Cases of infection, inflammation, and necrosis are being reported in increasing numbers as more Vietnamese men turn to penile enlargement pumps and pills without proper consultation. 

A 30-year-old resident in Ca Mau Province, southern Vietnam was recently admitted to Binh Dan Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City due to swelling and infection of his genitals. 

According to his diagnosis, the man had taken liquid injectable silicone (LIS) hoping to make his penis larger. 

The product in use, however, did not have a clear description of its ingredients and was purchased in Thailand by a friend of his. 

The man’s genitalia did increase in size a short time following the injection, but swelling and pain ensued after one month.

Doctors had to remove all the tissue that had been tampered with by the liquid silicone and reproduce the patient’s phallus. 

The organ was well on the recovery after two operations and the man could urinate without difficulty. 

He needed frequent post-operational check-ups after discharge. 

Pumps and pills to enlarge penis

Following negative comments from his girlfriend on the size of his private part, a 32-year-old Hanoi man sought medical advice from a private clinic and was given LIS directly. 

However, he was reluctant to seek help at public hospitals when side effects popped up. 

Several months into the experience, the patient finally had a diagnosis when his penis was full of bruises and the pain became unbearable, preventing erection. 

His medical report indicated severe infection due to low-quality silicone pumps as well as partial necrosis due to delayed hospitalization. 

The operation removed all the LIS and the infected penile skin area, using autograft to reproduce the organ. 

Besides pumps, other Vietnamese men have inserted silicone pills or balls into their penis to boost their size and pleasure during sex. 

In April 2022, a 19-year-old Hanoi man implanted two pills measuring one centimeter in diameter into his member.

His sex organ experienced swelling and produced pus two weeks later. 

He had an operation to remove the pills and cleanse the infected region of his phallus. 

The doctor in charge cautioned that penile necrosis and a lower reproduction rate could ensue if the condition is prolonged.  

Side effects from enlargement techniques

Ha Ngoc Manh, an in-service doctor at the Andrology and Fertility Hospital of Hanoi, raised a warning against penile enlargement balls. 

“The human penis is made of soft tissues. Its size changes due to blood circulation,” he said.

“All enlargement techniques are ephemeral. Certain drugs are advertised as enhancement medication, but they are merely testosterone that keeps the penis temporarily bigger.

“This effect wears out after a few days, so men should not inject any pills into their sexual organ if not necessary.

“There are risks of infection, discomfort, and unwanted pain for themselves and their partners during sex."

According to Mai Tien Dung, head of the andrology ward at Binh Dan Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, a lot of patients come there due to complications from penile boost LIS. 

Liquid silicone is a forbidden substance in cosmetic surgery, causing both physical and psychological impacts on users. 

From Dung’s analysis, complications from a silicone pump can be fatal without timely surgery. 

Liquid silicone can seep into tissues and cause necrosis over time. 

This substance can also lead to severe esthetic damage that cannot be repaired, as well as acute reactions which directly impact a person’s well-being. 

Once injected into the penis, liquid silicone deteriorates in different ways depending on each user’s bodily mechanism. 

To be more precise, each person needs proper medical analysis to pinpoint the type of LIS, the recommended frequency of injection, and corresponding technique. 

Pumping unverified silicone is a risky move, whether done by a medical practitioner or self-administered. 

“Men should seek professional advice from the faculty of andrology at hospitals if they are not confident with the current state of their penis,” said Dung.

“They must not rely on random information or carry out enlargement techniques by themselves.

"That could bring serious consequences.”

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