The penis, a symbol of huge importance around masculinity since ancient times has become the hidden anxiety of modern man. Few men will admit to having a fear of, or even the actual presence of a small penis for fear of ridicule and ‘loss of face’. Some men may celebrate their small size. Other men whilst acknowledging a perfectly normal sized penis want to vary the appearance and the use of genital piercing, skin tattoos and ‘body art’ may be seen as a normal extension to self expression. In some circumstances representations of the genitals may become disturbed through a number of mental mechanisms. By internalising the concerns onto the outward representation of the penis the man can bring about a number of requests for clinical assistance. As it is important to acknowledge that the man with ‘small penis syndrome’ typically has a normal sized penis, clinicians need to be aware that requests for intervention must proceed with caution. Cosmetic surgery is argued as a right which can be purchased if funds allow. For many, these operations to lengthen the penis or increase the girth are beyond financial affordability. This in turn may lead the man to take more practical steps himself in order to achieve the desired increase in size. Modification of the penis and genitals whether by a body art worker, surgeon or by the patient is seen by many as mutilation and the consequences are often much less favourable than anticipated or initially desired. The pitfalls of surgery and the range of modification of the male genitals will be explored further during the symposium.
Conflict of Interest: None disclosed
Financial Support/Funding: None disclosed
Recorded: Sydney, Australia, April 2007
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