Penis Pumps
According to Dr Joel Kaplan, the developer of an FDA approved penis pump and a well known authority on their medical uses, penis pumps in one form or another have been used for many centuries in an attempt to increase penis size. Whether this is the case or not, their widespread marketing is far more recent and can be traced back to small scale origins in the early 1970's. Within the last few years, several innovations have been made in design and good quality pumps are now far more sophisticated and durable than their earlier counterparts.

The principle of pumping is to increase the volume of blood held within the erect penis through the application of a vacuum. This involves placing the penis within a transparent acrylic cylinder fitted with an airtight seal at the base. Through the use of either a hand or electric pump attached to the cylinder, the air is then drawn out creating a partial vacuum around the penis. This vacuum forces a higher volume of blood into the penis than would naturally occur and results in immediate gains in both length and girth. The theory goes that if pumping is performed regularly over several months i.e. three to five times a week for between twenty minutes to an hour each session, the tissue within the penis will adapt over time and will be capable of naturally accommodating larger volumes of blood. The suspensory ligaments that attach the penis to the pubic bone will also be encouraged to stretch and lengthen, resulting in permanent increases in penis size.


The Effects of Regular Pumping:
Although temporary increases in size are certainly achieved, it is debatable as to whether regular pumping results in permanent gains. There are pumping veterans who claim that they have permanently gained between one and two inches in length and over two inches in girth. However, many long term users state that if pumping is not performed for a few days, the penis rapidly reverts back to its original size. What does seem clear is that for up to several hours after a session, the penis is larger than it would otherwise be, although the results diminish rather quickly.

In one sense however, permanent gains are made. After several months or years of regular pumping, the penis can be temporarily enlarged to a far greater degree than can be achieved after only a few weeks of use. In fact, some men who have regularly pumped for several years report that during a prolonged session they can temporarily increase their penis length by fifty percent and girth by as much as one hundred percent. Of course these levels of gains are only fully maintained whilst the penis is actually still in the cylinder and then diminish over a period of a few hours. Interestingly however, even if regular pumping is then stopped for a period of time, many long term users also state that these types of increases can be easily regained when regular sessions are resumed.

Apart from temporarily enlarging the penis, the use of a penis pump can have other benefits. Men who suffer from weak erections or impotence can use pumps to obtain a full erection. Once an erection is achieved, the penis is removed from the cylinder and the blood is prevented from escaping by placing a constriction band around the base of the penis. Another known beneficial side effect of pumping is that the pressure of the vacuum temporarily reduces penile sensitivity and delays ejaculatory response. This can therefore, be helpful for men suffering from premature ejaculation. Finally, over a period of several months, regular pumping also promotes the growth of new skin on the shaft of the penis and those who have been circumcised often start to develop a foreskin.


Safety Concerns:
If pumping is performed correctly and not to vigorously then the activity is moderately safe. Problems in general arise when the penis is over pumped in an attempt to increase size as quickly as possible. Men who pump too frequently, for extended periods of time or apply more vacuum pressure than they are adapted to, run the risk of rupturing capillaries and blood vessels. This can result in large bruises appearing on the penile shaft or red spots developing on the head of the penis; both of which can take quite a while to fully heal. Potentially, excessive pumping and pressure can lead to severe internal haemorrhaging.

More frequent and far less serious symptoms of over pumping include water blisters and minor discoloration to the skin. Another common indicator of over pumping is a general decline in erection frequency and rigidity. Experienced pumpers say that they have much firmer, more frequent and longer lasting erections than men who don't pump. However, over pumping commonly results in fewer erections that are far softer than normal and difficult to maintain for any length of time.


Avoiding Injury:
In practice however, over pumping the penis can be easily avoided if a few simple precautions are followed and general care is taken. Most importantly, it's essential to keep a careful eye on the level of vacuum used and to avoid pumping for excessive periods of time. Initially, only low levels of pressure should be applied and the effects closely monitored. The penis should only ever be pumped to a comfortable level and if at any time pain or discomfort is experienced, pressure should be reduced immediately. Should bruising or blisters develop on either the shaft or head of the penis, a clear indication that too much pressure has been applied, the session should be terminated. These minor injuries must be allowed to fully heal before pumping is resumed to prevent recurring problems and more serious injuries from developing. In order to avoid problems resulting from prolonged restricted blood circulation, it is also advisable to break a pumping session into several shorter sets of around ten to fifteen minutes each. A clear sign that you have pumped too long without a break is a general darkening of the penile skin.

