A long, hard look at ‘penis enlargers’

PENIS enlargement is big business in South Africa — even though most people believe it does not actually work.

Pamphlets, posters and adverts promising to help men to “grow” their penises piqued the curiosity of a Johannesburg university professor, Dr Thabisani Ndlovu.

Ndlovu, a human rights lecturer from the University of the Witwatersrand, set out to investigate the phenomenon of the market in penis enlargement concoctions.

He presented his findings at the Body Knowledge Conference at Wits onWednesday, when academics were invited to discuss medicine and the humanities.

Ndlovu explored the sexual and social myths behind the number of businesses offering penis enlargements, interviewing focus groups of men and women.

He said more than half of those interviewed did not believe penis enhancement products worked.

This was confirmed by Pietermaritzburg urologist Dr David Smart, who said there was no way that lotions or potions would increase penis size. “Nothing works,” he said.

But insecurities and male myths about size, Ndlovu said, helped to generate business.

Among the myths he came across were that nationality played a role in penis size.

‘‘Nigerians were [believed to be] at the top followed by Mozambicans, other foreigners, and last South African men with the exception of Tsongas and Vendas.”

Women were concerned more about skill than size, he found.

In general, ‘‘this was a very taboo subject . . . but business was good for these healers who charge from R200 to R1 500 for their creams”.

He said clients included ‘‘rich and poor. But for the rich who were too embarrassed to been seen with a healer, a delivery service was offered.

‘‘Business is good. These healers are able to send their children to school,” said Ndlovu.

He also explored a rise in the number of women popping pills to gain weight. While the affluent had cosmetic surgery, others responded to newspaper adverts offering body enhancement products — the promise of bigger breasts, hips and butts.

Ndlovu said women wanted to gain weight to feel better about themselves and to keep their men happy.