Men are constantly worrying about the size of their penis. Despite the fact that most women have only four inches of vaginal depth, longer penises remain important to men. Penis size, for most men, directly reflects how "manly" an individual is and how well they can perform in the bedroom. When men worry about penis size, they often resort to supplements and solutions that promise penile or penis enlargement. What many men don't realize is the fact that most solutions have very little effect on real penis length or width.

Penis enlargement ads are commonly found at the back of adult magazines. After flipping through pages and pages of pictures depicting men with larger than average penises, men often feel they too need to be longer and/or wider in order to satisfy their partner. And, by the end of the magazine, penis enlargement ads seem enticing, offering "just the thing" with “proven” results.

According to urologists across the world, penis enlargement solutions offer nothing more than an open promise. Lotions, gels and pumps may increase blood flow to the penis, but that blood flow does not provide a permanent increase in size. For a brief period of time the penis may appear larger, but after ejaculation blood flow will return to normal and that larger penis will fade away.

In fact, penis pumps, lotions, gels and supplements may actually harm the penis more than help increase its size. Pumps use suction to increase blood flow which can damage blood vessels and capillaries in the penis. Over time, damage can actually limit blood flow which may reduce erection size or ability to maintain an erection. Lotions and gels can irritate the skin because they often include some form of mint extract to stimulate blood flow. Supplements are not approved by the FDA and contain harmful ingredients.

When over-the-counter solutions for penis enlargement do not work, some men turn to plastic surgery in order to make the penis larger or wider. According to a study completed in 2006, the average increase in length after penis enlargement surgery is less than one inch. Some cosmetic surgeons claim this number is a bit lower than the real numbers they see in practice.

There are two types of penis enlargement surgery. The first cuts the ligaments used to hold a portion of the penis inside the body. Weights are often used to stretch the penis away from the body for up to six months after surgery to insure the ligaments do not reattach. The second surgery is liposuction to remove fat from the base of the penis. If width is an issue, fat can be taken from other parts of the body and injected into the skin layers encasing the penis. This process can be costly and time consuming with varied results.

Average penis enlargement prices vary from $5000 US to more than $20000 US. These prices include surgical fees, procedures and after care. If complications arise from the surgery, additional fees could be applicable. For most men who want penis enlargement, this kind of investment is well beyond their financial means. When real penis enlargement is too expensive, the cycle of trying every over-the-counter supplements and solutions begins again.