{"id":140027,"date":"2026-02-20T14:53:14","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T14:53:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/140027\/"},"modified":"2026-02-20T14:53:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T14:53:14","slug":"nycs-20k-s-w-a-g-procedure-can-make-your-penis-bigger","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/140027\/","title":{"rendered":"NYC’s $20K ‘S.W.A.G.’ procedure can make your penis bigger"},"content":{"rendered":"

While many people are asleep in the deep of night, some men are searching for ways to boost their bulge.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur inquiries usually come in around 2 a.m.,\u201d Dr. David Shafer<\/a>, a Manhattan plastic surgeon, told The Post. \u201cPatients, I think, late at night are Googling, \u2018How can I increase the size of my penis?’\u201d<\/p>\n

Shafer has been giving new meaning to the phrase \u201csupersize me,\u201d pumping private parts full of filler at his Fifth Avenue clinic<\/a> to enhance their width and girth.<\/p>\n

A Botox ace, Shafer pivoted about eight years ago when a patient asked if he could have filler injected into his penis.<\/p>\n

Dr. David Shafer developed the penis-enhancing \u201cS.W.A.G.\u201d procedure about eight years ago. Courtesy of Dr. David Shafer<\/p>\n

\u201cA light went off in my head, and I said, \u2018Well, you know what? We could \u2014 if you want to be the guinea pig,’\u201d Shafer recalled.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe put a couple of syringes [in], and then he called me about a week later. He said, \u2018Dr. Shafer, this is amazing, but we need to put a lot more in.\u2019 And so that was the start of, like, a long journey.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s how \u201cS.W.A.G.\u201d \u2014 Shafer Width And Girth \u2014 was born. Shafer charges $10,000 to $20,000 a pop, with maintenance injections costing about half that.<\/p>\n

More than 8,000 procedures later, padded packages are on the rise, despite potential risks and a reputation rooted in locker-room whispers and late-night internet searches.<\/p>\n

Sizing up below the belt<\/p>\n

S.W.A.G. takes about half an hour \u2014 10 minutes for the numbing to take hold and 10 to 20 minutes for the filler to be injected underneath the skin of the penis.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe put local anesthesia right at the base of the penis,\u201d Shafer explained. \u201cIt\u2019s similar to when you\u2019re at the dentist and you get a shot in your gums, and then your teeth go numb.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hyaluronic acid filler is injected underneath the skin of the penis, a process that typically takes 10 to 20 minutes. Andrii Zastrozhnov \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n

The filler is made of hyaluronic acid, a sticky substance naturally produced by the body. In the lab, hyaluronic acid is engineered to be stiffer.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe use the stiffest form of the hyaluronic acid for this filler,\u201d Shafer explained. \u201cIt\u2019s the one that\u2019s FDA-approved for jawline augmentation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI found that nobody\u2019s ever satisfied with what they have, or most people aren\u2019t, and they always just want a little oomph to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. David Shafer<\/p>\n

The primary effect is amplified girth, Shafer said, but because the constant weight of the filler stretches the skin, patients tend to also see an increase in flaccid length.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe other change that can occur over time is people who are more of a \u2018grower\u2019 tend to be more of a \u2018shower\u2019 because the weight of the filler holds the penis more in an \u2018out\u2019 position, and so they get less of that \u2018shrinkage\u2019 when it\u2019s cold,\u201d Shafer said.<\/p>\n

The filler doesn\u2019t last forever \u2014 typically only two years. Shafer said it needs to be \u201ctopped off\u201d with about a third to a half of what was injected in the initial treatment.<\/p>\n

Exact costs for the first treatment and subsequent ones depend on the amount of volume needed.<\/p>\n

Joining the members only club<\/p>\n

Initial size sort of matters if you\u2019re interested in S.W.A.G.<\/p>\n

Shafer said he sees a range, from small to average and above average.<\/p>\n

\u201cI found that nobody\u2019s ever satisfied with what they have, or most people aren\u2019t, and they always just want a little oomph to it,\u201d Shafer shared.<\/p>\n

\u201cPart of my job is to make sure that what we\u2019re doing is safe and realistic and not going beyond the bounds of what would be dangerous for a patient, and then also helping them keep touch with reality.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shafer sees patients whose privates range in size from small to above average. Those with a micropenis need not apply. iStockphoto<\/p>\n

