Peyronie's disease is a noncancerous condition caused by fibrous scar tissue on the penis that causes painful curved erections. Penises vary in size and shape, and a curved erection isn't necessarily concerning. However, Peyronie's disease can cause significant pain or bend in some men.
Erectile dysfunction can prevent you from having sex or make it difficult to get or maintain an erection. Stress and anxiety are also common symptoms of Peyronie's disease in men. Penile shortening is another common concern.
Peyronie's disease rarely goes away on its own. In most men with Peyronie's disease, the condition will remain as is or worsen. Early treatment may keep it from deteriorating or improving symptoms soon after developing the disorder. Even if you've had the condition for some time, treatment may help improve bothersome symptoms, such as pain, curvature, and penile shortening.
Peyronie's disease signs and symptoms might appear suddenly or develop gradually. The most common signs and symptoms include:
With Peyronie's disease, curvature and penile shortening may gradually worsen. After about three to twelve months, the condition usually stabilizes.
Pain during erections usually improves within one to two years, but the scar tissue, penile shortening, and curvature often remain. In some men, the curvature and pain associated with Peyronie's disease improve without treatment.
Using light in the wavelength of 830 nm to treat patients with symptomatic has shown benefits for Peyronie's disease. All patients entered into the study had a condition consisting of a well-defined fibrous plaque-causing pain and curvature of the penile shaft on the erection that interfered with satisfactory sexual intercourse. Treatment has consisted of 30 mW administered over a duty cycle of 100 seconds (3 J), beginning at the base of the penis and extending to the coronal sulcus over the dorsum of the penis at 0.5 cm intervals. An additional duty cycle of 100 seconds was delivered to each 0.5 cm of palpable plaque. The therapy's ability to reduce the fibrous plaque size, the severity of the penile curvature, and the severity of pain associated with penile erection and the treatment's effect on the patient's quality of life were assessed for each patient after therapy and six weeks later.
There’s an emerging disruptor in the beauty industry as companies target a different consumer type to expand the half a trillion-dollar market — men.
Across the globe, men’s adoption of beauty use is already starting to take off. But the trend comes in many different shapes and forms. For beauty companies struggling to find new avenues of growth, it’s a huge opportunity to see whether men are looking for traditional grooming products, discreet moisturizers, beauty balms, or popular light therapy.
According to Allied Market Research, the men’s personal care industry is predicted to hit $166 billion by 2022. According to market researcher NPD Group, just last year, men’s skin-care products alone saw a more than 7% jump in sales and with the category currently valued at $122 million.
“In recent years, the notion that men can’t or shouldn’t be using skin-care products or caring more in general about all aspects of their appearance has been receding,”
Said Andrew Stablein, a research analyst at Euromonitor International, in a research note.
The success of digitally native brands catered directly to men such as Harry’s and popular subscription service Dollar Shave Club reveal
“the average men’s grooming routine isn’t about just shaving, but can be aided by using skin-care products,”
Stablein said.
Even high-end designers like Chanel have jumped on the trend, launching its first made-for-men skincare and cosmetics line known as “Boy De Chanel” last September.
“It seems that mass players are trying to expand their market and gain share in a slowing market by growing their user base,”
Said Alison Gaither, beauty and personal care analyst at Mintel.
This includes tutorials from U.K. makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury and Rihanna’s Fenty brand, which have both put out instructions for guys who want to use makeup subtly for a more groomed appearance.
According to Coresight Research, the Asia Pacific market is now one of the fastest-growing regions for men’s grooming and cosmetic product use. Jason Chen, general manager for Chinese online retail site Tmall, told Coresight that “supply cannot meet the demand for male make-up products across China.”
However, recent data suggests the new generation of beauty consumers prefer a non-binary approach altogether. According to NPD’s iGen Beauty Consumer report, nearly 40% of adults aged 18–22 have shown interest in gender-neutral beauty products and holistic products.
“There are so many … [people] growing up with the idea that you’re not tied to the gender you’re born with,”
Said Larissa Jensen, a beauty industry analyst at NPD.
“Beauty is no longer what you’re putting out as ‘ideal beauty.’ Beauty can be anything, anyone, and any gender.”
In 2016, shortly after Coty acquired CoverGirl, the brand made history with its first-ever “CoverBoy” featuring popular YouTube makeup artist James Charles.
Charles recently found himself in a very public spat with Tati Westbrook, another YouTube beauty vlogger. Coverage of the feud, which began after Charles backed a vitamin brand that was a rival to Westbrook’s own, has been widespread and shows the influence these internet personalities have and how the business has evolved over the past two years.
