From Shame To Options In Modern Penis Enlargement #133

Most people don’t realize how early body anxiety can start, or how quietly it can shape decades of confidence. I’m joined by Dan Salas, owner and CEO of Surgery Life Enhancement, who begins with the most personal credential possible: he started as a patient. From childhood insecurity to making a life’s work out of helping others, Dan lays out the emotional side of male enhancement with a level of honesty you rarely hear. 

We also get practical and specific about the procedures themselves. Dan explains how penis enlargement options have evolved from older approaches  to newer, less invasive methods for penile girth enhancement. If you’ve ever searched terms like male enhancement surgery, penis enlargement, PMMA penile filler, or penis lengthening, this conversation helps translate the jargon into plain English. 

A big takeaway is that outcomes aren’t just about what happens in the treatment room. Dan talks about safety, preparation, and “preconditioning” before an elective procedure, plus how to think clearly about clinic quality when so many options now appear online. We also discuss what results can look like over time, how “rounds” work, and why patient support after treatment can make or break the experience. 

If this sparked a question or challenged what you thought you knew, subscribe, share this with a friend who’d actually benefit from hearing it, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.

Transcript

Welcome And Who Dan Is

Tamara 0:00

Hello, Tamara here. Welcome to the show. Today's guest is Dan Sallas, owner and CEO of Surgery Life Enhancement, but started as a patient and has been involved for over 30 years in the clinic. All right. Thanks for joining me, Dan.

Dan Salas 0:15

Thanks for having me. Hi.

Tamara 0:17

Hi. Yes, I'm very interested to hear how you started as a patient and now you're the owner. So you must have liked what you what happened. Just want to share more about.

Dan Salas 0:27

Well, do you want me to go back to when I first started having developing thoughts about a larger penis? Or having a larger penis? I would think I was about nine years old. So it was very, very young. I still look back and go, why were these thoughts going through a nine-year-old's brain, you know, mind and thoughts? But it I'm just reporting what happened in, you know, it started at nine years old. When I hit puberty, I realized that I wasn't going to get any bigger. It was a very traumatizing experience. And at 21, I knew that's it. I'm not going to grow any further. And my size was no bigger than I was when I was 11, 12, except I had pubic hair. That was it. So I found a clinic here in Beverly. I'm from Southern California. I was born in Hollywood, and there's a be a clinic in Beverly Hills in the early 90s, and I went, I called and I scheduled, and I haven't, like I mentioned, I haven't looked back. This is what I'm supposed to do, and I can share my story as a patient, and also on the other side as the you know, bit the business end of it.

Tamara 1:43

So I I know I was gonna say I did an episode on condom sizes, like from a company that makes individualized condoms, and they said this the best-selling ones are always the smallest size. So I think it's more common than you know, than people talk about, but yeah.

Dan Salas 2:00

80% of men are are average or even below average, 15% are above, or you know, the ones you see on video the porn, sorry. Yeah, but that's just that's my that was my reference is a guy with the 10 inch, 12 inch, and it's like, oh my god, you know, it's really uh confusing at that age.

Tamara 2:23

Yeah, and as women, those are way too big. Like I don't I don't even know how they have sex in the porns, like that would just hurt so bad. So yeah, right, yeah. But yeah, yeah, but yeah, if you want to. I'm happy to hear about how you you know as a patient side, or what you know, we can talk about what happened and how it worked out for better for you, or whichever angle you want to.

Finding A Clinic And Taking Risks

Dan Salas 2:46

Well, but okay, yeah, so well, we'll talk about how what led me to the surgical table, right? That has a story on to itself. So, yeah, when I hit 21 and realized this is it, I I'm not, you know, especially 22, and you're you still have a very below average size. I just I remember looking at, you know, this is pre-internet. So I was going through the uh newspaper and found an ad in the LA Times in the sports section, and it said to attention, men, the future is here, and I knew I've been wanting it since I was nine. I thought I was crazy, right? I thought I was like, why am I thinking this? Why is it so important? Why has it consumed me? And so I had it done at 24, and now after 31 years of being involved, I realized that 80% of us are the same size I was when I thought I was the only one on the planet with this size, my small size. And I real I realized coming after 31 years, wow, we all most of us are this size. I didn't know that at nine years old.

Tamara 4:01

Yeah, and what it does it involve like the first surgery you had, or is it the same procedure now that it was back then?

Dan Salas 4:09

No, the analogy I use is the cell what cell phone were you holding in 1995, 97, 2000. Now, what cell phone are you holding in 2025? My point is so has the male enhancement procedures. They've evolved that it's no longer pagers, right? In terms of technology, the days of fat injections are go are over. The days of skin graphs from your back being inserted into your shaft are over. It's now moved on to PMMA, another less invasive procedures.

unknown 4:51

Okay.

