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Whether you’ve seen an ad for them on a porn site, or have heard of a friend using one for medical reasons, you’re probably curious as to what the hype is around penis pumps. In fact, it’s become a little more mainstream in the past two decades thanks to multiple companies creating both air and water penis pumps that many men are continuing to buy. We also have had a fair share of websites, forums, and YouTube personas in the past decade who have gone down a rabbit hole of exploring both the benefits and the drawbacks of using them.
This is something we’ll go over today because it’s more nuanced than you think and there are multiple archetypes of men who use them including us and again, for various reasons.
So, which type of guy or “penis pumper” are you? Let's find out...
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and should not replace professional medical or mental health advice. Consult a qualified healthcare provider or therapist for personalized advice regarding sexual health, injuries, and well-being.
What Are Penis Pumps?
Now before we dive into the archetypes, let’s talk about what a penis pump is.
Often called VED (vacuum erection devices), penile rigidity pumps, hydro pumps, or dick pumps, they go way back and have been primarily used as a medical treatment therapy for erectile dysfunction.
What the pump does (depending on the model, make, and type) is that it creates negative pressure inside the pump that induces an erection. By allowing blood to flow into the penis, with the help of either a pressure gauge, handball pump to create the pressure, etc. it has helped a plethora of men with erectile dysfunction be able to improve blood flow to the penile tissues and to maintain an erection for sex.
Scientifically: the way penis pumps work is through the use of negative pressure in the cylinder in order to increase blood flow to the penis by distending the corporeal sinusoids. This negative pressure induces arterial INFLOW to the sinusoidal spaces, which aids oxygenation of the corpora
From traditional air pumps and battery-operated pumps to water pumps and everything else in between, there are multiple types of penis pumps on the market. Some have pressure gauges while others are controlled pressures by the design of the pump.
Depending on what you choose is going to be based on price, convenience, experience, or whatever biases that you may come across on the internet. But a penis pump in general may be a good tool in your arsenal for your sexual health and other reasons we’ll explore together.
Let’s go through them and the different types of guys who use them.
Archetype #1 - The Guy Who Uses A Penis Pump To Help Treat His Erectile Dysfunction
Again, we mentioned this earlier, penis pumps were originally designed to help engorge the blood vessels in the penis, which can result in an erection. Oftentimes a guy who has to use a penis pump is most likely treating a vasculogenic erectile dysfunction issue or a lack of blood flow to the penis. Sometimes, the guy in question may also be on other treatments for ED as a part of their plan to manage it.
If you’ve read my other blogs you would know that there is no definitive "cure" for ED because of its complexity (there’s more than one type). You can only "treat" and manage it, which if you think about it, makes the most logical sense because we are not getting any younger and the processes involved in the erection process progressively become impaired due to poor health and lifestyle choices. I digress…
Usually, pumping in conjunction with taking Viagra or Cialis will complement its effects or help make them work better for the user. Other times, men will use penis pumps because of a medical procedure, such as prostate cancer removal (prostatectomy).
Oftentimes, men who undergo this type of surgery will have less erectile function because the surgeon had to remove some of the nerves in the affected area. This is usually because the doctor has your best interest at heart (to save your life) and at the cost of a few or more nerves (that unfortunately help contribute to your erections).
The problem with the loss of nerves or damaged nerves is that it could lead to a lack of erections because the nerve supply is no longer intact for one's “normal” erection process. A lack of erections will then lead to poor oxygenation of the corporal bodies of the penis, eventually progressing to cavernosal fibrosis, and ultimately causing venous leak seen clinically as “venogenic ED”.
The other issue is loss of penis size because of the lack of erections. It’s because of issues of not getting proper arterial inflow and hypoxia as the main contributors of both ED and penile shrinkage after prostate surgery.
Hence the need FOR VED/pumps as a preventative option to avoid losing size, which is secondary to atrophy, following prostatectomy. And again, in conjunction with PED5i treatment (Cialis, Viagra, etc.) because not everyone responds to PED5i treatment, or not as effectively, is the reason why the need for pumps EXISTS, so that this additional therapy can help in combination!
That being said, the person experiencing these issues can potentially yield a MORE successful outcome of better erectile function in the long run.