While Charles may be having his struggles now, as he has lost millions of subscribers, the attention he originally received from CoverGirl sparked similar collaborations by major brands including L’Oreal, who featured beauty blogger Manny Gutierrez, known under the moniker Manny MUA, as the face of its Maybelline Colossal mascara campaign in 2017.
“I think a lot of people misconstrue a man wearing makeup as someone that is transgender or someone that wants to be a drag queen, but it’s not that,”
Guitterez, founder and CEO of Lunar beauty told CNBC.
“I think right now people are still intimidated by the aspect of it.”
Gutierrez’s makeup tutorials and product reviews have attracted nearly 5 million subscribers to his YouTube page. According to a note by the NPD Group, one setting powder product saw a 40% surge in sales after Gutierrez promoted it on his YouTube channel.
“It’s all about inclusivity and encouraging people to be a little more inclusive with both men and women,”
Said Gutierrez.
“I think that as time progresses and you see more men in beauty, it’ll get a little bit better and better.”
Men: if you’re experiencing any type of noticeable physical change, your body could be telling you something is wrong. It’s nothing to be ashamed of; not everyone is at their best 100% of the time. Sometimes we need to take a step back and realize we have to take some time out of our busy schedules to regenerate our body and energy.
Men deal with many types of issues; however, when it comes to health, many tend to ignore it until it’s absolutely necessary. While we push our health to the side, we forget small changes are our body’s way of telling us something’s wrong.
Hair loss, the decline in libido, and decreased muscle mass happen to men of all ages; you don’t have to be over 60 to be struggling with these issues. While genetics do play a big role in any issue, there’s also the unspoken stress that comes with living in the 21st Century. You’d be lying if you were to say you’ve escaped the stressful world we live in—and if you have, well, you wouldn’t be reading this article!
We exhaust our bodies in our day-to-day life, which is why it can feel like we’re overwhelmed and stressed. However, there are ways to have a speedy recovery, higher libido, and prevent various signs of aging. This is where you can look into different types of light therapy.
Light therapy comes in many colors and forms: panels, lamps, masks, you name it. Light therapy devices consist of exposure to filtered light with an intensity of up to 10,000 lux emitted through specific colors. To give you a better idea of light therapy intensity, in comparison, the average light intensity in a room is 500 lux.
Since light enters into the cells, changing their ATP and rejuvenating them, you have accelerated cellular recovery with light therapy. Health benefits of LED light therapy include cellular turnover, which will result in a healthier and better functioning organism long-term. With new, healthier cells, your body is rejuvenated—a natural process that’s quickened via light therapy.
“Is light therapy good for skin?” Yes! It helps heal, and just like within your body, you can see effects on the skin. It brings the new and healthier layer of skin to the surface via cellular turnover. So not only will you reap long-lasting benefits, you'll achieve them quickly. In the same way it benefits with your inner health, and outer, it can benefit with these main issues men face.
For libido, light therapy increases testosterone in men, evoking the luteinizing hormone, which creates testosterone.
Data also shows how light therapy can help with hair loss. The light stimulates hair growth and repair, stimulating the release of nitric oxide. It takes consistent treatments; however, with every light therapy treatment, you’ll see the benefits.
If you’re an active man, you want to make the most out of your workouts. Not only do you want to receive the benefits of being active, but you want to push yourself and get the most out of your workouts. Light therapy can help significantly with muscle recovery. The ATP release, or the fuel of our cells, is what keeps our cells functioning. Through cellular activation, it releases your muscles, helping them relax, increasing the strength and power for the same exercise. This means it makes your workout more effective while aiming to have your muscles recover.
The beauty is there are at-home light therapy devices that can help you with all your male needs, and, we also offer in-clinic devices as well as private labeling options. Kayian's light therapy devices are MDA-certified and FDA-approved, so whether you’re looking to increase libido, improve muscle recovery, or stimulate hair growth, our at-home devices give you the privacy and freedom to do so confidently and safely.
Biohacking is the practice of changing our chemistry and our physiology through science and self-experimentation to energize and enhance the body. It’s a broad definition, but that’s also because the concept is constantly evolving. It includes implementing lifestyle and dietary changes that improve the functioning of your body, as well as wearable technology to help you monitor and regulate physiological data. It can even run to extremes such as using implant technology and genetic engineering.
The possibilities are endless, but they are all rooted in the idea that we can change our bodies and our brains, and that by doing so we can ultimately become smarter, faster, and better as human beings.