From Fat Injections To PMMA

Tamara 4:52

Yeah, I didn't even know anything existed. So what did it used to be? And then what is it now?

Dan Salas 4:57

It started off with fat injections, so they would take fat and transfer it into your shaft, but uh it felt like you injected a bunch of cottage cheese. So even when erect, it didn't feel it was like you you had the erection, but on top you had the quote unquote cottage cheese, fat. Then we went to skin in the early, late 90s, early 2000s. We took skin grafts, much like a burn victim that needs to transfer. You've seen that before, right? Yeah. People take skin from back from their back or legs and transfer it to these areas that need dermis. So we took that discipline, that technique, and applied it to the penis. And I signed up for it. I was a guinea pig because there wasn't anything that we had to use as you know, as a reference. Like, okay, we've done it for 30 years. This is what to avoid. No. When I signed up, it was rolling the dice. I've seen the I at that point I saw the good and the bad, and I knew that I was taking the risk, but it was worth it for me. Anyways, me personally was worth you know, jumping and taking.

Tamara 6:14

Was it more your confidence or more having the other person see it with the enhancement, or what where was the I you know, I was born in 1970.

Dan Salas 6:27

So as I grew up, as I was growing up, courtesy stalls or going to the bathroom with let's say, let me just give you an example. If you're at Dodgers, I'm from Los Angeles. I go to watch the Dodgers, and in their public restrooms, there's no skirt in at least when I was going as a young boy, there were no courtesy stalls. So you bathrooms in the 70s, there was no such thing as like, oh, let you know, get behind the little wall to hide your size, if that's how you felt, anyways. Yeah, and so it was it wasn't I was born into a world where you had to see it. There was no like, you know, curt courtesy stalls or courtesy curtains were not a thing when I was growing up.

Tamara 7:17

Yeah, yeah, and I know like you know, in gym class and stuff, we had open showers and all that kind of stuff too back then. So yeah.

Dan Salas 7:24

Yes.

Tamara 7:25

So what is the procedure now that actually and it I assume it's effective and how does it work?

Dan Salas 7:31

Yeah, you know, and it's tough. PMMA, it took even somebody that has years of experience took me a long time to understand the way the fillers work today. They're fillers that are uh they're like Botox, they're injected into the shaft of the penis. But this PMMA material filler creates or promotes permanent connective tissue, blood supply, it's your own DNA. So it's not like we're inserting some silicone or a hyaluronic acid in some something that's temporary or that really isn't your own body. PMMA is designed in such a way where once it's injected, your body encapsulates it, which causes connective tissue, and then the PMMA goes away, it metabolizes over the course of two or three months, leaving behind connective tissue. That's a there's no magic, it's just the it's the product that tricks your body into creating new tissue. Where before, when I had mine done, I had to take the skin from my back. Same results, you end up with tissue, connected tissue, but here with the new technology today, you no longer have to take skin from other areas or fat or anything.

Tamara 9:16

And it's I assume it's safe since you're did it, uh have done it and do it for other people.

Dan Salas 9:22

Yeah, it's it's got about a you know, if you follow the instructions and do, you know, a lot of people don't realize when you have, especially elective surgery, where it's not like you had some car accident and you need emergical surgery, you know, surgery that's time sensitive. No, this is something you plan. So just start, you know, eating better, drinking a little more water, go to the gym. Prepare yourself for the procedure, and your outcome will definitely come out better if you if you prepare. It's called preconditioning the penis before surgery. There's a lot you can do before you even come to see us. Or any doctor that offers this procedure.

Tamara 10:06

Yeah, I was gonna say, is I assume the your clinic, uh surgery life enhancement, is one of the places, is it common in lots of places, or is it certain places or countries or you know, everywhere?

Dan Salas 10:20

That's a great question. When I when I was doing my research, my homework on a clinic, it was just finding a clinic. I I didn't even know one existed. Much touching on what you said at the beginning of this interview, you're like, I didn't even know this existed. It's been around since 19. I found it in '94. And it was around before then. So yeah, it was it's sorry, sorry, can you repeat the first question? I I kind of got lost in thought here. Sorry, yeah.

Patient-First Clinics And How To Choose

Tamara 10:50

No, I was asking that does your does your clinic, you know, the surgery life enhancement offers it and is it now in lots of places, or like what do you offer absolutely than yours?

Dan Salas 11:02

Yeah. So when I I when I starting this interview, I mentioned that this is a clinic ran by we it we run our protocol is based off patients' experience. Not what the obviously the doctor factors in, he gives his opinion, but a lot most of our protocol was established from patients giving us constructive criticism. Even I didn't like the way I was treated after my procedure. And instead of really getting upset, I turned a negative into a positive and started my own clinic that paid attention to the patient's feelings, not just the clinic and the doctor. They're important, yes, but the patients we need to make sure that they're good. And I didn't get that treatment, and I try to give that treatment to my clients because I'm a patient.

