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Medically reviewed by Dr. Edward Gheiler, MD, FACS — September 17, 2026
Home › Penile Implants › Size Expectations
What to Expect for Size After a Penile Implant
One of the most common worries before implant surgery is size: will I end up shorter? Dr. Gheiler’s published research on his own patients points the other way. In a study of 223 men who returned for measurement at least two years after their first inflatable implant, most measured longer than they did on the day of surgery, and few measured shorter.
What the published study measured
Dr. Gheiler and his colleagues measured each man with the implant fully inflated at the end of surgery, then again, fully inflated, in the office at least two years later. The average follow-up was about four years, and the average age was 74.
Compared with the measurement taken at surgery:
On average, length at follow-up was 1.28 centimeters greater than at surgery, and 95.5% of the men reported being sexually active.
The results were similar across implant models (AMS 700 CX, AMS 700 LGX and Coloplast Titan) and in men with diabetes or who smoke. Those groups were small, so the study treats these comparisons as preliminary.
What the study does not show
The study is careful about its limits, and so are we:
- It measured the men who came back: about one in four of the eligible implants from 2021 to 2023. Men who returned may differ from men who did not.
- It looked back at past records. It did not compare implant patients with a control group.
- It cannot say why length changed, and it cannot predict how any one man will measure.
- A measurement before surgery (stretched, not erect) and a measurement after (inflated) are different kinds of measurement, so the study does not compare them directly.
An implant is a treatment for erectile dysfunction, not a lengthening operation. The study itself says its findings do not support using a penile implant as a cosmetic lengthening procedure.
Why sizing matters
Long-standing erectile dysfunction can cost length over time. During surgery the implant cylinders are measured and sized to your anatomy, and correct sizing is how that length is protected. This is one reason experience matters: Dr. Gheiler performs more than 400 implant procedures a year through his Concealed-Scar Scrotal Technique™. See also: Does a penile implant make you shorter?
Source: Gheiler EL, Klopukh BV, Luis D, et al. Long-term change in measured penile length after primary inflatable penile prosthesis. Journal of Sexual Medicine. 2026;23(9). doi:10.1093/jsxmed/qdag254. Results come from a single surgeon’s patients. Individual results vary and are not a guarantee. Talk to your urologist about what to expect in your situation.
Frequently asked questions
Will a penile implant make me shorter?
For most men, no. In Dr. Gheiler’s published study of his own long-term patients, most measured longer years after surgery than they did at surgery, and few measured shorter. Individual results vary.
Do I get my length back with an implant?
An implant is sized to your anatomy during surgery, and correct sizing is what protects your length. It treats erectile dysfunction; it is not a lengthening operation.
How much length can I expect to gain?
No one can promise a number. The published study reports averages for the men who returned for measurement, and it could not predict how any individual would measure. Dr. Gheiler will talk through what to expect for you at your consultation.
Do the results last?
In the published study, men were measured an average of about four years after surgery, and most had not lost length compared with the day of surgery.
Wondering whether an implant is right for you? See every ED treatment option and how men choose between them.
Questions about size or sizing? Ask Dr. Gheiler directly.
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