Health5 min(s) read
Published 15:10 21 Jun 2026 GMT
Condition 1 in 10 men have that decreases size of penis - here's how it can be treated
A consultant urologist at the Cleveland Clinic has opened up about a rare health condition that is said to affect up to 10 percent of men.
The medical professional opened up on how his job consists of uncomfortable conversations, such as the one he had fairly recently, telling the Daily Mail that "shame, embarrassment and silence are almost always part of the story."
But he said that one patient in his late 40s opened up about something that was happening to his manhood.
Just years earlier, he recalled that his penis started to change shape, which was most noticeable when he was erect.
He recalled that it was subtle at first, with a slight bend upwards to the left, but it soon became far worse.
Describing it as "grotesque," he said that it would "bend to the left at around a 45-degree angle," which negatively affected his performance in the bedroom.
.jpg_TDbLaC?tr=cr-0.0.6000.4000,f-webp,q-70,w-1024)
What is the condition called?
It's called Peyronie's disease, and the man's condition is apparently "one of the most common reasons" men are sent to the expert.
He explained to the publication that the condition is "characterized by an abnormal curvature of the penis, (which) is caused by a build-up of fibrous scar tissue – known as plaques – within the shaft."
In the long-term, this can lead to the bending and distortion of the penis while erect.
Symptoms of this include pain and difficulty with sex, which can also lead to permanent shortening of the penis length as well.
Peyronie's can affect as many as one in ten men, yet it is largely underdiagnosed, with the National Institutes of Health suggesting that only one in 100 men with the condition is formally diagnosed.
It is suggested that too many men are ashamed to seek help, hoping the issue will resolve itself, while others may not be aware they have a problem at all.
"I've had patients who didn't come in until things had deteriorated so badly that it cost them their relationship," the expert admitted.
Peyronie's is treatable, especially if caught early, says the expert.
How to know if you have Peyronie's disease
The expert says that this condition can be triggered by tiny injuries to the penis, which can occur during sex.
In fact, the individual may not even notice the changes until much later.
The healthy healing process allows the tissue to repair itself smoothly, but in Peyronie's disease, the body lays down excess scar tissue instead, creating hard plaques.
Experts are unsure why this happens to some men and not others, though there is thought to be a difference in how the body heals, taking factors such as age, genetics, diabetes, and smoking into consideration.
So, because fibrous plaques do not stretch, when the penis is erect, the damaged area cannot expand in the same way as the surrounding tissue.
This causes the bend, and some men may experience several plaques forming, meaning that the penis curves in more than one direction.
Pain during erections is also expected, especially in earlier stages - the expert highlighted that men of all ages have come to see him about the disease.
Few men have perfectly straight erections; in fact, a curve is normal, but it is Peyronie's when it causes pain or distress.
How can you treat Peyronie's disease?
The treatment of Peyronie's depends largely on the phase you're in - if you're in the first 12 to 18 months, also known as the active phase, as the penile curvature is increasing, you would be prescribed medication.
He explained: "Initially, they would take a daily low dose of the erectile dysfunction medication tadalafil. It works by relaxing blood vessels in the penis and we believe this helps to slow the disease progression and manage pain.
"I would also prescribe them traction therapy for an hour a day. This involves wearing a device that gently stretches the penis."
Over time, this tension helps the scar tissue remodel and become less tight, reducing curvature and limiting shortening.
But if it is in the stable phase, which is when the penis has had the same angle for three months or more, injections, traction therapy, or surgery are options.
Injections involve an enzyme known as collagenase, which breaks down plaques.
He claims that his patients "see improvements of 60 percent or more."
The expert stated: "My advice to men who think they might have this problem is, please don't feel ashamed," encouraging them to speak about it with their partner or physician.
.jpg_FBttod?tr=cr-0.0.2034.1473,f-webp,q-70,w-1024)
.webp_SmgFsc?tr=cr-292.0.1244.952,f-webp,q-70,w-100)
.webp_QQJmGo?tr=cr-345.0.1535.1190,f-webp,q-70,w-100)
.jpg_Rhf4j9?tr=cr-0.0.1.0.72,f-webp,q-70,w-1024)
.jpg_o2LTfK?tr=cr-0.0.2116.1190,f-webp,q-70,w-525,h-200)
.jpg_FBttod?tr=cr-0.0.2034.1144,f-webp,q-70,w-525,h-200)
.webp_SmgFsc?tr=cr-292.0.1244.952,f-webp,q-70,w-1024)
.jpg_Rhf4j9?tr=f-webp,q-70,w-525,h-200)
.webp_QQJmGo?tr=cr-345.0.1535.1190,f-webp,q-70,w-1024)
