Peyronie's disease causes a rare sexual dysfunction that results the penis to bend during erection. The disease is characterized by the appearance of a hard, fibrous layer of scar tissue (plaque) that usually develops under the skin, on the upper or lower side of the penis. When the penis is erect, the scar tissue pulls the affected area off at an angle and prevents the normal expansion of the penis, thus causing a curvature.

Because it involves an unpleasant look of an erect penis and may impair sexual intercourse, doctors have historically classified this condition as a form of impotence, currently referred to as erectile dysfunction. The history of Peyronie's disease and its treatment is tied up with other conditions that cause erectile dysfunctions. However, it should be made clear that Peyronie's disease may or may not cause erectile dysfunction, especially in the early stages of the disease.

Sometimes Peyronie's disease improves without treatment, so your doctor may initially recommend a wait-and-see approach. Other options for treatment of Peyronie's disease involve both non-surgical and surgical approaches.

What are the causes of Peyronie's disease? What are treatments of Peyronie's if you've developed this condition? These are the questions commonly asked. The doctors are not yet one hundred percent sure about what's causing this condition in males. In the history of Peyronie's disease, there have been many attempts to understand the mechanics of its formation and possible prevention, but a definitive answer is yet to be found.

The most common causes cited by medical authorities are:
- Damage to the penile tissue or penile blood vessels. Many times the body may respond abnormally to internal tissue damage and thus it may allow the formation of excess scar tissue. Repeated damage would result in tougher scar tissue forming (fibrous tissue or calcium deposits).

- Autoimmune disorders. Some studies suggest that this condition may be an abnormal response of the immune system. This opinion is not widely shared among doctors because Peyronie's disease is in no way related with other (common) autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus.

- Collagen abnormality. Peyronie's disease may be caused by an abnormally high level of Collagen, which is the substance that builds and remodels connective tissue.

- Medications. Some drugs list Peyronie's disease as a possible side effect. Most of these drugs belong to a class of blood pressure and heart pills called beta blockers, but there are other drugs that can have this type of side effects. The ones used to treat glaucoma, multiple sclerosis and seizures come to mind. However, developing Peyronie's disease as a side effect of these drugs is rare.

Because this condition differs widely from man to man, doctors may recommend a variety of treatments. It is very likely that you will be told to do nothing and monitor the progression of the disease for up to a year, which is probably the best approach since many times the body cures itself over a period of time. If self-healing does not occur, you will be given a choice to go for a surgical or a non-surgical treatment.

The most commonly used non-surgical methods are:
- Vitamin E or Vitamin B-complex or a combination of both. This method has not been proved effective in any medical study yet.

- Intralesional injections. The doctor can inject drugs that act as collagen or calcium channel blockers, directly into the plaque. These drugs are intended to break down scar tissue deposits and return the tissue-building process to normal. The success of this method varies, but many patients report good results.

- Penis extenders or stretchers, such as SizeGenetics™, can also help straighten the penis. By forcing the tissues to return to the normal position, the curvature can be corrected in time. In addition to this, extenders may also be used to increase the length and girth of your penis, which is a very nice side effect.

The surgical methods to treat this condition can be very effective, but they can also cause permanent damage in penile tissue, so go under the knife only if everything else fails!
- Plaque excision. The plaque is surgically removed and replaced with a patch of skin from the pubic area.

- Nesbit application. Tissue on the opposite side of the penis is removed or pinched, cancelling the bending effect.

- Plaque incision with saphenous vein graft. Several linear cuts are made in the plaque, which allows straightening. The cut plaque is then covered with a grafted vein.

- Penile prosthesis. An implanted device is used to straighten and increase the rigidity of the penis.

If you want to learn how to treat Peyronie's disease, visit www.penishealth.com