Tamara 11:56

Yeah. And how long has the clinic been around? The same amount of time since or when yeah.

Dan Salas 12:02

Well, it's when did you start it too? It's surgery life enhancement. I won't take the credit. A patient of mine came up with that name, surgery life enhancement, and we just went with I went with it back. But it's 31 years and it's changed names I've had. Fallow care, Melbridge, Surgery Life Enhancement. There's other names, but surgery life enhancement is the mothership. That's where we all meeting of the minds in terms of figuring out how to we're always constantly figuring out how to make it better.

Tamara 12:36

And how many patients have you have received this? Or like is it common or still not known so much?

Dan Salas 12:45

Or well, no, with the power of the internet and you know, everybody's holding s iPhones or s you know, for i cell phones, what you just with the click of a button, you just type in go to Google and type in mail enhancement clinic in my area. And uh a bunch will pop up where you know, again, I found mine in the back of a newspaper.

Tamara 13:13

Yeah.

Results Girth Versus Length Rounds

Dan Salas 13:13

So there's a lot of clinics popping up every all over the world. Take advantage, guys. Don't live like if you feel this way, don't feel don't live like that. Take advantage of these clinics, take advantage of the services. A lot of people of intelligent doc doctors and clinics are popping up everywhere. And I there's a there's a list of good clinics, and there's a little list of clinics you probably should stay away from, but uh we can call balls and strikes. We if you're doing good work, we'll support you. We don't care if we're not making a penny off your sale. It's the point is did the pay is the patient satisfied. Yeah.

Tamara 13:51

And is it does it add like how much generally does it add to the size? Well if it with does each need more than one.

Dan Salas 14:00

Okay, so it varies, right? And I can only can I just share with you my experience? Yeah. I'll give you the brief overview. Before having anything done, if I took a toilet roll, everybody knows what a toilet roll. So if I took a toilet roll and I placed it that put my erect penis inside the toilet roll, it would not it was so short that it wouldn't come out the other end, and it was so thin that it wouldn't even went right in. No problem. Now, today it's as may I say this uh it's as thick as a soda can, so it's like uh yeah, it's as th if you grab a soda can, that's how thick it is. They call me soda my nickname is soda can Dan amongst my patients and friends. Uh but the point is is from soda can from not being from going into a toil toilet roll very easily to having a soda can girth or very thick girth. Let's just say I'm very thick, you know, psychologically, the confidence is off scale. I feel like you know, I feel like a like a man. Like this is what I should have been born with. It's really the only way I can feel describe it.

Tamara 15:21

Yeah. And I'm sure women know this too, but yeah, girth is definitely preferred to length if you have to.

Dan Salas 15:28

I wish I really wish you to come on my PR campaign. Because yes, keep girth is king. Yeah, good length is great. There's women, you know what? I should let me change that. So there's some women that they call them size queens. You know, girth is not important. I like length. There's women that are like, length is not important. I like Girth. And that's what makes the world go round. We all beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Yeah, some people like length, some people like you just need to find the right one to match up with.

Tamara 16:00

Yeah, for sure. Yeah, so is there anything else you that I didn't ask that you wanted to share?

Dan Salas 16:08

Or like how I'm I have 31 years of stories that you ask me, I'll I'll be happy to I will answer them because it's it's from hands-on experience. I'm not reading off a cue card or nobody's whispering in my ear what to say. I'm going off of I'm just going off the cup and ask me a question, I'll be happy to answer.

Tamara 16:30

Does it since you did talk about lengthing, girth, does it add length as well, or is it mostly girth that this PMMA PMMA does?

Dan Salas 16:37

Girth girth is much easier to achieve. So the girth is very easy. I can I I won't go into details, but girth is easier to gain than length. So, for example, I gained two inches in length and about four inches in girth. So I went from maybe five inches in girth to nine, eight and a half, nine. And at length I went from like barely not even not being able to come out the other end of a toilet roll. Well, I can't fit in a toilet roll, but if I had to, I guess I'm seven. Which if I was I was born five, now I'm seven. It's like someone that's five foot seven and now six foot one. Well, how cool would that be to walk out your door and be six foot one, six foot two? Your clothes hang differently. It sucks when you're short. I'm talking about male penis size, but also men. You know, men have surgery to gain height as well, but that's a whole nother talk show, and let's just stick to the stick to male enhancement. Yeah, it's a big jump. When you were looking at life, a lifelong size, you know, I wasn't gonna I wasn't expecting to be any bigger than when I was what I was born with.

Tamara 18:00

So when you are erect, does it do you does it feel like it like it's like you were saying before it was cottage cheese-ish, you know, the early version of this stuff? So I'd imagine this version feels like natural or yeah, because it's your own dermis.

