Cosmetic Urology
What is Cosmetic Urology?
Penile and scrotal abnormalities are extremely common and can occur as a result of congenital defects (i.e. hypospadias) or surgery (i.e. circumcision). Many men are also dissatisfied with the appearance of their genitals.
At Peak Men’s Health, we are proud to offer the latest procedures in male genital aesthetic surgery. All of these surgeries can be performed as a day surgery in our ambulatory surgery center. Some of these procedures can be performed under local anesthesia in the office.
Aesthetic Procedures
While many men in the U.S. undergo newborn circumcision, those who do not may choose to undergo circumcision as an adult for cosmetic reasons. Some newborn circumcisions are “incomplete” because they leave some foreskin behind. In these instances, we can perform a redo circumcision to remove the excess foreskin. As men get older, some will develop phimosis, which is the inability to fully retract the foreskin, which can cause difficulties with urination and ejaculation. Phimosis can be treated with circumcision.
The frenulum of the penis is an elastic band of tissue that connects the head of the penis to the foreskin. In some men, the frenulum is too short, which can make it difficult to retract the foreskin or cause a downward curvature of the head of the penis with erection, causing pain during erection and sex. Problems with the frenulum can also occur as a complication of circumcision. A frenuloplasty is when the frenulum is cut and released through a simple procedure under local or general anesthesia.
Some men are born with hypospadias, which is when the opening to the urethra is on the underside of the penis rather than at the tip. Hypospadias is often repaired as a child, but it sometimes recurs and can be repaired as an adult. Dr. Philip Cheng completed a fellowship in genitourinary reconstruction and is an expert in repairing urethral and penile abnormalities.
Penoscrotal webbing is when the scrotum attaches higher up on the shaft of the penis rather than to the base of the penis. This webbing can make it difficult to discern the junction between the penis and scrotum, which can make the penis appear smaller. Thus, a scrotoplasty can help make the penis appear larger. A scrotoplasty can also be performed to reduce the size of a large scrotum and improve its appearance.
A hydrocele is when there is a buildup of fluid around the testicle, which can cause significant swelling and discomfort in the scrotum. Due to pain or cosmetic reasons, men with hydroceles can undergo a hydrocelectomy, which is a small surgical procedure to remove the fluid. A hydrocelectomy can be performed in conjunction with a scrotoplasty if the excess fluid has caused an excess of scrotal skin.
Some men have high-riding testicles that can cause discomfort when they retract into the groin. An orchidopexy is when the testicles are brought down to the bottom of the scrotum, which can help with discomfort and improve the appearance of the scrotum.
Lesions of the penis and scrotum are common. These include cysts, skin tags, warts, hemangiomas, etc. We can remove these unsightly lesions in the office under local anesthesia or in the operating room under general anesthesia.
Injection of botulinum toxin (Botox) into the scrotum, also known as “Scrotox,” is a non-surgical cosmetic treatment of the scrotum to decrease sweating, relieve pain in the scrotum from inflammation, reduce wrinkles, and make the scrotum appear larger due to relaxation of the muscle of the scrotum. Scrotox can result in an improved aesthetic appearance of the scrotum. Some men undergo Scrotox so that their testicles hang lower, which can make sex more pleasurable. Scrotox is a quick procedure performed in the office and typically lasts about 3-4 months.