One patient, who would only identify himself as a 38-year-old airport worker, said he was \u201caverage\u201d when he first saw Shafer in 2023.<\/p>\n

He said his manhood grew two to three times thicker, and his self-image grew immensely.<\/p>\n

\u201cI felt a little bit more confident in talking to people,\u201d the New Yorker told The Post. \u201cThe last thing you ever want to feel in the back of your head is that you\u2019re, like, inadequate. And I felt like it helped a lot with that.\u201d<\/p>\n

The pain only lasted three days, and now he visits Shafer\u2019s office about every six months for maintenance.<\/p>\n

Men who are not good candidates for this procedure? Those with a micropenis<\/a>, which is an unusually small penis. Shafer pointed out that you need somewhere to put the filler.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s kind of like if you don\u2019t have a very big canvas for your painting, you can\u2019t make a big painting,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Cushion for the pushin\u2019<\/p>\n

After the procedure comes the, uh, fun part. Patients are advised to mold the filler in their penis in the days post-injection.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn example I give is like when you\u2019re making a pizza, and you push the dough, and the dough keeps wanting to come back to the center,\u201d Shafer explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe filler has a cohesive property to it, and so you keep wanting to spread that filler while it\u2019s settling in, so that it\u2019ll stay smooth. That first week is the most important.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shafer said he\u2019s performed over 8,000 S.W.A.G. procedures. The Shafer Clinic is located on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. Courtesy of Dr. David Shafer<\/p>\n

During that time, patients are advised not to have penetrative sex so as not to push the filler toward the base.<\/p>\n

Shifting of the product can lead to contour abnormalities, which Shafer said is the No. 1 risk of any filler.<\/p>\n

These abnormalities can manifest as lumps, bumps, asymmetry and visible deformation. <\/p>\n

\u201c[Molding it] is like when you\u2019re making a pizza, and you push the dough, and the dough keeps wanting to come back to the center.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. David Shafer<\/p>\n

\u201cContour issues generally aren\u2019t a big deal because they\u2019re treatable,\u201d Shafer said. \u201cThere is an enzyme [that] can work specifically on hyaluronic acid fillers [to] help melt it or soften it.\u201d<\/p>\n

There could also be minor swelling, tenderness at the injection site and some bruising.<\/p>\n

A 48-year-old Long Islander, who declined to give his name to The Post, said he only experienced mild soreness, \u201cbarely any swelling\u201d and almost no bruising when he visited Shafer about five years ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe worst part for most people, including me, is simply taking that first step because our imaginations can make it seem much more intimidating than it really is,\u201d said the finance worker, who dropped about $18,000 for the initial treatment and $5,000 for maintenance sessions, which happen every six to 12 months.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a huge confidence boost and has changed how I carry myself and in that satisfying sense of having something more substantial,\u201d he added. \u201cThe added weight and girth create a presence I didn\u2019t fully expect but really value.\u201d<\/p>\n

What to know before you grow<\/p>\n

In his practice, Shafer has followed 20 patients over two years to track results. He said they reported very high satisfaction \u2014 including with sex \u2014 and very few complications.<\/p>\n

Beyond the S.W.A.G. procedure, the Shafer Clinic also offers penis fat grafting and priapus shots to enhance male sexual function. Courtesy of Dr. David Shafer<\/p>\n

Still, there is the possibility of phallus fiascos.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are kind of dreaded complications that can happen with fillers, and not just specifically for the penis, but anywhere in the body where you could have vascular occlusion, and that\u2019s where the filler can block the blood flow to the area,\u201d Shafer said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd that\u2019s why it\u2019s very important to have an experienced injector and to have that enzyme, which can melt the filler, on hand.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also crucial to use high-quality products and undergo the procedure in sterile conditions, he added.<\/p>\n

Looking ahead, Shafer praised the science behind hyaluronic acid plastic biostimulators, which are designed to stimulate the body to grow its own tissue to support, firm and tighten the injection site.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we\u2019re going to get much more long-lasting and natural results when these come out, which will be a nice improvement,\u201d Shafer said.<\/p>\n

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