What happens if Peyronie's disease is left untreated?

Peyronie’s disease is an acquired condition that is occurs in 9% of men. One in 11 will present with Peyronie’s disease in their lifetime. Peyronie’s disease is a scarring process in the penis that leads to a plaque buildup, developing a curvature and narrowing or indentations of the penis. Patients may have painful erections as the curvature evolves or it may resolve by itself.

There are two phases to Peyronie’s disease:

• Acute Phase: The acute phase of Peyronie’s disease usually occurs between the first three months to year after diagnosis, in which you may start noticing some beginning curvature or deformity and pain in the penis.
• Chronic Phase: In the chronic phase of Peyronie’s disease, the curvature is not changing any longer. Generally, there is quite a considerable curvature or deformity, and the pain has resolved.

Patients seen in the acute phase of the disease often ask, “Is this going to get better on its own?” For most, Peyronie’s disease is an irreversible condition that needs to be addressed as soon as possible to ensure the best possible return to normalcy. If Peyronie’s disease is left untreated, the reality is that 10-12% of men will have some spontaneous improvement in their condition, while the remaining 80-90% patients are divided in half: either experiencing no change (staying the same) or experiencing worsened symptoms (while the curvature gets worse).

Once the patient is in the chronic phase of the disease, where there is a well-established deformity in the penis and a palpable plaque or hardening of the penis, this is usually a permanent condition that will not correct on its own. Accordingly, we recommend for these patients to seek therapy with a urologist who specializes in sexual medicine and has experience with Peyronie’s disease.