Fibrosis is a term many people are familiar with but don’t really know much about or understand. Most people know that it’s often associated with the liver and too much alcohol (on a long-term basis), but few men would think it could have any connection with penis health at all. Surprisingly, however, fibrosis can be an issue in the penis.

What is fibrosis?

This makes sense if one has a better understanding of just what fibrosis is. According to Wikipedia, fibrosis is "the formation of excess fibrous connective tissue in an organ or tissue in a reparative or reactive process." Connective tissue is one of the four basic types of tissue found in animals. As the name implies, it’s there to connect different tissues together. Fibrous connective tissue is therefore a good thing - but excess fibrous connective tissue is not.

Most people are already familiar with fibrous tissue without knowing it. When a person gets a scar, that’s due to fibrous tissue. A scar that helps a wound to heal is good - but too much fibrous tissue in an organ may not be good. To use the liver example, when fibrosis sets in, all that scarring keeps the liver from doing its job properly, and that can lead to all sorts of problems.

Penile fibrosis

Some men may already be familiar with fibrosis in the penis without realizing it. Peyronie’s disease, a condition is which the penis is severely bent, is most often caused by a build-up of scar tissue - by fibrosis, in other words.

But fibrosis may be present in other parts of the genitals than just the shaft of the penis. And some doctors believe that fibrosis may in some cases play a role in erectile dysfunction.

In the erectile process, the smooth muscles have to be in good working order. When they are damaged, the penis’ ability to obtain or maintain an erection can be significantly curtailed. (There can be other factors which contribute to erectile dysfunction as well.) Damage to the smooth muscles often comes about as a result of insufficient oxygen flow, which tends to naturally occur in most men as a consequence of aging. That’s one reason an older man may have a more difficult time with erections than a younger one. This decrease in the amount of oxygen over time causes fibrosis to appear on the smooth muscles, inhibiting their ability to function properly and thereby inhibiting the erection.

Treatment

When fibrosis results in Peyronie’s disease, there are numerous treatment modalities a man can try, including oral medications and surgery. There is a varying degree of success with any of these methods.

Penile fibrosis related to the smooth muscles or fibrotic damage to other nearby areas of the penis is less advanced, with many treatments in early stages. Use of penile prostheses or surgery to remove fibrosis and reconstruct the damaged area is sometimes used. Studies are looking at the use of specific products in animal models which may one day provide a less invasive alternative for humans.

Preventing penile fibrosis by maintaining overall good health is urged. It also pays to pay specific attention to penis health, and daily use of a superior penis health crème (health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin) helps maintain that organ’s health. Seek out a good crème that contains both L-arginine and L-carnitine. L-arginine is an amino acid that helps produce nitric oxide, an ingredient needed for helping penile blood vessels stay open and receptive to oxygen-rich blood. L-carnitine is a neuroprotective ingredient with an affinity for helping restore diminished sensation in overworked penises.