Dan Salas 18:19

They took skin from my back and inserted it very, you know, very strategically, but they wrapped it around my erectile tissue, so the core of my penis became thicker due to the added dermis. But the outside looks exactly the same as b pre pre-surgery.

Tamara 18:42

And but PMMA, you don't need to do the skin graft anymore, like the newer version. Yeah.

Dan Salas 18:47

No, it's called capsular contrapture, and it really it's these tiny microspheres that are impregnated in the filler that your body wraps around. It doesn't reject it, it it encapsulates it. And that encapsulation of the spheres that are you they're naked, they're naked to you cannot see them.

Tamara 19:10

Do you wanna like so your clinic offers it? Do you want to share how people can go there, or is it more of sending the message in general, or do you want to talk about your clinic specifically?

Dan Salas 19:20

I could talk about my clinic specifically, but more importantly, is the message. 55 now. And I'm not at the point in my stage in my career where, oh, our clinic's the best. Our clinic I yes, if you ask me, of course I'm gonna tell you that we're the best. You call another clinic, of course they're gonna tell you they're the best. You know what? The point is, is are there other clinics that are I it's impossible for me to service all the men on the planet. There has to be other services. It's like imagine one gas station in all of America. The line of cars, you would go out of business because you can't keep up. So there's too many, it's now becoming more socially acceptable to admit that you had male enhancement surgery. So now these clinics are beginning to pop up, you know, supply and demand. You have so many men that are now finally coming out of the closet, if you will, and saying, I want this. Yes, we do we offer the surgery. Yes, you will come to a clinic where everybody's had the procedure. Most of us, anyways, I can't speak for other clinics. I don't know because I've never I hear the stories, some good, some bad, but so do we. We're not perfect, we're not angels. We've had our comp 31 years. Think about it. Do something for 31 years and expect to be perfect for 31 years, you're out of your mind.

Tamara 20:49

Yeah. I just didn't know if you wanted to share where your clinic is if people do want to go there.

Dan Salas 20:54

Oh, yes. Okay, so well, it's surgerylife enhancement.com. And we're located in Baja, California, five minutes from the United States border. So I'm an American and I've been here since off and on from since 2011. And uh we are located in Baja, California, Tijuana, California. But I'm an American that happens to be living here, offering a service.

unknown 21:22

Okay.

Tamara 21:22

Yeah, and I mean you can share either, you know, like the I guess the biggest difference of someone in the I don't know, I guess there's I don't know, or how is it 100% success rate, like whatever you want to share?

Dan Salas 21:36

Well, the success rate, ask any medical professional that offers, or let's say, for example, somebody that does brain surgery or spinal surgery. Not every single procedure turns out perfect, but the ones that do, oh my gosh. We have a gentleman that had an average, you would say he was average, now looks like a porn star. Or somebody that's just uh when you see it, you you don't have words to describe how big he is and how big he's become. So I have before and after pictures, I can send them to you. So you can maybe, I don't know if you can show these. On your podcast, but for me to describe it, but put it this way it's like he was average, right? Just average length, and now he's like this. As big as your arm. As big as yeah, he whips it out and it's like this. And I know that it at surgery, because we did it. We did his surgery. Yeah. But other doctors are turning out great results as well. But we happen to, yes, we have the ability to do that.

unknown 22:46

Yeah.

Tamara 22:47

Yeah. And said I had no idea that this is a thing. So for any of your listeners that don't know, good to know if especially if you're self-conscious about it. I mean, yeah, there are like I said, there's women that like all sizes, so but if you if it affects you, then yeah, if you want to get this done. And what is the usual cost for you? And how many does it take more than one injection, or like how many, how long does it take to see flow results?

Closing And Share The Show

Dan Salas 23:14

Right, yeah. Much like the skin grafts that I had, you can do it multiple times. Same thing with PMMA. So you we call it round one. Round one is putting in as much PMMA as possible. Typically garners about an inch to an inch and a half of GERD, forever GERD. It's gonna be with you for the rest of your life. And then you can come back two months later and you know, and have more put in. Round two and gain another inch to an inch and a half. So typically most patients do one or two rounds. The guys that are married consult with their wives and go home and you know, test it out, so to speak, and call me and go, Yeah, I want another round. And or some people say I'm I'm happy. It it really just depends on the individual and his lifestyle.

Tamara 24:07

Okay. All right. Well, I think I'm good.

Dan Salas 24:10

There, uh, do you want to have like just closing comments or final thoughts about was there anything that I left out or something that you wanted me to say?

Tamara 24:18

No, I think that's great. I mean, I had no idea this exists. Now we all know, so it's good that it makes such a difference. But yeah, thank you very much for being on. And if you love this episode, be sure to tell your friends about it and rate it as well, and share the news that this kind of thing exists if you didn't know. All right. Thanks everyone.