While undesirable fat collections can occur anywhere in the body, even small amounts in the wrong place can have undesired effects on adjacent body structures. Such is the case with pubic mound lipodystrophies. The buried penis, also known as the hidden or concealed penis, is when some or all of the length of the penis is obscured by the size of the pubic fat pad. This creates the impression of a short or deficient penis even though its true length may be actually normal.
In the April 2017 issue of the journal Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, an article was published entitled ‘Infrapubic Liposuction for Penile Length Augmentation in Patients with Infrapubic Adiposities’. In this clinical study ten (10) patients were treated by liposuction. All were under age 40 with two-thirds (6 out of 10) having various degrees of obesity. The volume of fat aspirate averaged around 500ccs. (range of 325cc to 850cc) The increase in flaccid penile length three months after surgery was 1.1cm. (14%) Patient satisfaction was very satisfied (30%), satisfied (50%) and no change or dissatisfied. (20%) No correlation was found between the obesity of the patient and their satisfaction with the outcome of the suprapubic mound reduction.
The use of ljposuction in the treatment of the full or fatty pubic mound is much more common in children and teens in conjunction with actual penile lengthening in the treatment of the buried penis. These young patients may or may not be normal weight for their height. Treatment of the buried penis in adults is usually associated, more times than not, with some degree of being overweight. It is therefore logical that reduction of the height of the suprapubic mound would improve penile show. This does not mean that the actual penis gets longer, just that more of its natural length is revealed.
This clinical study supports what other such studies have shown…that liposuction reduction of the pubic mound adds up to 1cm or more of penile exposure. It is important that men realize that this is 1 cm and not 1 inch of penile reveal. Mound size reduction is helpful but is not a true penile lengthening procedure.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana