In the wake of the tragic death of a UK woman who was injected with liquid silicone for buttock enhancement, the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (www.baaps.org.uk) today issued a fresh warning against backstreet procedures being performed in this country on males seeking genital enlargement. A number of websites promoting the use of silicone injections demonstrate considerable interest from men around the country and reveal that many have undergone the unlicensed procedure – and are now facing serious medical problems and deformity as a result.

According to consultant plastic surgeon and BAAPS President Fazel Fatah;

“The BAAPS is seriously concerned about this type of unlicensed procedure to enlarge male genitalia. Unlike silicone implants (e.g breast implants or testicular implants), injections of free silicone are banned. This is because the silicone migrates and spreads in the tissues creating an inflammatory reaction which becomes impossible to remove completely without damaging the tissues. We would like to warn men who are looking for this type of enhancement to seek guidance from their GPs and visit reputable qualified surgeons who can discuss realistic and – more importantly, safe options with them.”

The warning has indeed come too late for patient Jim Horton, who sought silicone injections to enlarge his scrotum after reading about the treatment in various websites and online forums.

According to Jim, who used to work as an aircraft engineer;

“In 2007 I read about permanent enlargement injections in a number of websites and was intrigued. There were many men on these forums who admitted they’d undergone the treatment to enlarge their penis permanently, but I was interested in augmenting my scrotum area which I’d always felt it was small and tight. I found out the injections could be done relatively cheaply in the London area.”

Jim met the ‘trained practitioner’ who had, ahead of time, emailed an information sheet promising painless ‘permanent scrotum and penis enlargement injections…using sterile surgical-grade silicone fluid.’  The email also claimed this medium ‘gives very good weight and sensation, and feels much more natural than most implants or temporary fillers.’

Jim says;

“I had the injections at the practitioner’s house – he explained because the liquid was so thick he couldn’t use a normal syringe and instead had what looked like a sealant gun from a DIY store to get enough pressure. The silicone itself, I noticed afterwards, had been kept in a milk bottle.  I know this should have set the alarm bells ringing but the procedure was painless and I was satisfied with the larger size.  I paid £120 and I felt really pleased with the result.”

Unfortunately some months later the silicone appeared to have migrated, and his scrotum felt hard and looked misshapen.

He says;

“I started experiencing some discomfort and presumably because the substance had travelled in between my testicles the area looked almost triangular. I tried contacting the practitioner again but he said not to worry. Afterwards I did further research online and found out that many of the men who had the procedure were experiencing problems and having to pay thousands of pounds to undergo surgery privately to correct it. I couldn’t afford this, so despite feeling like I looked like a freak I did nothing further until last year when the discomfort and hardening had gotten so much worse I struggled to find clothes that fit.”

Jim was referred to the urologist, who first tried to excise the silicone in June 2010, but the damage was such that consultant plastic surgeon Antonio Orlando was called in.

According to Mr. Orlando, who is a member of the BAAPS;

"The patient initially presented to the hospital with an infection to his scrotum following injection of  silicone.  He had developed a condition called 'Siliconoma'. This is a severe inflammatory reaction to free fluid silicone spread in the tissues following the injection. He presented with a massively swollen scrotum due to this hard inflammatory tissue encasing his testicles. The size of the scrotum was such that it was deemed safer to remove the substance over more than one session. Overall he required a scan and three corrective procedures between plastic surgery and urology to remove the silicone and the affected tissue surrounding it."

He adds;

"The usual risks of corrective surgery are bleeding, infection and necrosis of the skin. There was also a high risk of the patient losing his testicles because they were encased in the injected silicone - but fortunately we managed to preserve both. Liquid silicone injections can cause swelling, pain, siliconoma formation and unpredictable results. The damage is permanent and even with surgery it is impossible to remove it completely. In this case we managed to remove probably 80% of the siliconoma throughout very slow and difficult dissections."
According to consultant plastic surgeon and BAAPS President Fazel Fatah;

“No reputable plastic surgeon would offer silicone injections. There are a number of procedures such as ligament release and fat graft which can improve length and girth, but it is essential for patients do to do their research.”

About BAAPS

The BAAPS (www.baaps.org.uk), based at the Royal College of Surgeons, is a not-for-profit organisation, established for the advancement of education and practice of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery for public benefit. Members undergo thorough background screening before they can join. Information about specific procedures and surgeons’ contact details can be found on the web site, and further materials can be posted to members of the public seeking specialised information. BAAPS is also on Twitter: www.twitter.com/BAAPSMedia and Facebook: www.facebook.com/BritishAssociationofAestheticPlasticSurgeons