Doctor has warning for anyone considering SWAG penis procedure
Bigger isn't always better, especially with the risks involved
Many men are turning to a controversial medical procedure to boost their confidence in the bedroom - but it's not without risks.
The procedure was coined by a plastic surgeon in the US called Dr. David Shafer, and it has been dubbed the S.W.A.G, which stands for Shafer Width And Girth.
Not only does it sound eye-wateringly painful, but it'll also make your bank account cry too, costing between $10,000 to $20,000 for the initial procedure, followed by regular maintenance injections which cost around half that amount.
Social media and adult content has piled on the pressure for everyone to achieve bodily perfection, and men are no exception.
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Dr. Shafer told the NY Post that most men email him in the early hours of the morning, asking how they can achieve the much-longed for bigger bits.
The procedure involves injecting filler into the penis to make the girth and width bigger, and he has carried out more than 8,000 of them.
It takes around 30 minutes to do - consisting of 10 minutes for anaesthetic to kick in and then up to 20 minutes for the filler to be injected beneath the skin.
The filler is made up of of hyaluronic acid, an ingredient which features in a lot of beauty and skincare products, as well as for some facial procedures, such as filling in troughs under the eyes.
Dr.Shafer said: “We use the stiffest form of the hyaluronic acid for this filler, it’s the one that’s FDA-approved for jawline augmentation.”
The injections mostly improve the width, or girth, but doesn't do much in terms of length.
Top-ups are needed roughly every two years.
He has a warning for anyone considering it, as it is unsurprisingly not risk free, as like many types of filler injected into the body, there can be lumps and bumps.
Referred to as 'contour abnormalities', this downside happens when the filler all gathers in one place, and can cause asymmetry or deformation.
“Contour issues generally aren’t a big deal because they’re treatable, there is an enzyme [that] can work specifically on hyaluronic acid fillers [to] help melt it or soften it.”
The big risk is vascular occlusion, where blood flow is blocked by the filler.
"There are kind of dreaded complications that can happen with fillers, and not just specifically for the penis, but anywhere in the body where you could have vascular occlusion, and that’s where the filler can block the blood flow to the area, and that’s why it’s very important to have an experienced injector and to have that enzyme, which can melt the filler, on hand.”
He also advises patients to 'mold' the filler in the first few days, stressing the importance of spreading the filler under the skin so it stays smooth for the first week.
Many women have experienced filler complications when having their lips injected, with vascular occlusion being one of the biggest risks there too.
Dr. Shafer insists all of his clients are satisfied and very happy with their new confidence following the procedure.
Topics: Health, Social Media, Sex and Relationships
Jen Thomas