Start biohacking your body by using wearables like the FitBit or the Apple Watch to track the way you operate. You could also start experimenting with the power of music in your everyday life and adopting a sustainable healthy diet. But if you’re ready for something new, and something different, consider one of these non-invasive methods from our biohacking guide:
Have you ever spent a lot of time indoors and begun to feel… off? Our bodies and brains need light to function at their best. Not only does the sun give us an important dose of vitamin D, but it helps us in a number of other physiological and emotional ways. Let’s look a little closer – specifically at the light wavelengths between 600 and 900 nanometers (nm). How does this range of light waves impact us and how can we use it to biohack the body?
Studies have shown that your body responds particularly well to red and near-infrared wavelengths, which range from 600 to 900 nm. This particular range of light waves is absorbed by the skin to a depth of about 8 to 10 millimeters, at which point your mitochondrial chromophores absorb the photons. This activates a number of the nervous system and metabolic processes.
In plainer terms, red light therapy has become an increasingly popular form of biohacking used to treat a number of conditions. It has been proven to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and restore mood. And because it is a non-invasive and non-chemical treatment, it’s not as intimidating as other forms of biohacking.
With over 100 billion neurons that are constantly using electricity to talk to each other, your brain is like Grand Central Station. If everyone is chattering loudly at the same time, it can be tough to concentrate on what you need to get done. That’s where music biohacking comes in. Brain activity can be measured in a wave-like pattern and determines if you feel alert, sleepy, relaxed, or stressed. Things that can affect your brainwaves include the activity you are currently performing, how much restorative rest you’ve had, and what you’ve just eaten or drank.
One of the most reliable ways to change your brainwaves is through a consistent sound wave. Audio entrainment, a form of music biohacking, uses binaural beats and tones to synchronize with your brain waves and induce a meditative, relaxed state. You can access programs developed specifically for your own brain and the activities you want to accomplish at Brain.fm. If you’re not ready to go that far, you can still change your mood and mindset by queuing up your favorite playlist and listening while you work out, cook breakfast, or commute to work.
We talk a lot about cardiac health. After all, heart disease is the #1 killer of women in the United States. Everyone needs to be aware of cardiovascular diseases and how to protect themselves as best they can. As a culture, we also talk a lot about skin health – slathering on sunscreen as part of our daily routine and supplementing our diets with collagen-boosting foods. Weight loss, inflammation, memory, GI health, and how an unhealthy diet and lack of exercise can prematurely age you – these are all at the forefront of our minds. But how often do we think about the health of our bones?
A decrease in bone health creeps up on you and most people are unaware of how bone density changes over time. Roughly up until the age of 30, men and women actually build more bone than they lose, so we are constantly strengthening our bones and working on bone density. But when we hit our mid-30s, things change. And if you’ve passed that benchmark, you may have felt that shift.
After reaching their mid-30s, women lose about 2% of bone density every year, and that continues for a few years following menopause. This leaves women with a high likelihood of experiencing osteoporosis.
So what do you do? Consider trying OsteoStrong, a non-pharmaceutical way of improving bone density, strength, and balance as one of your biohacking techniques.
According to OsteoStrong’s website, research indicates that the stimulus required to activate the growth of healthy bone tissue is 4.2 multiples of body weight. However, this level of force would be exceptionally difficult to achieve on your own. That’s why OsteoStrong utilizes the Spectrum System, which is part of a new category of devices called the Robotic Musculoskeletal Development System (RDMS).
How we view life has a huge effect on our moods, how we treat others, and our general levels of fulfillment. When you have an abundance mindset, you’re consistently grateful for everything that comes your way and is always focused on the positive. Have a hard time adopting this type of perspective? Changing your mindset is really about nothing more than practice. You need to consistently refocus your brain to see the positive in every situation until it becomes second nature. These biohacking techniques and tools can help:
Exercising, eating right, and developing the right mindset are important steps to unlocking an extraordinary life. Biohacking helps you take this to the next level by incorporating supplements that improve focus, increase energy, and help your body benefit from the most bioavailable forms of nutrients available.
We often don’t get all the vitamins and minerals we need to keep us at peak performance. High-quality supplements in the form of pills, shakes, bars, or drinks can fill the nutritional gap and help boost performance, detoxify our systems, and achieve daily energy.
Tony has created a variety of health supplements, drinks, and bars that help you feel your best every day and make biohacking the body easy.
The famous fitness coach Ben Greenfield uses red light naked every morning. He flips a switch, flooding the room with a bright red glow. Then he stands naked in the red light for 20 minutes.
“It seems to like, wake you up a little bit; it kind of simulates sunrise,” Greenfield tells. “And it’s almost mildly addictive — the feel-good effect of how you feel after you use one of these.”
Greenfield, a 39-year-old fitness instructor, is an evangelist for red light therapy, a treatment that’s increasingly popular in the world of sports, beauty, and biohacking. Some converts to red-light therapy treatment soak in the ruddy glow for a very personal reason.
