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Miami may be a lot of things — the gold digger capital of the U.S., a haven for OnlyFans models — but does our humble city also have a higher concentration of penile implants than other places?
It certainly seems that way to a local neurologist who recently went viral for posting a TikTok claiming that, after moving to Miami one year ago, he now sees a patient a day who cannot get an MRI because they have a penile implant.
“Every single day, a patient cannot get an MRI because they have a penile implant,” he says in the video. “Someone has a penile implant every day! What are you guys doing out here?”
Could this be true? Is Miami really flush with penile implants? What exactly are penile implants? New Times felt compelled to ask the hard questions.
What is a penile implant?
Many commentators on the viral TikTok poked fun at penile implants competing with Miami BBLs and breast augmentations, assuming (incorrectly) that the urological procedure is a cosmetic surgery. “Miami sounds like it’s not for the weak,” one person wrote, with another adding: “everybody got something fake out there.” Still another commented, “How much extra does it add? I’m asking for me.”
But local urologist and men’s health specialist, Dr. Justin Dubin, tells New Times that the purpose of penile implants is to treat erectile dysfunction — the inability to achieve or maintain an erection — a sexual health problem that affects up to 30 percent of men between the ages of 40 and 70.
“It’s truly a functional device,” says Dr. Dubin. “We cannot make you bigger. We can only give you what you’ve got.”
The procedure involves placing a pump and reservoir inside the patient’s body that can then be used to inflate and deflate the penis. For some men with erectile dysfunction, the surgery may potentially help restore penile length that has been lost due to atrophy, but that does not mean that the surgery will add length that was never there.
Erectile dysfunction is common, but it might signal other serious health problems, like heart issues, diabetes, high blood pressure, or low testosterone. Penile implant surgery can restore a patient’s ability to have penetrative sex, which is linked to mental health benefits.
Can men with penile implants get MRIs?
In most cases, yes.
An MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, is used to create detailed images of the body’s soft tissues and internal organs, which is essential for diagnosing and monitoring many medical conditions. The only type of implants (penile or otherwise) that are incompatible with the machines are those fabricated with magnetically sensitive materials, like most metals.
According to Dr. Dubin, all modern-day penile implants are made from MRI-safe materials, such as silicone and titanium.
“I don’t think there was ever a time from me practicing or seeing implants that they weren’t MRI-safe,” he adds. “Typically, after your implant, we give you a little keychain — a card that says that the device is MRI-safe, no matter what company you use. So, any claim that these penile implants are not MRI-safe is simply not true to my knowledge.”
Dr. Dubin acknowledges that some penile implants that are more than 25 years old might contain metal parts that are incompatible with MRIs, but says those are rare to find.
What if I just want to make my penis bigger?
Medically speaking, penile implants refer to devices that treat erectile dysfunction and do not increase penis size. However, there are controversial cosmetic devices on the market that can increase the size of flaccid (not erect) phalluses, like Penuma and Himplant, which are both MRI-safe silicone sheaths that are placed subcutaneously in the penis.
Do Floridians have a higher concentration of penile implants than the rest of the country?
Maybe. According to Dr. Dubin, Florida is a center of excellence for penile implants. Men who live here have relatively easy access to the procedure, and others travel here from around the country and even internationally for the surgery.
So, what’s up with that viral TikTok?
Dr. Ashwaan Uddin, who created the viral TikTok, declined to comment for this story, but since he posted his video on September 29, it has racked up nearly 90,000 likes and 20,000 shares.
One commenter, who identified himself as a urology student, wrote he had “no idea” penile implants were not MRI-safe. “I think it’s just a few older ones we’ve found that are not,” responded Dr. Uddin, echoing Dr. Dubin’s comments to New Times.
