Psychological

There are several reasons as to why men undergo testicular implants, restoring the normal male sex organ’s appearance is perhaps the most common. For men who have lost one or both testicles, replacing the testicle with a testicular implant restores the appearance and promotes self-confidence. The psychological effects of having a deformed or abnormal testicular appearance potentially affect a person’s quality of life and self-image. This is evident in how men view themselves and how relationships are maintained, especially with intimate partners.

Losing a testicle due to an accident, surgery, or because of a disease often impairs the males’ image of self, impacting the view of his body, his sexuality, and masculinity. The Loss of a testicle can create psychological conditions such as depression, anxiety and or impotence, further contributing to a negative self-perception and feelings of loss. Psychological conditions such as anxiety and depression can cause temporary impotence, leading to the inability to achieve and or maintain an erection. Relationships with family and friends may also be compromised as a result of the loss. Compromised sense of self worth can lead to turning inwards and shying away from social, emotional, and intimate relationships. As the implications are far reaching into the core of man, the hope of restoration brings victory to both physically and psychologically.

Medical Conditions

For individuals who have suffered injury to the testicular area, genital defect, or cancer, removing the testicle(s) may be necessary to prevent further damage to the genitals. In some cases, abnormal or non-functioning testicles may be removed to disallow the loss of a healthy functioning testicle. There are multiple contributing medical conditions which may result in the removal of the testicles, each varying in severity and complexity.

Torsion

Torsion occurs when one or both of the testicles’ dependent spermatic cord is twisted. The spermatic cord is responsible for providing blood supply to the testicles. When the cord is twisted, the loss of blood to the testicles causes the testicles and the surrounding tissues to deteriorate and/or die.

Undescended Testicles

Undescended Testicles occur when the testicles do not ‘drop’ or descend during prenatal development. Prior to birth, in the third trimester, the normal developing male child, naturally lowers the testicles into the scrotal cavity. If the descending of testicles does not happen, or occurs improperly, this condition is known as undescended testicles will require correction. It is possible for children and adults to be unaware of the condition until medical intervention. Left untreated, undescended testicles lead to risks of developing tumors or cancers, and surgical removal of the testicles may be necessary for treatment.

Injury

Testicles are among the most frail of organs and are easily injured during certain physical activities. Enclosed in the scrotum, the testicles are positioned within soft tissue and muscle. The sac-like appearance of the scrotum offers little to no protection for the testicles resulting in high injury vulnerability.

Testicular Cancer

Testicular Cancer (Carcinoma) is the most common cancer for males ages 15-40. Responsible for 1-2% of all cancers effecting the male population, if detected early, treatment is often successful. Treating cancer of the testicles often requires the cancerous tissue in to be removed, which may result in the loss of testes, or the compromised appearance to the scrotal area. With a high success rate for cancer treatment, many men chose to have testicular reconstructive surgery following treatment.

Nonfunctional Testes

Testes may either be too small or deformed in such a way that their functionality is affected. These types of testes may be removed without affecting other body functions. Preventative surgery, such as testicle removal, is sometimes performed to avoid conditions which may ultimately result in abnormalities, and further develop into cancer.

Overproduction of Male Hormones

Testosterone is mainly produced in the testicles. Abnormally functioning testicles may overproduce testosterone, resulting in serious medical complications. Removing a testicle may be necessary in order to reduce the levels of testosterone in the body to avoid further serious medical complications.

Testicular Implantation at a Glance

Testicular implantation procedures typically rage 30 to 60 minutes of operation time. The procedure is generally performed in an outpatient surgery center allowing patients to often leave the facility within a few hours following surgery and return home to fully recover. As with all other surgeries, testicular implantation surgery presents possible risks and complications and should be discussed in length with a specializing surgeon.

With the ability to restore natural appearance to the male sex organ and genitalia, testicular implantation is purely cosmetic and does not restore natural testicular functions. Preformed with the purpose of properly filling the scrotum, testicular enlargement (enhancement), is accomplished by adding ovoid-shaped implants in front of the already existing testes or replacing the loss of removed testicle presence. This addition fills the scrotum with the proper appearance (unlike scrotum fillers), achieving well-represented gonads with both visual and sensational success.