During a pumping session it is also important to increase vacuum pressure slowly and gradually. Applying too much force too quickly will also cause bruising and may result in more serious injury. As the penile tissue gradually expands throughout the session, the penis will be able to accommodate increased volumes of blood and more pressure can be steadily applied. Again, any discomfort or pain is a sign that the pressure has been increased too rapidly and should therefore, be reduced immediately. Finally, it is also important to give the penis time to fully recover between sessions. Many men suggest that optimum results are achieved by performing three to four sessions per week. As with any type of exercise, over training will increase susceptibility to injury and will inhibit progress.


Summary of Benefits:
There's no doubt careful, regular pumping results in quite dramatic temporary increases in penis size. Once the penis has become accustomed to pumping over the course of several weeks, sizeable increases of around twenty five percent in length and fifty percent in girth are achievable in many cases. With continued regular pumping, these increases become more and more pronounced over the following months and years. Long term pumping may even promote permanent gains, although this is highly debatable. At the very least however, following a sensible routine will result in firmer, more frequent and longer lasting erections.


Pump Quality:
To achieve the most benefit from your efforts, it's important to only use a durable pump, capable of maintaining an airtight vacuum. The pump cylinder must be able to maintain an airtight seal with the body and must also have a high quality air valve that prevents any loss of pressure when the cylinder is disconnected from the pump. Lesser quality inexpensive pumps do not effectively maintain these seals and pressure within the cylinder is easily lost. Another important consideration is the ability of the cylinder to withstand the pressure of the vacuum. A cylinder made from high quality materials will maintain its rigidity when the necessary levels of vacuum are applied. In contrast, lower quality cylinders often lack the durability to withstand these pressures and will often begin to collapse inwards when exposed to the pressures of a sustained vacuum.

It is also advisable to only use a pump that incorporates an accurate and reliable pressure gauge. This enables you to precisely apply a safe and effective level of vacuum and removes any uncertainty or the need for guesswork. This is particularly helpful for men new to pumping who might find it difficult to accurately gauge the correct amount of pressure to use through feel alone. This again, reduces the risk of over pumping and injury.

If you're considering purchasing a pump, I would suggest taking a look at the pumps offered by Dr Joel Kaplan. All the pumps offered incorporate an accurate pressure gauge and are generally considered to be of extremely high quality. Prices for these complete systems including both pump and cylinder range from around U.S. $200 for a manually operated hand pump to almost $600 for the top of the line electric pump. However, savings on these prices can be made by purchasing through an independent distributor. Another high quality manual pump that retails at around $100 is the Professional Titan Enlarger Pump. This also features an accurate pressure gauge and will provide a high level of durability.


Manual and Electric Pumps:
Both hand pumps and electric pumps work under exactly the same principle, drawing air out of cylinder to create a vacuum. As the penis expands within the cylinder however, the vacuum is always partially displaced and the level of pressure begins to fall. Electric pumps compensate for this loss of pressure by automatically drawing more air out of the cylinder as the penis gradually expands. Therefore, a constant level of pressure is always maintained. With a hand pump, the pressure has to be periodically adjusted manually to maintain the constant vacuum level. However, in practice, as long as a hand pump has an accurate pressure gauge, it is possible to closely monitor the vacuum and adjust the pressure when required without much difficulty.


Cylinder Size:
The standard cylinder size supplied with most pumps is around 8.5-9 inches in length and 2 inches in diameter. This is a good starting point for the majority of men. Generally, the cylinder should be two to three inches longer than your natural erect penis length and the inside circumference of the cylinder around three quarters of an inch to an inch wider than the your erect circumference. Therefore, a standard size cylinder would be an ideal starting point for a man with an erect length of five to seven inches and an erect circumference of five and a half to six inches. The width of the cylinder is considered to be more important than the length. A cylinder that is considerably wider than your penis may make it difficult to maintain an airtight seal with the body. Although pumps such as the Professional Titan have a 'one size fits all' design, you may find it helpful to purchase a specifically sized cylinder if your penis is significantly larger or smaller than the above average. Such cylinders can be made to order by specialist manufacturers such as Dr Joel Kaplan.