Buried or Hidden Penis: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

Buried or Hidden Penis- Imagine you’re perfectly healthy, everything seems normal, but one day you discover that you physically have a penis, but it’s not visible from the outside. This shocks you, concerns you, and perhaps even embarrasses you. This isn’t rare; such cases are medically known as adult-acquired buried penis.

Many people think it’s simply a weight or body fat issue, but it’s actually a complex medical condition in which the penis is hidden beneath the skin. This causes not only physical discomfort, but also emotional and psychological distress.

In today’s article, we will understand in detail what this condition is, its different types, its causes, and, most importantly, how its treatment and recovery are possible.

What is Adult Acquired Buried Penis?

Adult-acquired buried penis is a medical condition seen in adult males. The penis is physically present but is not visible from the outside because it is hidden under the skin of the abdomen, scrotum, or thighs.

Categories of Buried or Hidden Penis

According to recent medical studies, shrinkage in the adult penis is divided into two main categories: a shrunken penis and a flaccid penis.

In a flaccid penis, the penis is hidden within abdominal tissue. This condition is caused by obesity, aging, or excess fat accumulation, and the penis may appear small or almost invisible from the outside.

Penile entrapment is a different condition. It often occurs after surgery, injury, or circumcision, when scar tissue develops and the penis becomes stuck. Treatment for both types of penile entrapment is also different.

Causes of Buried or Hidden Penis

Now, let’s discuss how this problem occurs. There are a few different reasons behind it.

The main reason is surgery. If someone has previously undergone surgery on the penis or testicles, there may be scar tissue at the site. This scar tissue can sometimes cover the penis so much that it’s not visible.

Second, it’s caused by morbid obesity. This means that when a man is overweight, with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher, fat accumulates in the mons pubis area and covers the penis, making it invisible.

In addition, our bodies have a lymphatic system that carries fluid from the lower body to the heart. Sometimes this system malfunctions, causing swelling in the lower body. In such cases, the scrotum can swell so much that the penis is completely hidden beneath it.

Common Symptoms of Buried or Hidden Penis

Now let’s discuss its symptoms. The first symptom is difficulty urinating. Sometimes, urine leaks everywhere, making it very difficult to maintain hygiene. Another problem is that sometimes the bladder doesn’t empty. This happens when the penis becomes trapped behind scar tissue, obstructing urine flow.

Personal hygiene becomes difficult. Moisture and dirt accumulate in the folds of skin, which can lead to repeated infections. Some men experience pain during erections, and sometimes even without erections, especially those who have previously had penile surgery where scar tissue has formed.

And most importantly, all of these physical problems also affect mental health. People with these conditions may experience problems like depression, anxiety, and social isolation because they feel shame or guilt about their condition.

Why Weight Loss Doesn’t Help

Many times, when people go to a doctor or urologist, they’re simply told, “Just lose weight, everything will be fine.” But this isn’t true. Losing weight alone isn’t the solution.

The reason is that over time, moisture and urine accumulate in the skin and tissues covering the penis. This constant moisture damages the area, causing scar tissue to form, which becomes hard and stiff. So, even if you lose weight and your skin tightens, you still won’t feel comfortable.

Secondly, when we lose weight, fat isn’t reduced from all parts of the body. Losing belly fat doesn’t mean the fat above the mons pubis will also disappear. This area is very difficult to target, so losing weight alone won’t solve the problem of a flaccid penis.

Treatment Options for Buried or Hidden Penis

In most cases, there is only one effective solution, and that is surgery. The type of surgery depends on your specific case. In some people, fatty tissue deposited on the penis needs to be removed to make the penis visible again.

In some cases, excess tissue may also need to be removed from the scrotum or abdomen. After that, the penis is reconstructed. If your skin is diseased or damaged, we may use a skin graft, which means that skin from another healthy part of the body is transplanted onto the penis.

This surgery is often performed jointly by urologists and plastic surgeons to achieve both cosmetic and functional results. After surgery, the patient will need to be on bed rest in the hospital for a few days, usually 3 to 5 days, to allow the skin graft to establish and heal properly.

Post-Surgery for Buried or Hidden Penis

According to studies, patients have seen significant improvement after surgery for adult acquired submerged penis.

Research shows that 41% to 91% have seen a significant improvement in sexual function after surgery. This means that most patients have noticed positive changes in their sex life and increased self-confidence.

Not only has sexual function seen a significant improvement, but urinary function has also seen a significant improvement. Approximately 88% to 91% of patients reported that urination became easier after surgery.

Overall patient satisfaction is also reported to be quite high, with approximately 83% to 96% of patients satisfied with the outcome of their surgery. However, research suggests that the actual range for improved hygiene is between 90% and 95%, which still represents a very strong outcome.

In some cases, complications may occur after surgery, such as infection or sometimes requiring a second surgery. These rates are reported to be around 20%. However, overall, surgery improves quality of life, especially mental health, physical comfort, and self-esteem.

Some Additional Doubts

Question: How will you diagnose a buried penis?
Answer: A healthcare professional goes through your physical examination by assessing fat distribution, skin condition, and scarring.

Question: How do I make myself comfortable if I have a buried penis?
Answer: To prevent infection, maintain proper hygiene, and keep the area dry.

Question: What’s the recovery time?
Answer: You may recover within 4 to 6 weeks. However, proper recovery will take several months

Question: When can I expect to see the results from your recommended treatment?
Answer: You will definitely see functional improvement when healing begins.

Question: Can you recommend a counselor or dietitian?
Answer: Yes, sometimes, a specialist in sexual health, mental health, and weight management may be part of your treatment.

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Buried or Hidden Penis: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

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