I tried girth enhancement — here’s what I wish I knew first

Procedures like these, of course, have their own share of questions and stigmas, many of which I also had before I went in. Things like, “Do I really need this?” “How bad does it hurt?” “Can I still pee?” and “Is this only for gay men?” pop up for everyone, but trust me, it’s not that bad.

Keep reading to hear more about my experience, what to expect of the procedure, and why this kind of sexual enhancement is suitable for straight and gay men alike.

What I thought before (and why I did it anyway)

Before I went in, I thought I was going to regret the procedure, but Bustamante calmed my nerves immediately.

“Everything is reversible,” he said. “So I do tell people that, if you feel like this just isn’t for you, we can totally reverse it. No harm, no foul.”

That said, he also admitted I “wouldn’t like him for the first week,” but that was completely normal. “Prepare for week one to be questioning what you did,” he warned. “I usually expect a panicked text message around day three, then four days later they thank me and tell me the panic is gone.”

Despite my apprehension, I wanted to try this out for the experience itself. I’ve never had any other type of cosmetic enhancement—no Botox, no fillers, no nothing—and figured that, even though it’s a pretty “main” part of my body, if something got botched, it was still easier to hide.

Spoiler alert: The first few days, I felt like I was carrying a monster. I have since calmed down.

But let’s get down to one of the main questions that I and everybody else ask:

Does it hurt?

Short answer: no.

Longer answer: sort of.

The “no” revolves around the procedure itself. As Bustamante told me beforehand, “The procedure itself is entirely pain-free. It’s more of an ‘awareness’ that I’m down there, but there’s no pain.”

The “awareness”—and the “sort of” of the longer answer—starts with a little shot of Trimex in the shaft to get things going. If you’re unaware of what that is, it’s an injectable medication used to treat erectile dysfunction in men. When I say a “little shot,” I mean it, too. It’s not enough to get you fully erect, but it’s enough to let Bustamante get a visual for what he’s working with.

The Trimex shot doesn’t feel great, but the only “pain” involved is the nerve blocker shot. This gets inserted at the base of the shaft, and it’s similar to a Novocain shot when you go to the dentist. It hurts like hell while it’s getting injected, but then everything goes numb. After administering the nerve blocker shot, Bustamante applies additional numbing cream to the area while preparing the syringes.

The procedure was…shockingly chill

During the actual procedure, Bustamante supplies you with laughing gas to breathe while he’s injecting you. While the appointment itself lasts about an hour, most of that time is spent discussing what to expect, including bruising, swelling, and the initial reaction of “what did I just do to myself?”

The actual injections only take about 10 minutes, and you’re set. Bustamante admitted that he has two separate playlists—one for his gay clientele (think Chappell Roan and Taylor Swift) and the other for the straight guys, usually leaning on The Killers because “all straight men love The Killers.”

He also says that, though he gained popularity with HoleTox, the influx of penis patients, including straight men, have made penises his primary treatment.

How much is injected into you?

The amount of dermal filler used depends on the size your penis already is. Usually, Bustamante recommends starting with 15 shots (which he gave me), but you can do more or less depending on the size your penis is when you start.

It’s also important to note that there are no injections in the head of your penis.

Additionally, this procedure only impacts your girth, not the overall length of your penis. It does help you be a little longer when flaccid, but not when erect. On average, patients can expect to see an increase in girth between one to two extra inches.

Bustamante stresses the importance of it “looking pretty,” as well. Although he’s not the only doctor out there doing this, straight men tend to “think big” and focus on the whole penis being girthy. Bustamante wants a more natural look, and he doesn’t want your head to be small in comparison to the rest of the shaft.

To combat this, he puts the bulk of the injections down at the base of the penis, then slowly works his way up. This allows for a more natural shape that genuinely doesn’t make anything look malformed.

However, there was one question I had going in that all of my friends also asked me…

Can I still pee?

Good news: Yes!

The injections only go on the sides of your penis. Nothing on the top, the bottom, or the head. As Bustamante explained before I started, “There’s no effect on your bladder or your urethra. It’s just a weird empty feeling, but it doesn’t change your ability to pee.”

What I will say is peeing while my penis was still numb was… an experience. I had to go pretty soon after the appointment, and was glad he’d explained there would be a “difference in my heads,” meaning my brain expected a feeling that my penis didn’t deliver. Although it didn’t affect my ability to pee, while it was still numb, it did impact my ability to know when I was actually done. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but that did result in a little "accident" after I put my pants back on.

What can I expect after? How long does this take to heal?

Not only is Bustamante incredibly knowledgeable, but he’s also really personable and prefers you to over-ask questions rather than assume something is okay when it’s not.

As noted, he usually expects a panicked text message at some point, but stresses that you will likely see bruising and swelling, especially in the days immediately following.

The morning after I woke up, I would have sent a panicked message if he hadn’t gone over what to expect with me. The bruising was a bit of a shock, and the swelling only happened in certain areas and made my penis look strange.

That has all resolved as of this writing, and I have experienced no complications from the procedure whatsoever.

As for healing time, Bustamante advises expecting to be at 90% by week three, then 100% by week six. Starting on day three, you also need to massage the penis for a minimum of 15 minutes per day for three weeks with a method they demonstrate for you to help the filler settle.

Let’s talk about sex. When can I have it again?

A significant question, of course, is around sex. Gay or straight, it’s likely you’re not going to undergo this procedure only to share the results with yourself, but for health and healing purposes, you should wait for at least a week and a half or so before any type of sex, including oral.

“Most people who have partners are having sex about 10 to 14 days after,” Bustamante said. “Single people tend to wait about three weeks.”

Although there’s a wait time to have a sexual partner, the same does not apply to yourself. For the first three days following the procedure, you are not allowed to masturbate, and you also are not supposed to go into hot tubs, pools, or submerge yourself in water to help prevent any infections. After that, feel free to play around with it and see how the new you feels.

How long does this filler last?

The good news here is that the filler lasts remarkably long, making the investment (which we’ll discuss) worthwhile.

You can always go in for touch-ups anytime you want, but you can also expect it to take two to three years before you’re fully back to your natural self. The filler contains a mixture of a hyaluronic acid-based and a firmer calcium-based. Most fillers only use one type of filler, and this mixture makes penis enhancement more unique because no other filler looks and feels as natural on its own.

How much will this cost me?

This is definitely a cosmetic investment, and for the penis enhancement especially, you can expect to hit a big dent in your wallet.

The first five syringes cost $4,000. An additional five syringes come out to $700 per syringe. If you have over 10 syringes, the cost of each additional syringe from there is $600.

The 15 recommended syringes I did, then, costs about $10,500.

It’s also important to note that to receive the discounted pricing on the additional syringes, you must use them simultaneously. That means, if you did five on one day, came back for another five a few days later, and then finished off the 15 a few days after that, it would cost you $12,000 instead.

They also offer financing options, so be sure to discuss with them what’s best for you.

So…would I do it again?

At the moment, he and I are still getting to know each other down there. As of this writing, I haven’t crossed the 10-day restriction on sex, but can confidently report back no issues thus far.

Bustamante’s professionalism from start to finish is also a huge selling point for me. I never felt uncomfortable, and it’s more than evident that he really knows what he’s doing and deserves the recognition he’s earned for his work.

Most importantly, this procedure offers the individual who undertakes it a choice and a sense of empowerment. It might not be the choice for everyone, but those who are curious about it and can afford it should give it a go.

I know I will again.

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