*Medications may also be taken to manage the effects of testicle loss.

Athletes lead active lifestyles; in fact they rely on physical activities not only to improve their physical conditioning but often as a means of making a living. Sports and exercise place the body under enormous stresses. Contact sports, such as football or basketball, expose athletes to injury.

Sport Injuries

The genitals are soft tissues and can be easily injured by physical contact. The testicles are enclosed in the scrotum, which only serves to protect the testicles from extreme environmental conditions, like heat and temperature. The scrotum itself offers little to no real protection against physical contact or extreme pressure.
It is common for athletes wear supportive equipment while exercising and especially during games to protect their genitals. Most of the injuries suffered to the genitals are lacerations and contusions due to direct or blunt trauma.

Sometimes sports injuries to the genitals are not easily visible. Traumatic injuries may cause serious vascular or blood vessel damage, of which the effects are not seen for days or weeks. Symptoms of this type of injury include swelling, bruising and possibly discoloration. If not treated quickly these injuries could lead to serious and often irreparable damage to the testicles.

Immediate treatment for scrotal contusions or bruises may be achieved by applying ice packs over the area to prevent or limit inflammation. Pain relievers are taken to reduce pain and discomfort. Swelling and pain are often easily treated with ice packs or medication; however multiple injuries could lead to serious complications.
Serious complications may require surgical removal of the affected testicle. This is done to prevent the healthy testicle from being infected. Trauma to the genitals may lead to blood loss to the testicles and, in turn, may result in tissue death and loss of normal functions in the testes.

Steroid Use

Steroid and performance drug abuse is a common problem associated with athletes. It is believed the usage of steroids and performance-enhancing drugs are a result of the enormous pressures and expectations to constantly perform with exceptional and sometimes super-human skill. Steroids are efficient for increasing body mass and speeding up metabolic processes, but pose serious side effects.

As athletes seek to go beyond their natural athletic limit, it is often these athletes who are compelled to abuse steroids in order to achieve a more muscular appearance or perform greater athletically. Some of the most abused drugs are anabolic steroids; these drugs are similar to the testosterone produced by the testicles. With large amounts of synthetic testosterone running through the body, the testicles normal workload is reduced causing them to produce lesser amounts of natural testosterone. The influx of synthetic testosterone will lead to reduced testicular functioning and atrophy.

Improving Appearance

In order for some athletes to perform better, in addition to improving the quality of their performance, the need to feel good about how they look adds to the already tremendous pressure. Men often equate male ego and masculinity with sexual performance and appearance. While athletic attire often equates in tight fitting apparel, the visibility genital outlines increases, potentially causing self-image distortion in relation to the judged perception of others. Highly paid athletes are not only forced to meet their coaches’ expectations but are also role models of good health and appearance.

Gender: Male

Description:
This is a before and after imaging taken of 58 year old man from San Diego, CA. The man expressed deep concerns regarding the shrinkage of his testicle and the sagging of his scrotal skin. Noticing that his testicles had been getting smaller since the age of 50, and with no significant medical problem, he decided to pursue surgical treatment. He was referred to us by a past patient who had undergone a testicular enhancement procedure. Dr. Elist visited him in his Beverly Hills office and based on his pre-operative calculations and observations, Dr. Elist decided the large testicular implant would be the best treatment option for the patient. Following the procedure, the patient expressed increased self-confidence, healthy sexual activity, and pleasure sensation. ]]> http://www.testicularenlargement411.com/2009/09/gallery1/feed/ http://www.testicularenlargement411.com/2009/09/how-long-does-the-procedure-take/ http://www.testicularenlargement411.com/2009/09/how-long-does-the-procedure-take/#comments Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:12:26 +0000 admin http://www.testicularenlargement411.com/?p=42 The average procedure time for testicular implant is 30 to 60 minutes, and is done in an outpatient surgical facility.