There is no single cure that eliminates Peyronie’s disease entirely, but several treatments can significantly reduce curvature, relieve pain, and restore sexual function. The right approach depends on which phase of the disease you’re in and how severe your symptoms are. Some men see meaningful improvement with injections alone, while others achieve a straight or near-straight penis through surgery.
Why the Phase of Disease Matters
Peyronie’s disease moves through two distinct phases, and treatment options differ depending on which one you’re in. The active phase involves ongoing inflammation. Pain during erections is the hallmark sign, and curvature or plaque size may still be changing. This phase typically lasts anywhere from several months to about 18 months.
Once the pain resolves and the curvature stops progressing, you’ve entered the stable phase. The scar tissue (plaque) has hardened, and what you’re left with is the final shape. At this point, the main concerns shift to the degree of curvature, any penile shortening, and erectile function. Most treatments that physically correct curvature, especially surgery, are only recommended once the disease has stabilized, because operating on a still-changing condition risks poor results.
What Happens Without Treatment
A small percentage of men experience spontaneous improvement, meaning the curvature partially resolves on its own. But the majority don’t. Without intervention, most men’s curvature either stays the same or worsens. Pain from the active phase does tend to fade over time regardless of treatment, but the structural changes, the bend, the plaque, and any shortening, generally persist. Waiting and watching is reasonable during the active phase, but it’s not a reliable path to resolution.
Injection Therapy for Moderate Curvature
The most established nonsurgical treatment is a series of injections directly into the plaque. The injectable enzyme (sold as Xiaflex) works by breaking down the collagen that makes up the scar tissue. In clinical trials, patients achieved an average curvature reduction of about 23 degrees after two injections. A full course involves up to four treatment cycles spaced roughly six weeks apart, with two injections per cycle given a day or two apart.
This treatment works best for men with curvature between about 30 and 90 degrees during the stable phase. It won’t eliminate the plaque completely or guarantee a perfectly straight result, but for many men it brings the curvature into a range that no longer interferes with sex.
Cost is a real consideration. Each dose runs close to $7,000 in the U.S., plus administration fees. Hospital-based clinics sometimes charge $10,000 to $16,000 per dose. Insurance typically covers the treatment, and financial assistance programs exist for those with high deductibles or no coverage. A full course of four cycles could mean eight individual injections, so out-of-pocket costs without insurance can add up quickly.
Surgery for Stable, Severe Cases
Surgery offers the most definitive correction and is the closest thing to a “cure” in terms of physically straightening the penis. It’s reserved for men whose disease has stabilized and whose curvature is significant enough to impair function. There are two main approaches, and the choice depends largely on the degree of bend and your erectile function beforehand.
Plication (Suture-Based Straightening)
Plication works by shortening the longer side of the penis to match the curved side, pulling it straight. It’s a simpler procedure with lower complication rates, typically used when curvature is under 60 degrees. The tradeoff is some loss of erect length. The more severe the curve, the more noticeable the shortening, which is why this technique isn’t ideal for larger bends.
Grafting (Plaque Incision With Tissue Replacement)
For curvature over 60 degrees, or when the penis has already shortened from the disease, grafting is the preferred approach. The surgeon cuts into or partially removes the plaque, then patches the area with graft material. This preserves more length but carries a higher risk of erectile difficulties afterward.
Success rates for achieving a straight or near-straight penis vary by technique but are generally strong. Studies using different graft materials report complete straightening in 64% to 90% of patients. One study using lingual mucosa grafts achieved 88% straightening with only 6% of patients developing new erectile problems afterward. Other graft types show higher rates of post-surgical erectile changes, with some long-term studies reporting that up to two-thirds of grafting patients eventually needed medication or injections to maintain adequate erections. Penile shortening after grafting occurs in roughly 18% to 25% of cases, less than with plication for comparable curves.
Penile Implants for Combined Curvature and Erectile Dysfunction
When Peyronie’s disease coexists with erectile dysfunction that doesn’t respond to medication, a penile prosthesis can address both problems at once. The implant provides mechanical rigidity, and the curvature is often corrected during the same procedure, sometimes through modeling the device against the plaque, sometimes with additional grafting for complex cases.
For straightforward cases, satisfaction is high: 81% of men with Peyronie’s disease who received an implant reported satisfactory sexual intercourse, and 80% of their partners agreed. About 79% said they’d undergo the procedure again if the device failed. Results are less favorable for complex cases requiring additional plaque surgery at the time of implant. In that group, satisfaction dropped to 61%, with nearly half citing penile shortness or a soft glans as their main complaints. Only 50% of those patients said they’d do it again.
Shockwave Therapy: Pain Relief, Not Curvature Correction
Low-intensity shockwave therapy is sometimes marketed as a treatment for Peyronie’s disease, but the evidence tells a specific story. It can reduce penile pain during the active phase, and international sexual medicine guidelines support it for that purpose. For curvature and plaque size, though, the data is much weaker. Recent randomized controlled trials have shown less than 10 degrees of curvature change compared to placebo. Some researchers believe shockwave therapy may help stabilize the disease and prevent worsening, but it should not be expected to straighten the penis.
Oral Medications and Supplements
You’ll find plenty of claims about oral treatments for Peyronie’s disease, from vitamin E to various supplements. None have strong evidence supporting their ability to reduce curvature or plaque. Some are used during the active phase in an attempt to limit progression, but the American Urological Association guidelines do not endorse oral therapies as effective treatments for the structural changes of Peyronie’s disease. If someone is recommending pills as a cure, be skeptical.
The Psychological Weight of Peyronie’s Disease
The physical symptoms get most of the attention, but the emotional toll is substantial and often underappreciated. In a study of over 600 patients, nearly 58% had significant depression and 89% experienced significant anxiety. Over 93% reported being bothered by their condition. Close to 40% of the men also had erectile dysfunction, which compounds both the functional and psychological impact.
These numbers matter because they explain why many men delay seeking help, sometimes for years. The condition carries a sense of isolation that’s disproportionate to how common it actually is. If you’re struggling emotionally, that reaction is the norm, not the exception. Treatment that improves the physical symptoms tends to improve the psychological ones as well, which is a strong argument for pursuing intervention rather than suffering in silence.