Men who use penis pumps to rehabilitate erections after these procedures or again, to help with vasculogenic ED, have seen success according to a plethora of medical journals that have observed increases in blood oxygenation and saturation in the penis and gradual return of “organic”/natural erections (but it’s a case by case situation, especially for those recovering from prostate cancer surgery who may not fully recover or guys with serious health diseases/conditions that are not properly managed).
Archetype #1 Summary
Now, this sums it up, but the guy who fits this archetype is someone who is maybe around the age of 40+ who is exploring treatment options for ED, including Viagra, Cialis, Trimix, Shockwave Therapy, and other options because of a noticeable decrease in the quality of his erections.
As this archetype is noticing more of a decline in his erections, using a penis pump as a part of his treatment plan may potentially help other treatment options work better. Usually, the guy who is using a penis pump, will most likely ask for a prescription from their Urologist for a pump or buy one that is quality made and safe for use at-home.
With that being said, this guy is also most likely the type to follow the manufacturer's guidelines around pumping times and recommendations, which is normally around 10-15 minutes and at lower pressures (inches of mercury), usually around 4-9 inches of mercury (pressure matters).
Lastly, the guy who is using it as a part of their treatment plan to rehabilitate erections after a serious surgery may find some benefit to regaining normalcy of erections because post-surgery is often an “uphill” battle for this demographic of men.
Archetype #2 - The Guy Who Uses A Penis Pump For Sexual Gratification Or The “Aesthetic” Look
It’s no secret that some men will use penis pumps like The Bathmate because they LOVE the “post” pump look. Most bloggers and news publications don’t like to mention this benefit, and oftentimes it’s because they have NO hands on experience whatsoever and are usually content scraping another article (that’s business and marketing for you).
But after a pumping session, your penis becomes “temporarily” bigger in both length and girth for a number of hours, which can vary from person to person.
It’s not a huge difference, but It’s definitely noticeable depending on the time a user stays in the pump as well as the pressure used. But it’s something about the aesthetic look that is visually appealing to both the user, women, and LGBTQ men.
Oftentimes, this archetype will use his pump for two reasons.
To explore with their sexual partner and/or to add a new dynamic to the bedroom. Whether it’s hooking up and giving them an experience that is almost considered rare (because bigger penis sizes are in fact, rare) or using it as an alternative to their partner’s dildo---it creates a new dynamic in the bedroom. Usually, statistics for heterosexual women have shown that a smaller (hence “smaller” and not small) percentage of women who enjoy bigger penises or have vaginal orgasms is because of deeper penetration. The same can be speculated for men who sleep with other men as the limited studies we’ve seen show that some LGBTQ men do deny other men because of penis size or a “lack of”.
The “aesthetic” look. Again, there’s something about the novelty of seeing a big penis. Historically, we’ve been socially instructed in our society to view “bigger” as being better thanks to porn, movies, TV shows, and social media. Although NOT always true and in some instances, the complete opposite, we can’t deny that there are communities around the world who are turned on by the look of a bigger flaccid or bigger erection, ESPECIALLY after a pumping session. And It doesn’t matter what you sexually identify as, and no it doesn’t change your sexuality, but seeing a bigger flaccid or erection is something that some, if not most of us will take a double take (curiosity).
How many of you guys have secretly pumped (or rushed to) moments before a "hot date" came over?
0%I'm guilty!!!
0%I usually time it correctly (1-2 hours before they come)
0%I don't because I'm scared they'll notice a huge difference
0%They know and watch me do it!
Archetype #2 Summarized
Again, the guy who fits this archetype is probably an “infrequent” user of penis pumps in general. Whether he’s casually dating or has a long term partner, he might use a penis pump to add a dynamic to his relationship or the type of sex he and his partner are having. One night it’s average sized penis sex and then the next, is a "pumped up" bigger dick type of sex night.
This archetype is most likely the type of guy who finds the use of penis pumps to be sexually gratifying or a novelty experience for everyone involved. He may or may not follow the manufacturer's guidelines around recommended pumping times and may or may not “over pump” or pump to extreme pressures because of the fetish around seeing your dick become larger and larger inside a pump.
That being said, it's common for some guys to fall into this trap where they think their “post pump” look is mainly "gains", but really, it’s mostly “edema”. Edema is the buildup of fluid in the tissues, and it can occur as a result of penis pumping if swelling is not properly managed. Pumping the lymphatic system can lead to temporary gains in penis size, but it also causes the lymphatic channels to enlarge and retain fluid, resulting in edema.
