Archive for October, 2008

NO, we can’t do lengthening, pubic liposuction, circumcision, and AlloDerm all at the same time

Thursday, October 23rd, 2008

Oh yes, by the way please add on peno-scrotal web recession, “I’ve got a turkey neck.”

Phalloplasty has been a preferred term used by phalloplasty surgeons because penis enlargement has been overly worked by the nutriceutical houses such as Enzyte.  It is absolutely amazing how many requests we get almost daily to do everything at once.  “I won’t hold you responsible.”  Guess what? I am responsible and who pays for the revisions and touch ups and prolonged aftercare of a complication when the penis has had too much surgery at one time.   The doctor should know better.  Patients are allowed in the eyes of the law to be impulsive, but a professional is expected to exercise prudent restraint.

Why not simultaneous surgery?  The pubis is the delta which drains the lymphatics of the penis and scrotum.   Genital swelling, which may take 6 weeks to come down, is not an optimal environment for good wound healing.  The tissues are more prone to infection, blood supply is impaired, tension can result in suture line separation.  If you have a fresh circumcision, how are you going to pull on your penis (apply traction) to maintain the added  length I gave you in the operating room and build upon that?   Failure to apply immediate traction within a day or two is a common reason for no length gain.

I’d rather not take that man’s money.  The headaches of aftercare are overwhelming and very time consuming.  Frequent panic calls 24 hours a day; rushes of daily photographs by E-mail.  If the phalloplasty befores and afters on our web-site is what the patient is looking for, let’s do it properly step by step.

Harold M. Reed, M.D.

alloderm for phalloplasty

Friday, October 17th, 2008

AlloDerm has by far and away become the most popular way to enhance penile girth.  Sure we lived through the liposuctioned fat transfer years with the lumps and bumps and reabsorption and inevitable touch ups. and then dermal-fat strips for phalloplasty with the harvesting scars, our were neater than most have seen, especially those 1/2 inch wide violacious bands of Zoro on the lower mid back which fortunately the patient doesn’t have to see everyday.  “Dr. Reed, please mail me a copy of the photo you just took, I want to show it to my doctor.”

With AlloDerm you don’t have to worry about atrophy and fibrosis, as long as you don’t stack it, it’s already dead.  It is a sterile dermal matrix.  Cells of your own making will grow into it.  If a dermal-fat graft doesn’t get an optimal vascular hookup within the first five days, the final result can be anywhere from necrosis in an extreme example to length contracture with palpable tethers (fibrosis)  to fat atrophy.  I started out with a 6 1/2 penis and now have only 5 inches?

Oh, we’ll put some AlloDerm, over that.   Not such a good idea.   If there is a poor blood supply, the AlloDerm will not work.  AlloDerm always works best when it is supported on both sides by a rich vascular bed.

That is the key to tissue ingrowth.   That is the difference between a reach for the moon operation on the penis and phalloplasty performed by a phalloplasty surgeon.  Our phalloplasty pictures are available on our web-site, befores and afters.  Please be sure to click Next Photos (below each photo) for the whole gallery.

Harold M. Reed, M.D. FICS

305-865-2000

Phalloplasty

Friday, October 17th, 2008

Phalloplasty

Phalloplasty, Penile Augmentation, AlloDerm

Thursday, October 9th, 2008

QUESTIONS: I would like to know the costs of both surgeries, how long is the recovery and before I can have sex, and also, will there be any scars or signs of surgery?
Carter

Hi Carter,

Many thanks for your E-mail inquiry and visiting our web-site
http://www.penisdoctor.com/enlargepenis.htm

I am a phalloplasty surgeon.

We hope you can relate to our phalloplasty before and after photo and phalloplasty image gallery.  Please see if the incisional areas have healed acceptably to you.  Yes, if someone looks carefully enough, there may be a trace of a scar.  We also do AlloDerm.

Our phalloplasty cost is posted on our web-site.

We hope to have the pleasure of serving you whenever your travel plans include the South Florida area.

