at ages 9 to 13 and completes its growth by 19 to 22 yrs. Most boys finish growing somewhere around age 16 or 17. Whether the penis has completed its growth during puberty determines how much residual growth is possible. Certain conditions do allow for penis enhancement.
Hypogonadism, or testosterone deficiency, can actually create a Micropenis - a penis less than 4.5" in length when erect or stretched. Hypogonadism is defined as a total testosterone of less than 300 ng/dl or a free testosterone of less than 50 pg/ml in adult men. The effects occur mostly during puberty.
This does not mean that men with a 4 or 5" penis do not have an opportunity for increased length with hormonal treatment.
Topical gels probably causes penile growth through systemic action, via IGF-1 [Laron Z.1998] and not merely through its local effect. [Jacobs SC, 1975.] Penile growth cessation is mediated by mechanisms other than down-regulation of the androgen receptor.
Androgen ointments have been found effective in increasing the penis size in research with prepubertal boys with micropenis. [Klugo RC. 1970] Testosterone levels influence penile growth, possibly as a result of expansion of the shaft through the action of androgen receptors in the corpus [Bin-Abbas B, 1999, Godek JC, 1985].
What it does mean is that early administration of androgen to prepubertal male individuals with low serum or salivary testosterone [Rilling JK, 1996] can result in a longer penis or phallus in adulthood. [Baskin LS, 1997]
Men who have large penises show a rapid conversion of free-Testosterone into DHT as measured by T/DHT ratio in their blood. Rapid conversion is a genetic trait indicated by amplified maleness early in life: increased body and beard hair, increased musculature, early male pattern baldness, short height (<5'8") and greater penile girth (>3.5" around) with length (>7"). A very strong sex drive, increased masturbation frequency, and early puberty are also associated with higher testosterone levels.
Research indicates that even in an adult male, penis growth is still possible with topical hormone application causing stimulation of the androgen receptors in the corpus cavernosa, the blood filled cavities along the shaft of the male penis. In some cases a vacuum
penis pump is prescribed for trial participants.
References:
Wessells H, Lue TF, McAninch JW. Penile length in the flaccid and erect states: guidelines for penile augmentation. J Urol 1996 Sep;156(3):995-7
*... We measured flaccid and erect penile dimensions in 80 physically normal men before and after pharmacological erection. Average flaccid length was 8.8 cm (3.3"). stretched length 12.4 cm.(5") and erect length 12.9 cm.(5.3")
Neither patient-age, nor size of the flaccid penis, accurately predicted erectile length. Stretched length most closely correlated with erect length. CONCLUSIONS: Only men with a flaccid length of less than 4 cm., or a stretched or erect length of less than 7.5 cm. (3") should be considered candidates.
Klugo RC, Cerny JC, Journal of Urology 1978 May;119(5):667-8
Five patients were treated with gonadotropin and topical testosterone for micropenis associated with hypothalamic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. All patients received 1,000 units of gonadotropin weekly for 3 weeks, with a 6-week interval followed by 10% topical testosterone cream twice daily for 3 weeks. Serum testosterone levels were measured and remained equivalent for both modes of therapy. Average penile growth response with gonadotropin was 14.3% increase in length and 5.0% increase of girth. Topical androgen ointment produced an average increase of 60% in penile length and 52.9% in girth. The greatest growth response occurred in prepubertal male subjects with a minimal response in postpubertal male subjects. This study suggests that 10% topical ointment twice daily will produce effective penile growth. The response appears to be greater in younger children, which is consistent with previously published studies of age-related 5 reductase activity.