Light therapy has been for hundreds of years. Recently, we can trace it back to 1967 with Hungarian scientists, red light therapy, scientifically known as photobiomodulation or low-level laser (light) therapy, has made a comeback in the last two decades.
Michael Hamblin, a researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital and professor at Harvard Medical School, explains in a 2017 research paper on the topic that the treatment was confined to a “SCIENTIFIC WASTELAND,” and widely considered “SNAKE OIL.”
But recent studies suggest red-light therapy can improve skin quality, addictions, pets’ mood, sleep quality, depression, muscle recovery, and relieve pain.
Indeed, some studies suggest light therapy stimulates mitochondria, a.k.a. the “powerhouse” of a cell, and increases the production of adenosine triphosphate, the organic chemical that carries energy in the body and plays a big role in metabolism.
In Kaiyan Medical, we are on a constant quest to optimize our brains and bodies. Some studies have actually demonstrated that exposing the torso or the testes to light can potentially increase testosterone. In fact, studies on the effects of light on the testes go way back to 1939, when researchers exposed various parts of men’s bodies to UV light. They found that men’s testosterone levels went up by 120% when the participants’ chests were exposed to UV light, and they went up by 200% with UV exposure to the genital area.
Sunlight exposure directly to the testes reportedly has an even more profound effect, boosting production in Leydig cells (the cells that produce testosterone) by an average of 200%
The theory is this: while sunlight has many beneficial effects, such as vitamin D production and improved mood, it is not without its downsides. Too much exposure to sunlight, particularly to sensitive areas like the skin around your precious ball sac, can create sunburn, excess radiation, inflammation and damage. And let’s face it: you don’t want a shrunken, shriveled, dehydrated dick, no matter how impressive the tan.
Red light, however, is different than sunlight. Red light is comprised of light wavelengths in the range of 600–950 nanometers (nm). According to red light therapy proponents, red light works to stimulate ATP production, increase energy available to the cell and in particular, increase the activity of the Leydig cells in your testes, which are the cells responsible for testosterone production.
In the last five years, light therapy researchers and red-light therapy companies set their sights on men like Greenfield — the guy who gets naked every morning in his home office. “The impact of [low-light therapy] on sexual health is an emerging field, but I see its potential to improve sexual function and libido with recent studies,” Hamblin says. “It has been shown to improve sperm function and may have applications in increasing fertility in both men and women.” Research on sexual health applications of red-light therapy is relatively minimal in men, and basically nonexistent for women. A few studies in animals suggest red light therapy might influence LEYDIG CELLS — the body’s sperm producers, which live in the testicles. Another study in humans suggests red light therapy can increase testosterone levels and sexual satisfaction.
Sexual health issues — from “low T” to erectile dysfunction — can be challenging to treat because of the social stigma, Goldstein explains. There’s a “fear,” the urologist says. Many men are ashamed and avoid seeing a doctor. “If they can get something over the counter that's purported to help them, millions of men will be willing to try it and maybe they would never buy it again,” Goldstein tells. “Good advertising and good marketing will create a market for a product, whether it's proven to be of value or not.”
Reduce Infertility
One of the biggest concerns for those who suffer from Low-T is infertility. Several studies show that red light therapy helps increase sperm motility, which is essential for successful impregnation. In 2017, researchers from the University of California, San Diego, found that sperm exposed to 630nm red light increased sperm swimming speed and force.
A similar study by researchers from Iran found an after exposing sperm to an 830nm NIR light device. Sperm motility is associated with cellular energy; more energized sperm will swim with greater vigor. This is a vital component of male reproductive health, and success in improving sperm motility points to the use of red light therapy as a way to treat male infertility.
On top of using red light, both Greenfield and Wiles eat healthy, work out regularly, and practice stress-management techniques. Which habit, or a combination of each, helps them “optimize” their sex life or their physical health isn’t clear.
Even though the research doesn’t match their claims — yet— Greenfield and Wiles have no intention of slowing down. “Before I go and give a presentation or if I'm giving a lecture or even if I'm just seeing a patient in clinic, I'll go ahead and throw that thing on and I will feel like a million bucks," Wiles says. "I’ve noticed increased overall sexual health, sexual satisfaction, and stamina." Recently, Greenfield has been shining the light for one very specific reason: He and his wife are trying for a baby. “Sometimes if I know I've got like a date night with my wife or we're going to have sex that night, I'll wait until the evening to do the treatment because the immediate effects are even better, especially the blood flow," Greenfield says. "Erectile quality is just better right after you use it.”