With regards,

Harold M. Reed, M.D. FICS
Senior Member of the American Urological Association
Member Society of Genito-Urinary Reconstructive Surgeons
Founding Member and Treasurer of American Academy of Phalloplasty Surgeons
Founding Member Sexual Society of North America

305-865-2000

Penile Lengthening, Phalloplasty, AlloDerm

Thursday, October 9th, 2008

Dear Dr. Reed,

Interested in penile lengthening. What are expected erect gains? Can you perform a vasectomy as well?

Mike

Hi Mike,

Many thanks for your E-mail inquiry and visiting our web-site http://www.penisdoctor.com/enlargepenis.htm

We hope you can relate to our phalloplasty before and after photo gallery. I am a phalloplasty surgeon.

Our phalloplasty cost are posted on our web-site.

Yes, we can perform simultaneous vasectomy at a discount.

Patients who have lengthening usually leave for home the next day. You could probably return to an office environment in 3 days.

Or consultation on Thursday, surgery on Friday.  Monday, back to work.

From surgery anticipate a 3/8? increase in length and with dedicated use of traction, 8 hours a day in divided sessions, anticipate a 1/8? gain each month such that after 6 months you’ll have 3/8? plus 6 x 1/8? or 9/8?. We say about an inch longer erection in 6 months. Flaccid lengths will be corresponding longer.

Whenever you stop using traction whatever you have gained is permanently yours. If you continue, more length gains will be accrued.

We do not do simultaneous surgery, such as any combination of length, girth of shaft, girth of glans, circumcision, or pubic liposuction.

Hardly a week goes by when some disillusioned patient done elsewhere calls us for a revision. And we told you so.

Generally speaking the penis does not appreciate simultaneous surgery with a few exceptions.

With AlloDerm, we can say quite conservatively you can anticipate a 3/4? gain in circumference which is permanent as far as we know having followed patients for 8 years or so who have had AlloDerm. Most patients will do a lot better than that. AlloDerm patients must be on strict bed rest with the exception of getting up to use the commode or eating in their room for 4 days. Surgery is the zero day, and we certainly recommend you stay at the Baltic Hotel (877 622 5842) so I can see you daily as your penis will continue to swell for several days, and your dressing will be replaced often to accommodate a larger sized penis.

Mention my name for a discount.

AlloDerm is like particle board, when immersed in body fluids, it swells and swells for several days. This spreading of the collagen fibers is helpful to permit ingrowth of a capillary bed and new cells of your own making.

Early mobilization is the great enemy of good graft take. Again plan on staying in your room, stocking up on food or sending out for food. Good Italian, Greek and Chinese restaurants abound with delivery service only a telephone call away. I’ve have been known to go shopping for some patients at Publix. You won’t starve.

If you have AlloDerm surgery on Tuesday, you could be back in an office environment on the following Monday.

Most likely you will have many questions and we are available for consultation only, if that suits your purposes. Candidates who wish to schedule surgery with our facility are required to have phone consultation with a favorable response to questions of concern. Assuming this, you will be given the nod to send in a 50% deposit which is non-refundable.

If you are over 40 or are on medications, please call the office before scheduling surgery, as a letter of medical clearance may be required. If you are a smoker, you must stop completely for 2 months before surgery (girth enhancement especially) and please never again.

Smoking causes vaso-spasm, impairs wound healing, produces excessive scarring, tissue necrosis, irritates and inflames pulmonary membranes and enhances anesthetic risk. However, most of our penile surgery is done under local anesthesia with IV sedation.

This goes also for any products containing nicotine or nicotine like agents including nicorette gum, nicotine patches, Nicotrol inhalers, and second hand smoke. Again not for 8 weeks before and not for 8 weeks afterwards. Hopefully never again.

