The Booming Business of Penis Enlargement

The 2026 Winter Olympics brought us Alysa Liu, the Hughes brothers, and a scandal colloquially referred to as “Penisgate.” It emerged when some ski jumpers were accused of injecting their penises with hyaluronic acid—the same substance used in lip fillers—to expand their suits’ surface area and improve their jump distance. Sounds niche, right?

Well, it’s not. While most men aren’t doing it to win Olympic gold, the penis enlargement business is booming.

In many ways, this story is part of a broader cultural landscape. Influencers in the manosphere claim to offer guidance on how men can improve themselves—from making money to using steroids to pursuing cosmetic procedures. But what many viewers—often young men—are left with is a muddled mix of health, dating, and financial advice, alongside distorted standards of beauty and masculinity. You don’t need to avidly follow figures like Sneako or Clavicular to absorb their ideas—they’ve permeated the internet.

Few symbols are as intertwined with masculinity as the penis. And as some men feel lacking, lonely, or left behind, enlargement can seem like a perfect fix, raising the question: Is it a utility-driven choice, or a way to compensate for deeper insecurities?

I sat down with Daniel Lombroso, a documentary filmmaker, who spent the past two years unraveling the world of penis enlargement for his upcoming documentary, Manhood.

“If you want to get your girth enhanced in Manhattan right now, you can do it,” he told me. “And you probably know people in your life who are doing it and who aren’t being open about it.”

Some of the customers Daniel has met include a famous megachurch pastor, a border patrol agent, a dairy farmer, a divorcé, a father of five, a gay porn star, a brain-cancer survivor, and more—all looking to enhance their manhood. His film centers on Bill Moore, a charming penis injection clinician who grew up gay, in an evangelical community, in one of the poorest counties in Alabama. Now he helps men across the country get bigger penises. But as Bill puts it: “I can fill your penis with filler, but I can’t fill the hole in your heart.”

I ask Lombroso how expectations of men have shifted, in a society where many say they feel left behind; how influencers, porn, and other social factors are making the business of penile girth enhancement boom; and ultimately, what this all means for everyday men.