Is a Curved Penis Always a Sign of Peyronie's Disease?

Men who have had a slight curvature of the penis their entire lives don’t have Peyronie’s disease. Peyronie’s disease develops over the years or may seem to appear overnight.

Impacting 10 percent of men, primarily those over age 40, it causes an abnormal curvature of the penis during an erection and is related to flattened plaques of tough fibrous scar tissue that form just under the skin. Usually, these plaques occur on the top of the penis but can also develop at the bottom or sides of the shaft.

If you think you may have Peyronie’s disease, don’t hesitate to seek help from the experts at Gulf Coast Urology, led by board-certified urologists John Bertini, MD, FACS, James Harris MD , and fellowship trained urologist, Travis Green, MD.

Peyronie’s disease may be embarrassing to discuss, but the team at Gulf Coast Urology is highly experienced in diagnosing and treating this condition. Read on for an overview.

What does Peyronie's disease look like?

Depending on the location of the scar tissue, your penis may bend upward, downward, or off to one side while erect.

Plaques encircle the penis shaft and can cause indentation at the scar site, resulting in an hourglass or bottleneck shape during an erection. Peyronie’s can also cause soft erections or a visible shortening of the penis.

What causes Peyronie’s?

Scar tissue associated with Peyronie’s is believed to result from injury to the penis that occurs with rough or vigorous sexual activity, an injury sustained during certain sports, or other trauma to the penis.

You may not recall a specific incident that caused an injury. The condition may build up over time. Researchers do not entirely understand why certain men develop Peyronie’s, and others don’t.

However, some factors can increase the risk. These are:

• Family history of Peyronie’s
• History of plantar fasciitis, scleroderma, or other connective tissue disorder
• Elevated blood sugar (diabetes or prediabetes)
• Smoking or other tobacco use
• Personal history of an autoimmune disease such as lupus

Peyronie’s does not impact fertility but can cause erectile dysfunction, resulting from decreased blood flow to the penis. A significant curvature can also make erections painful.

Is Peyronie’s treatable?

Our urologists develop individualized treatment plans based on the results of each patient’s evaluation and level of discomfort.

Small plaques may not require treatment. Moderate symptoms may be remedied with injections or shockwave therapy to help break up the scar tissue.

Minimally invasive surgery may be recommended for severe curvatures that cause severe pain. Like most medical conditions, the earlier you seek help, the more easily treatable.

Schedule an evaluation with Gulf Coast Urology today for a thorough evaluation and treatment plan for Peyronie’s disease, contact one of our locations in Clear Lake or Houston, Texas, to set up an appointment.