Please no aspirin or aspirin products, no anti-inflammatory drugs such as Motrin, Advil, Alleve, or Cox 2 inhibitors such as Celebrex or Vioxx for a week before surgery. No Vitamin E or excessive alcohol or spices for a week before surgery as this may promote bruising. Bruising can be reduced (many believe) with Bromelain 500 mg 1 twice a day, Arnica montana (Boiron brand) dose 30C (take 4 small tablets sublingually, 4 times a day), vitamin C 500 mg (3 times a day) starting 1 week before surgery. Do take these medications unless there are specific reasons why you choose not to and let’s discuss it beforehand.

Boiron brand is available at Whole Foods and on the web at http://www.vitaminshoppe.com for “pennies” and we do notice a difference. You will need 2 vials.

We hope to have the pleasure of serving you whenever your travel plans include the South Florida area.

With regards,

Harold M. Reed, M.D. FICS
Senior Member of the American Urological Association
Member Society of Genito-Urinary Reconstructive Surgeons

Founding Member and Treasurer of American Academy of Phalloplasty Surgeons
Founding Member Sexual Society of North America

305-865-2000

Circumcision Revision and Small Glans

Thursday, October 9th, 2008

Dear Dr. Reed,

I gather from your website that you do circumcision revisions. Im wondering if you might be able to revise mine. I believe I was circumcised as an infant and the wound wasnt allowed to heal and so it separated causing a ring of uneven scar tissue to form around my penis. About 1.5 of inner skin was left as was half my frenulum. As fate would have it, I grew up to be an extreme grower and so my glans frequently retracts entirely into that remaining foreskin. The alternating coverage/bareness is uncomfortable to say the least and I also have problems with odor. My thought is to get a low and tight revision to get rid of all the inner skin and the frenulum remnant. I dont want skin bunching-up behind my glans at all. My glans is pretty smal1, measuring 19mm around. My penis is already smaller than average and Ive read that circumcision (done right) can cause the glans to flare out and get a little bigger. Is this true? I plan to be in the Miami area for most of February for work and          

Gilbert

Dear Gilbert,

For sure we look forward to seeing you in February. 

As a urologist with 35 years of experience and 5000 circumcisions behind me, I cannot say that your comment regarding the glans getting larger post circumcision holds true unless the scar is unduly tight.  If this did occur, I would view this, as a complication.  However in all fairness, this does come up every so often, but in my opinion never validated.

There are 2 ways to increase glans size, one with AlloDerm and the other with Juvederm UltraPlus.

 
Harold M. Reed, M.D. FICS
Senior Member of the American Urological Association,
Member Society of Genito-Urinary Reconstructive Surgeons
Founding Member and Treasurer of American Academy of Phalloplasty Surgeons
Founding Member Sexual Society of North America

Phalloplasty, meaning

Tuesday, October 7th, 2008

Phalloplasty is a general term derived from “phallus” or penis and “plasty” meaning to modify by plastic or reconstructive surgery.  I am a phalloplasty surgeon, one of a few phalloplasty surgeons doing these procedures in the United States.  Our office is located in a upscale pocket park community, Bay Harbor Islands (greater Miami).  We are equidistant between the Fort Lauderdale and Miami airports.  Choose whichever airport has the best fares and for added ground savings try SuperShuttle if at MIA or GoShuttle if at FLL.

Phalloplasty cost is moderate considering my 35 years of urological experience, our Quad A (AAAASF) approved surgical facility and societal memberships which include founding member and treasurer status.

Phalloplasty before and after photos are posted on our web-site http://penisdoctor.com/photo1aa.htm and you can see from these phalloplasty images, we know what we are doing.

Harold M. Reed, M.D.

Senior Member of the American Urological Association 
Founding Member of the North American Sexual Society
Member of the Society of Genito-Urinary Reconstructrive Surgeons
American Academy of Phalloplasty Surgeons (founding member and treasurer).                                                                         

 

 

Penile Enlargement, Vanity or Reasonable Cosmetic Decision

Sunday, October 5th, 2008

 Hi Dr. Reed,

I am a 35 year old white male in good physical health
albeit a little under weight for my 5 7 frame. I am very
curious to know how many of your patients undergo 
penile enlargement for no other reason than personal
satisfaction? I ask this because I want to be bigger 
just for myself. I guess it’s like buying a Mercedes
when your old car is just fine. You just want to feel
special.  

