Dr Stéphane AuroyMedical penoplasty · Paris
Dr Stéphane AuroyMedical penoplasty · Paris
Beyond the technique, there are men, expectations, apprehensions. Here Dr Auroy shares what he observes across consultations — the feelings commonly expressed, the questions left unsaid, the human course of the process.
A word first. Medical penoplasty touches on the intimate, and it is not an easy subject to speak about. Rather than reporting patients' words — which medical ethics do not permit — I have chosen to describe myself, as a practitioner, what I most often observe. Neither a promise nor a performance: simply the experience of a practice.
— Dr Stéphane Auroy
What most often brings men to consult, and the state of mind in which they arrive.
The request that comes up most often is not the one people imagine. It is rarely a matter of size as such, but a wish to feel more at ease — with oneself, in intimacy, sometimes simply in how one views one's own body. Greater girth when flaccid, and comfort in underwear, are far more common reasons than a pursuit of centimetres.
With a great deal of reticence, almost always. The subject is intimate, and sometimes surrounded by unwarranted shame. Much of my role, in the first few minutes, is to create a setting in which it can be spoken about without embarrassment. Once that point is passed, the discussion becomes straightforward and direct: it is a medical procedure like any other.
No, and that is what strikes me most. The men who consult are of every age, every background, every build. What they have in common is not physical: it is a wish to feel better about themselves, considered, and often thought through long before the first consultation.
What I set out to convey throughout the process, and what really matters in the result.
Learning that they will not be going into an operating theatre. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis, in stages. Product can be added, but it can also be removed: that reversibility is very reassuring. The last thing that reassures is candour: when I explain what is possible and what is not, trust follows.
Relief, often. Relief at having taken a step long put off, and at finding the process far simpler and more discreet than anticipated. Physically, recovery is mild and comparable to a hyaluronic acid injection in the face. Psychologically, what usually emerges is renewed confidence.
Restraint. A good result is never a spectacular one: it is a natural, proportionate result, one you forget about. My aim is not to impress, but for the patient to feel comfortable, with nothing appearing artificial. That is the whole point of a measured approach, at the opposite end from passing trends.
Yes, and it is an essential part of my practice. When an expectation strikes me as unrealistic, or reflects a difficulty the procedure would not resolve, I say so. Knowing when to turn a request down, because it does not fall within this approach, is part of good care. That, I believe, is what marks out responsible medicine.
Nothing replaces a direct conversation. Dr Auroy sees patients in consultation, in complete confidence.
Please call the practice directly: 01 46 33 99 52