Ever since Viagra hit the market in 1998, the question of holding and maintaining an erection has dominated the conversation around men’s sexual health. And its popularity – reaching a $1.9B US sales peak in 2008 – is testament to its importance. More men today are able to sustain an erection and enjoy intercourse for longer.

Viagra (also known as the generic, sildenafil) isn’t the only answer to the much broader scope of men’s sexual health needs and sensitivities. According to a 2014 study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, over 35 percent of men feel that their penis size is ‘small’ on average. Estimates indicate that 50 percent of men over 50 in the U.S. suffer from low testosterone levels, and for a small but not insignificant number of men, standard erectile dysfunction medications like Viagra or Cialis are not enough to experience and maintain an erection.

With so many needs not being met, it’s time to learn more about alternative and innovative treatments available today that can (and have) transformed men’s personal health experiences.

Addressing Penis Size with the Shafer Width And Girth (S.W.A.G) Penis Enlargement Procedure

As an internationally recognized master injector and double board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. David Shafer always knew more could be done for the growing number of patients visiting his office with complaints that couldn’t be solved with a prescription. “Women have the option of breast implants. But up until now, men have not had an easy and accessible procedure that could enhance their manhood.”

As an injector, it occurred to me – why couldn’t we use dermal fillers for safe, minimally-invasive penile enhancement? The same products that are FDA-approved to enhance cheeks or plump lips can significantly increase penis width and girth during a straightforward in-office procedure without downtime. And so Dr. Shafer’s S.W.A.G. procedure was born. Within weeks, the treatment grew into one of the practice’s most in-demand procedures.

How it works:

Hyaluronic acid dermal filler, such as Voluma from Allergan, is carefully injected into the soft tissue of the penile shaft using a micro-cannula technique to maximize safety and minimize any side effects after the application of a strong numbing cream. The non-surgical procedure takes 20-30 minutes, with patients commenting on added weight and size as well as length. “The filler gives the penis a natural fullness and shape and can last anywhere from 1-2 years. Our patients couldn’t be happier with the convenience of the treatment and the impressive individual results.”

Q: What About ED? A: Bimix Injections

Of the 18 million men in the United States suffering from some form of erectile dysfunction, there’s a group that do not respond to common rx solutions such as Viagra (sildenafil) or Cialis (tadalafil). For those patients, self injections like Bimix, might be the best solution.

“Many patients (and providers!) don’t realize that there are alternatives that can be explored if traditional medications don’t work”, says Gopesh Patel, R. Ph lead compounding pharmacist at VLS Pharmacy. “Bimix self-injections provide new hope for patients when more conventional therapies such as a PDE5 inhibitors, fail. The gratitude from patients is overwhelming.”

How it works:

Bimix must be compounded by a pharmacy certified in sterile technique. The medication is administered as a penile self-injection that contains two active ingredients: paravarine (which acts as a vasodilator to increase blood flow) and phentolamine (which helps blood vessels to relax and dilate to promote an erection).

• Bimix injection syringes have a very fine gauge needle (the same type as insulin injections) to minimize discomfort.
• After the injection, erections normally occur within 5-20 minutes and can last for 30 minutes or more.
• If properly dosed, 80% of men using Bimix should achieve an erection.

Boosting Low Libido with Testosterone Replacement Therapy

Age, genetics and lifestyle can all contribute to a diminishing levels of testosterone, and with it symptoms of sluggishness, loss of muscle mass, erectile dysfunction and a low libido. New research shows that as many as 1 in 4 men over the age of 30 have low testosterone which can have a significant impact on a man’s quality of life.

“What many patients don’t realize is that testosterone replacement therapy can be a straightforward and affordable treatment option that can transform how they feel”, says Gopesh Patel, R. Ph. “Compounding pharmacies can work with physicians on a treatment plan for testosterone replacement therapy that is dosed especially for the patient.”

How it works:

A clinician will write a prescription for a specific panel of bloodwork to determine testosterone level imbalances. From there, they work with a qualified compounding pharmacy to formulate custom-dosed medications that can be offered as intramuscular injections (IM) and topical creams and gels. A knowledgeable clinician and/or pharmacist can also suggest supportive herbal remedies and other medications.
To learn more about the S.W.A.G. treatment for penile enhancement, contact Dr. David Shafer. For information about VLS Pharmacy and support for Bimix injections or testosterone hormone replacement therapy, please contact the pharmacy directly.