Getting old as a man can be hard. As we age, certain areas of the body become more vulnerable to gravity and can take on a larger appearance. This phenomenon is often called “ligamentous stretching,” and occurs when the skin envelope is forced to accommodate the effects of gravity.
Not only can this cause the nose and ears to appear bigger as we age, but it can also prompt the scrotum to hang lower. This can be quite alarming for men – especially when sitting on the toilet or looking in the mirror and seeing the scrotum hanging lower than the flaccid penis. This imbalance can make the scrotum appear even larger and the penis even smaller, sometimes leading to discomfort and harming self-esteem.
Our plastic surgeon, Charles Perry, MD, FACS, is frequently able to address this concern with a procedure called a “scrotum lift,” also known as a “ball lift” or “scrotoplasty.” This surgery, which was designed to reduce enlarged or sagging scrotal skin, can be done under minimal sedation or general anesthesia, and usually takes about an hour. Dissolvable sutures are used and generally fall out in one to two weeks.
Recovery from scrotoplasty typically involves resting the scrotum and avoiding strenuous activities for two weeks. Most men use a compression garment to reduce swelling and speed recovery, and antibiotic ointment can be applied to the incisional line for a week following the lift.
Men can sometimes return to work within a week, and cosmesis is usually optimal in about three months.
Interested in combating ligamentous stretching with a scrotal lift? Contact Chrysalis Cosmetics today and let us know if we can answer any of your questions.
