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Peyronie’s disease (a curved penis): the signs, the causes, and the treatment
For anyone whose penis has started to curve or bend during an erection, or who has found a hard lump in it, and for their partners. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK, part of the NIH) says Peyronie’s disease is scar tissue, called plaque, that forms under the skin of the penis and pulls it into a curve; that the plaque is not cancer; that it is not contagious; and that more than 1 in 10 men may have it. This page passes on, by name, what NIDDK says: the two phases, the signs, how common it is, the causes and who is more likely to get it, the visit and the exam, the treatment (from no treatment, to injections, to surgery), and the complications, including what it can do to mood and to a relationship. It builds the words to say, so you do not have to find them, and prints a card to keep with you.
Right now
- Worn down, ashamed, or thinking of ending your life? Call or text 988, any hour (ours). NIDDK names emotional distress, depression and anxiety among the complications.
- A new curve, a hard lump, or painful erections? NIDDK says men with Peyronie’s disease are usually referred to a urologist. Ours: make an appointment and say what you have noticed; it is a common, real condition.
- In an emergency, call 911 (ours).
More help
- On this site: Kidneys and bladder: find the right page · Erectile dysfunction (ED) · Diabetes.
- Conditions NIDDK links to it: Lupus · Scleroderma · Sjögren’s disease.
- How you feel: Depression · Anxiety.
- Getting ready: My medicines list · Get ready for your appointment · When you can’t afford your medicine · When you need a doctor and can’t pay.
- In a crisis: Help right now (988, 911). All our free tools.
Kidneys, bladder or urine, and not sure this is the right page? The pages on this site for bladder infections, kidney stones, blood in the urine, bladder pain, bladder leaks, the prostate, kidney disease and bedwetting, on one list.
This page and its wording were written with AI (Claude) for Scarlet Beast (our AI policy). No doctor or nurse has reviewed it. The facts were read on October 18, 2026 on NIDDK’s (NIH) page Penile Curvature (Peyronie’s Disease) (last reviewed August 2019) and its Spanish page Curvatura del pene (enfermedad de Peyronie) (last reviewed August 2019), which say the same. The numbers (about 1 in 100 men over 18 diagnosed, more than 1 in 10 estimated; up to 18 months; 12 to 18 months; 4 to 5 times; more than 30 degrees) are NIDDK’s. Ours: telling the urologist how it is affecting your mood and your relationship; that it is a fair thing to ask for help with; bringing your partner if you want to; asking about side effects, the cost and what happens if you wait; asking before taking a pain medicine; 988; 911; and the order of the steps. What we left out: the references, the clinical-trials section, the drawing, NIDDK’s outside links, and the brand name NIDDK prints. This page saves nothing and loads no trackers.