Does this kind of thinking bother you and do you try
to discourage people like me from surgery?      

Kal  

Dear Kal,  

For most, the operation (phalloplasty, augmentation phalloplasty)  is a cosmetic one and not
medically necessary.  I believe during arousal for both
your partner and yourself, being well represented is a turn-on. 

My responsibility is to tell you, you are normal if that is
the case.  Normal is a range that includes 88% of the all measured. 

We do note however, that a good majority of our patients
are below the median and can sympathize with their wanting to catch up.    

Please see our phalloplasty before and after photos and phalloplasty images.  The phalloplasty costs are posted on our web-site.

Harold M. Reed, M.D.

Letter of Thanks from a Recent Circumcison Patient

Sunday, October 5th, 2008

Dr. Reed,

Dr. Reed, please accept my apology for taking too long to thank you for the amazing job that you did on september 3,2008 on my circumcision procedures.

   i had to leave the country uninspectedly for almost three weeks for some reason. I came back lastnight, I also thank your hospitable staff for taking good care of me.  Hopefully , i will see you in the following months for the girth enhancement.

sincerely,

gregory v

AlloDerm after dermal-fat grafts

Saturday, October 4th, 2008

Dr.Reed,


My name is Stan. I am a 55 years old and very fit.  Approx 10 years I underwent lengthening and widening with dermal grafts. I was 5 7/8 erect and 4 1/2 girth. I am now 7 X 5 3/4 midshaft. As my wife likes girth and I am tired of using the pump. I am considering girth enhancement with alloderm.  The dermal seems to have decreased from just under the head to approx midshaft.  Can alloderm be used in conjunction with already placed dermal? As I want no more than 3/4 - 1″, to take out the dermal and replace with alloderm would make my girth less than it is now.  Also, how many sheets of allo do you typically use and what is the size of a sheet. 
 
Any information would be greatly appreciated. 
 
 

 

Hi Stan, 
 
We had had experience with AlloDerm for almost 10 years now and before that we did dermal-fat grafts, and before that transfer of liposuctioned of fat (autologous fat transfer or AFT) .  As a phalloplasty surgeon I evolved into the AlloDerm because it seems to be the most predictable performer.  Liposuctioned fat transfer can result in uniform or zonal reabsorption and the formation of fibro-fatty nodules or lumps under the skin. 

Dermal-fat grafts are living and in order for them to survive as soft as one might feel under the skin before surgery, they do need to pick up a sufficient blood supply.  Otherwise they will undergo some degree of atrophy which translates into fibrosis, the lowest common denominator of wound healing before necrosis.  Fibrous grafts tend to lose of course the original girth as the fat cells die off first, but worse yet they contract and result in shortened penile length. 

AlloDerm is a cadaveric product, and has no immediate biological requirements such as early re-vascularization.  If your dermal-fat graft in the distal shaft is not bothering you, you could consider Allo-Derm placed over it.  If it is truly fibrous, I would remove it, as AlloDerm should rest between a sandwich of healthy well vascularized tissue for a good take. 

We use extra-thick AlloDerm but avoid stacking sheets as this can predispose to a wound infection.  There is no blood supply whatsoever between the layers, and all it takes is a small amount of skin bacteria  which healthy tissue can repress.  The thicker a man’s penis is when he sees me, the less impact visually one extra thick layer of AlloDerm has.  Think of “a drop in the ocean.”  For men who have not had previous girth enhancement, we say about a 3/4″ increase in circumference.

Your circumference of 5 3/4 is OK and you may wish to rest on your laurels.  Most likely with AlloDerm you will get up to 6 or more inches.  In cosmetic surgery there is an expression, “less is more,” meaning that overdoing things can lead to complications.

Please do see phalloplasty before and after photos and images on our web-site.  The phalloplasty cost is also mentioned.

 

Hope this addresses your questions.  

Best wishes,

Harold M. Reed, M.D.
305-865-2000