"Some" long term users speculate that lower pressures may limit lymphatic buildup.
Lastly, this archetype may or may not be afraid to pump around their partner or consider it foreplay.
If this is you, we bet you’re the type of guy who after texting a potential sexual partner to “come over”, you’re quickly dropping your underwear and rushing to use your pump before they get to your house.
Archetype #3 - The Guy Who Uses A Penis Pump As A Part Of His Penis Enlargement Routine
Not to be confused with archetype #2 who only likes the temporary aesthetic look, archetype #3 is more about the journey, gaining confidence, and solidifying permanent bigger gains that come with consistent training.
In the past 2 decades penis enlargement has become "somewhat" more mainstream thanks to pioneers and personas across the internet who bared it all and showed us their before and after images/videos. Most of their routines continue to include penis pumping and that is something many of us continue to explore across the board.
Most guys who explore penis enlargement know that there isn’t a lot of concrete research that follows this activity. It’s still very much anecdotal (the “gains” part) because we all use different devices and brands and there are also many variables involved in one's “specific” routine and lifestyle. For example, your Bathmate routine is going to be different from using a device such as an air pump on Amazon like LeLuv or LA Pump.
As research is still limited, except for a handful of studies, and theories (more like “ideas”) made by guys who have experimented, men will go down the rabbit hole of using penis pumps for girth training or to help maximize blood flow---Oftentimes, they’ll use it after more strenuous or active workouts such as traction therapy, penis weight hanging, and other P.E. activities.
Again, P.E. still has its theories that some may question, but there is NO DENYING that men are actually getting bigger because of it. Literally, there is at least 20 years worth of the internet where if you Google it, you’ll find plenty of guys doing it on various communities and some showing visual proof.
Archetype #3 Summary
If you fit this type of guy, you’re most likely treading the waters into uncharted territory. P.E. has NO experts, but a large community of men who experiment on themselves to find out what works and what doesn’t. So, there is room for growth, or rather, multiple ways for growth (hydro pumps, air pumps, extenders, etc.).
But as P.E. comes with rewards, there are risks that should NOT be ignored.
Guys who use penis pumps for P.E. usually disregard manufacturers recommended routines and time of use and will literally “tread the waters” into higher pressures due to theories around expansion (some guys might risk it and go above 4 to 9 inches of mercury).
The guy who uses penis pumps that fits this archetype usually hides it along with his other P.E. equipment or the fact that he does P.E. in secret from their wives or partners (except for a handful who have been brave enough to tell their partners… to each their own).
Now on the other side of the fence.....
There are a lot of penis pump users who fit this archetype that have become more sexually confident with themselves, their bodies, and their penis size. However, there are some who have turned toxic and cocky because of it (Don’t be that guy…).
Lastly, guys who do P.E. in general are more likely (in my opinion) to have an enhanced mindset that not only includes knowledge of how they made their own dicks bigger, but a mentality and patience that includes learning more about how to be a better sexual partner.
This may include:
Learning about female anatomy/vice-versa the male anatomy
Adding more time spent doing foreplay because they now have bigger dicks (bigger does not equate to better sex, and in fact, can be painful to some individuals)
Learned patience because they were patient enough to grow their dicks that they'll learn to become more patient when it comes to sex and their partner’s pleasure and needs
For long term penis pump users: Is the above true for you?
0%I now feel confident, mentally enhanced & better sexually
0%Still facing the same issues before getting bigger
3 Archetypes Of Men Who Use Penis Pumps Summarized
There you have it. This blog post was just for fun and what I’ve learned in the past 10+ years from guys that I’ve talked to and have read online about having used penis pumps and what their reasons for using them were.
Again, the 3 archetypes were something I created for fun. I think of it like categories under a much larger "umbrella" that may have more subcategories underneath it. However, I don’t see there being another archetype because penis pumping usually falls within those realms of people.
Sometimes we might fit all those categories or more than one archetype. I know I do haha. But who knows? It’s food for thought.
Now, If you thought this post was fun, leave a comment below. Or if you have another reason why men use pumps, add it below.
Much love,
-Rich