You may have noticed that there’s a whole host of different penis enlargement creams, oils and gels being touted online, appearing on all sorts of website from the extremely dodgy to Amazon!
Additionally, these products have a huge variation in reviews receiving 5 stars or 1-stars but rarely anything that seems genuine.
To us, this screams out both ‘self-promotion’ and ‘scam’.
We’ve decided to take look a closer deeper into the validity of these claims to see if they are worth buying.
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What Is A Penis Enlargement Cream?
Right away, the name is highly misleading.
You see, there are two ways of looking at any ‘penis enlargement product’.
They either work:
- Permanently, by changing your penis size OR
- Temporarily, by inducing an erection
And, it’s absolutely clear from the sales pitches that we’ve seen that many manufacturers of these products like to blur the lines between these two with the aim of misleading men into buying!
So, let’s get clear.
There is no scientific evidence to suggest that applying a cream, oil or gel to your penis that it can permanently increase your penis size.
Just as with penis enlargement pills, which contain certain vitamins and minerals that can indeed increase blood flow to your penis, resulting in a harder erection for longer, there is a chance that creams may be able to do the same.
However, there have been no clinical trials to suggest that the intake of these vitamins through skin absorption will have any benefit over ingestion.
In the circumstance that these creams did have some benefit in increasing blood flow, there is still a fundamental problem with the marketing of these products that must be addressed.
Any company that makes claims that their cream can in any way increase your size (rather than just improve erection strength) is lying to you.
Therefore, if they are willing to lie to you so blatantly, there’s a high probability that they will also be bending the rules in other areas too.
- Are the ingredients they claim actually in these creams?
- Is the cream toxic?
- Will you even receive the package at all?
It’s difficult to predict when the makers of these products are so well hidden.
If you do decide to try any type of penis cream or lotion, I’d recommend staying away if the supplier makes claims that seem at all dubious or exaggerated.
How They Might Work
Although we've started off this article with a pretty harsh tone towards these companies, it's only fair to give these products a chance by suggesting how they might work since there have been no clinical trials.
Osmosis
The main claim of these brands is that penis creams are absorbed through a biological process called osmosis where a liquid passes through a semi-permeable membrane (such as your skin) and becomes absorbed into that area.
Although osmosis is a well-known biological process, it’s difficult to tell whether or not that absorption through a particular area in your body, such as your penis, will have any effect on that area vs. just being absorbed generally.
With that being said, it’s common to rub arnica oil into certain parts of your body with the aim of relieving aches and pains.
And, millions of people apply moisturiser to their face every day to hydrate their skin.
So, it’s possible that this will have a similar ability to increase blood flow too.
Sensual Aromatics
Another plausible way of looking at penis creams is that they may include certain sensual smells that will induce an erection.
By this logic, you could have a nice candle, diffuser in your room or even some sensual lubrication and achieve the same result.
The Placebo Effect
Lastly, and probably the most realistic way that these creams work is that, if your partner helps apply it, it will result in arousal (and also an erection).
Now, it’s fair to say that no matter if the result is caused by osmosis, sensual aromatics or even a placebo – if it works, it works.
So, why knock it?
Typical Ingredients
Going forward, let’s assume that osmosis is the method in which penis creams work.
It’s important that you are careful with the ingredients of these creams as some can potentially do you harm.
Dietary and herbal supplements aren’t regulated by the FDA.
This means these brands are pretty much free to say whatever they want about their supposed benefits.
In the next section, we’ll highlight the typical ingredients in these creams along with some thoughts on their validity.
Ingredients With Promise
L-Arginine & Pycnogenol
After numerous studies into the effects of L-Arginine in the late 90s, it was found in 2003 that a combination of these two substances 92.5% of participants were able to achieve a normal erection after being deemed as having erectile dysfunction.
Important Note: if you have had a heart attack in the past, L-Arginine is not recommended.
Propionyl-L-carnitine
In multiple clinical trials, propionyl-L-carnitine has been shown to both increase sperm count and mobility, increasing the chances of getting your partner pregnant.
Additionally, it has shown to have a positive impact on erection strength too, albeit in limited trials.
Maca
One study found that the use of Maca could increase sexual function, but the sample size for this study was very limited and suggested that more work needs to be done before drawing any conclusion on its effectiveness.
Yohimbine
The test results from Yohimbine Hydrochloride are promising with a substantial number of participants (65%) in trials noticing an improvement in erection strength in a 3 week timeframe.
Questionable Ingredients
Fenugreek
One study found that the use of fenugreek was able to effectively increase testosterone in a sample of men.
Testosterone is often touted as a miracle hormone to helping men achieve bigger, harder erections.
However, testosterone has no real benefit in these areas. Instead, it is more better for increasing your sex drive.
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)
Using DHEA supplements can increase your risk of cancer, lower good cholesterol levels, and affect your mental health.
Pregnanolone
There is no research to support the use of pregnanolone in helping with erection strength. Additionally, it may negatively affect your mental health.
Catuaba Bark Extract
This ingredient has shown some promise as an antidepressant, but no research has indicated that it has any effect on your ability to achieve an erection
Hawthorn Berry
Although hawthorn berry has been known to have some benefit in treating heart disease, it is not proven to help with increasing erection strength. In fact, it has been found that if you take too much, it can cause side effects such as dizziness and nausea.
Citrulline
In a 2011 study, it was found that 50% of participants were able to achieve a harder erection through the use of Citrulline. This was followed up with a 2018 study which added the use of Transresveratrol, however, the results were, again, insignificant enough to warrant any claims of success.
Additionally, in both of these studies, the sample size was very small and further exploration was deemed necessary before any conclusions could be drawn.
Panax (Red) Ginseng
A number of clinical trials have investigated the use of panax (red) ginseng and its effect on men suffering from erectile dysfunction with mixed results. However, a 2013 review by the NHS in the UK refuted the evidence as being unclear.
Gingko Biloba
Although Ginkgo Biloba has become widely popularized through its addition to energy drinks as a way to increase blood flow, the effects are largely unclear.
The closest clinical study available is a 2008 look at how it affected sexual dysfunction in women, however, it was found that sexual therapy played a larger role in the alleviation of symptoms than Gingko Biloba.
Additionally, a Harvard Health study further denounced the use of Gingko Biloba for its use as a sexual stimulant.
Horny Goat Weed
Although its name may sound colorful, there’s no evidence that horny goat weed can affect your sexual performance at all.
Important note: all of the linked studied above have looked at these ingredients through oral consumption, not via the use of creams. There is currently no evidence that applying a cream will affect your erection.
Are Penis Enlargement Creams Safe?
Largely, it’s fair to assume that these creams are be harmless.
However, if you’re currently using medication of any kind, you should be aware that the use of penis creams may have side effects.
One way to figure out if you will experience issues is to do a patch test.
This involves the following steps::
- Rub a small amount of oil into your forearm.
- Cover the area with a bandage.
- Wait 24 hours and check for irritation.
If, after the patch test, you show no signs of irritation, it’s a good sign that you can apply it elsewhere. However, make sure to keep the cream well away from your urinary opening.
Additionally, make sure not to use any penis creams without talking to your partner first as it may expose them to allergens that they may not be able to deal with.
Therefore, it’s wise to give them a patch test too before you go ahead and have sex.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article has helped you understand the use of penis creams and how they could potentially help you.
If you would like to explore more penis enlargement methods, we would strongly encourage you to read our full article on the subject which is available here.