What Does a Penis Pump Do?

If your first–and only–introduction to a penis pump was through Austin Powers’s ‘Swedish-made penis enlarger,’ you’re not alone. Penis pumps (also known as vacuum erection devices, or VEDs for short) have endured quite the reputation as a gag or joke, but they’re actually an incredibly useful, non-invasive ED treatment. In fact, more than 90% of men experience a functional erection with adequate VED therapy. Take it from us: this sort of thing is our bag, baby (Austin Powers reference). Keep reading to understand how these devices work, if they're right for you, and how to use them.

TL;DR: Penis Pump Crash Course

• Penis pumps use suction to create an erection by drawing blood into the penis.
• Penis pumps can be used for erection rehabilitation or for sexual intercourse–with the addition of a constriction ring. They do not enlarge the penis.
• If you have difficulty achieving a daily erection, using a penis pump for erection training may be a useful course of ED treatment.
• Penis pumps can be used as an isolated therapy or in conjunction with other types of ED treatments–including ED pills and holistic ED treatment options.

About Penis Pumps

Penis pumps have been around for a while–with one of the first references dating back to 1874. These devices work by applying negative pressure (i.e. suction) to the penis. This pressure causes the penis to expand, widens the arteries, and expands the penile tissue resulting in an erection. Unlike a ‘naturally’ occurring erection, which stems from the complex interplay of neural networks, unobstructed blood vessels, and the release of hormones, a VED-derived erection is the result of a mixture of deoxygenated and oxygenated blood. As a result of this, some people have reported that VED-derived erections look and feel slightly different than what they’re used to.

A modern vacuum erection device system kit contains three parts: a vacuum cylinder, constriction rings, and a vacuum pump operated either by hand or by battery. They can be used in two ways: for sexual intercourse or for erection rehabilitation/erection training. The only difference between the two is that a constriction ring is placed around the penis to sustain the erection for sexual intercourse, whereas with erection training the constriction ring is not used. The Regimen program focuses on using the VED for erection training rather than for sexual intercourse. When is a VED the right course of treatment?

One of the most important measurements of your erectile health is whether or not you can get one firm erection per day. A daily erection ensures that the two chambers in the penis that fill up with blood during an erection have a sustained flow of oxygen and nutrients. This maintains an erection-friendly proportion of smooth-muscle in the penis (50-55%). Without a daily erection, the body replaces this smooth muscle with collagen and the ability to achieve an erection steadily decreases. The good news is that it doesn’t matter how you achieve this daily erection–whether it be through masturbation, sex, morning wood, or with a vacuum erection device, they all work to keep the penis in shape.

If you have trouble achieving a daily erection or if your natural erections are not firm enough, a vacuum pump could be the right fit for you. When used daily for three to six months, VED therapy can strengthen the internal plumbing of your penis in the same way as any other type of erection. This increases your chances of eventually regaining the rigidity needed for intercourse. VEDs can be used in isolation or in combination with other ED treatment options including symptomatic supports such as ED pills and/or as part of a holistic ED treatment plan. VEDs have been shown to be effective for those experiencing veno-occlusive ED, severe ED, diabetic ED, and particularly effective for those rehabilitating from a radical prostatectomy. Studies also show that vacuum therapy can significantly improve erectile function for cases of ED that did not respond to pharmaceutical intervention.

Using a Penis Pump

To ensure you have the best penis pump for ed, make sure you have a medical-grade vacuum erection device.

Now that you’re familiar with the ins and outs of the penis pump, let’s get into how to use one. We recommend training with a VED for 10-15 minutes each day. Please note that while the VED may feel strange at first, it should not cause you any pain or discomfort. If you experience any negative side effects, stop using the device immediately and consult a medical professional.

1. Place the shaft of the penis inside the vacuum erection device chamber taking care not to include testicles or scrotum. Lubricant can be used on the head of the penis and the ring of the vacuum chamber to increase both vacuum seal and personal comfort.
2. Activate the VED to create an erection. It’s better to produce a smaller erection than one that is 100% rigid as bruising may occur if the vacuum is too tight.
3. Sustain the erection for 1-2 minutes by holding the vacuum chamber of the VED in place. Remember, because the VED is being used for erection training and not intercourse a constriction ring should not be in place during this exercise.
4. Release the vacuum and let the penis rest in a flaccid state for 1-2 minutes. Stand up and rotate the pelvis a few times to bring fresh blood to the pelvic blood vessels.

Repeat these three steps 3-5 more times.

Your Health is in Your Hands

Just because you aren’t able to achieve daily erections naturally doesn’t mean that a deteriorating erection is inevitable or that you’ll never be able to regain control over your erection. Vacuum training quite literally puts the power back into your hands and with proper use and adequate training, you can rehabilitate your erectile function with lasting results.