Petroleum Jelly, Silicone or Oil Injected into the Penis: What Are the Risks and How Is It Treated?

Many men carry concern about penile girth for a long time without telling anyone. Prompted by it, some men follow advice from the internet or from others and inject petroleum jelly, paraffin, other oils or liquid silicone into the penis, or have someone without medical training do it. Although all may seem well at first, hard lumps, deformity and pain can appear weeks, months or even years later.

The biggest problem is often embarrassment: a man reluctant to talk about what happened puts off seeking help, and the condition may progress meanwhile. Yet this is a well-recognised health problem that should be approached without judgement. This article explains why these substances cause problems, the symptoms, what to avoid, assessment and the treatment approach.

What is this practice and why is it done?

Injecting non-medical substances such as petroleum jelly (petrolatum), paraffin, mineral or vegetable oils and liquid silicone under the skin of the penis to increase girth is seen in many parts of the world, including Turkey. The injection is usually given by the man himself, a friend or someone without healthcare training, in non-sterile conditions.

Behind it there is usually anxiety about girth, misleading posts online, stories that “it worked” and the belief that the procedure is cheap, simple and harmless. The decision is often made without knowing how these substances behave in the body; the problems stem less from carelessness than from incomplete information.

Why do these substances cause problems in the body?

The body cannot break down and remove petroleum jelly, paraffin, mineral oil or liquid silicone, so it tries to surround and contain them. Immune cells gather around the substance, a persistent inflammatory reaction begins and, over time, hard, irregular tissue forms. This is called a foreign body reaction; the form seen in the penis and scrotum is also known as sclerosing lipogranuloma or paraffinoma.

Several features complicate the problem:

• The substance may not stay in place: It can spread along the penis and move down into the scrotum (the sac containing the testicles) or the groin.
• Symptoms may be delayed: The reaction progresses insidiously; for weeks or even months, all may seem fine.
• Infection can develop: A non-sterile injection can lead to infection and abscess.

What symptoms can occur?

Symptoms vary with the type and amount of substance, how far it has spread and the time elapsed. Common findings include:

• Hard lumps: Irregular swellings on the shaft, felt by hand and sometimes fused together.
• Deformity: Thickening in some places and drawing inwards in others, curvature or asymmetry.
• Skin changes: Thinning, tightness, shininess, redness or darkening.
• Pain and restricted sexual function: Pain on touch or during erection; erections being affected and intercourse becoming difficult or impossible.
• Wounds, discharge and infection: Thinned skin breaking down, non-healing wounds, discharge; redness, warmth, fever or abscess.
• Foreskin problems: In uncircumcised men, the foreskin may not retract, or may become trapped once retracted.
• Difficulty passing urine: Rarely, extensive involvement affects the flow of urine.

How does it differ from filler applied by a doctor?

This condition should not be confused with medical filler applied by a doctor. Medical fillers are made for the human body, are regulated and are applied by a doctor in an appropriate, sterile setting; some are gradually broken down and absorbed by the body. Petroleum jelly, paraffin and oils are not made for injection, are not sterile and cannot be cleared from the body. Free injection of liquid silicone into tissue for this purpose is not a medical procedure either.

This does not mean medical filler is free of risk; swelling, irregularity, nodules or infection can also occur with a procedure performed by a doctor. Not every man is suitable for it; suitability is determined through examination and a discussion of expectations.

What should you avoid doing?

Seeking a solution alone out of embarrassment is common, but the following can make things worse:

• Trying to drain it with a needle: A substance spread through the tissue and encased in hard tissue cannot be drawn out with a needle; the risk of infection rises.
• Squeezing or rubbing: Squeezing the lumps or vigorous massage can spread the substance further and damage the skin.
• Applying heat: A hot compress does not melt the substance and can burn thinned skin.
• Herbal creams and home mixtures: These do not reach the substance under the skin and can cause irritation or allergy.
• Waiting in the belief that “it will pass”: The body cannot clear these substances on its own; meanwhile the reaction may widen.
• Injecting the same substance again: Further injections to correct the shape enlarge the affected area.

How is the assessment carried out?

The aim is to establish how far the substance has spread, the condition of the skin and whether there is infection. Everything shared is handled without judgement and in confidence; not knowing exactly what was injected does not prevent assessment.

• History: What the substance was, when, how many times and how much was injected, by whom, and when the symptoms began are asked about, along with any complaints relating to erection, intercourse or passing urine.
• Physical examination: The location and extent of the hard areas, the skin, any wounds or discharge, and the scrotum and groin are assessed.
• Imaging: Ultrasound shows the spread; if it is extensive or deep, or for surgical planning, MRI may be requested.
• Signs of infection: If redness, fever, discharge or an abscess is suspected, blood tests are done and a sample of any discharge may be taken.

What is the treatment approach?

The key point is that the injected substance cannot be dissolved with medication. Antibiotics may be needed for an accompanying infection, but they do not remove the substance or the hard tissue formed around it. So where the condition causes symptoms or is progressing, treatment is largely surgical and planned individually:

• Controlling infection: Any active infection or abscess is treated first.
• Surgical removal: The affected tissue and the substance within it are removed; as any substance left behind can keep the reaction going, removal aims to be as complete as possible.
• Skin reconstruction: If enough healthy skin remains, the wound can be closed directly; if skin has been lost, the penis is covered with a skin flap from the scrotum or a skin graft from another part of the body.
• Single-stage or staged surgery: Depending on the spread and skin condition, this may be done in one operation or several stages.

The aim is to preserve the function and appearance of the penis as far as possible; the outcome, however, depends on the amount of substance, its spread and the degree of tissue damage. The appearance may not always return to how it was before the injection; changes in sensation or scarring may remain. Healing takes weeks and calls for patience; dressings, follow-up visits and a return to sexual activity are planned with the doctor. Seeking help early may allow surgery to be kept simpler while the affected area is still limited.

When should you see a doctor?

A urology and andrology assessment is advised in the following situations:

• Petroleum jelly, oil, silicone or an unknown substance has been injected into the penis, even without symptoms
• Hard lumps, deformity or increasing firmness on the shaft or in the scrotum; thinning or colour change of the skin
• Redness, fever, discharge, an abscess or a skin wound; in these cases help should be sought without delay
• Pain during intercourse or a negative effect on erections
• The foreskin cannot be pulled back, or there is difficulty passing urine

Petroleum jelly, paraffin, oils and liquid silicone injected into the penis cannot be cleared from the body; the reaction that develops around them can lead to hard lumps, deformity, skin damage and infection. The substance does not disappear with medication or with waiting; rather than delaying out of embarrassment, early assessment can help keep treatment simpler. Assoc. Prof. Zülfü Sertkaya practises in urology and andrology in Istanbul; assessment and treatment planning for problems caused by non-medical substances injected into the penis are carried out with individual assessment and confidentiality.

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