In Male Sexual Health: A Couple's Guide published by Consumer Reports Books, Dr. Richard F. Spark, associate clinical professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a member of the International Society for Impotence Research, explains the process:



"There are several components to the Erec-Aid device. A cylinder designed to fit over the limp penis is connected to a hand operated vacuum pump. Suction from the pump creates a negative pressure within the cylinder, and this encourages an increased flow of arterial blood to the penis. Venous outflow is prevented by tight bands that fit over the base of the penis. A petroleum jelly-like substance lubricates the system and seals the base of the cylinder. When a user achieves an adequate erection (and with the rubber bands inhibiting venous outflow still attached), he removes the cylinder. The vacuum induced erection is maintained for up to 3O minutes."

How effective is the process? For sure, the limp penis does become rigid after three to seven minutes in the vacuum chamber but it takes a certain amount of skill to operate the device. Sexual foreplay may be interrupted and those with the patience to stuff their penises into the chamber in order to get an erection may have other problems: penile pain (which is common in most men using this vacuum constrictor device or VCD), fainting and infection of the foreskin. These side effects were reported by Dr. Perry Nadig, a urologist from San Antonio who has extensively used the Erec-Aid device.

"Initial interpretation of questionnaires prepared and distributed by the manufacturer of the VCD unit suggests that although 92 percent of men maintain they can achieve a satisfactory VCD-induced erection, only 75 percent continue to use the device. These men limit intercourse to about once every two weeks, perhaps because of side effects or mechanical problems," said Spark, a member of the American Fertility Society and the American Federation of Clinical Research.

"Pain and discomfort were common experiences. Black and blue marks on the penis occurred in almost all the men. All respondents indicated they needed a considerable amount of practice time to learn to use the unit, and once they had acquired the skill to use it, the interval from initiating vacuum suction to the development of an erection ranged from 30 seconds to more than seven minutes and averaged two-and-a-half minutes," he added.

Moreover, the kind of erection one gets with Erec-Aid is not perfect. Four significant points were raised by Spark in Male Sexual Health:

Once the erection has been induced by the vacuum, the rubber bands in place at the base of the penis choke off blood flow into the penis. This causes penile skin temperatures to fall to 96°F. One-third of the female partners of men using VCDs found the chilled penis displeasing during intercourse.

Another drawback is that as the penis becomes engorged and congested by the VCD-induced suction and inhibition of venous outflow, penile circumference increases more than it would during a normal erection. This gives the penis a sausage like appearance.

Third, the erection created by the VCD is rigid only from the point at which the rubber bands are affixed. This means that it is not fully upright like a normal erection, but flexible and capable of swiveling or pivoting at its base.

The VCD also does not permit normal ejaculation. Because the rubber bands remain in place throughout the sexual act, semen is trapped in the urethra and can be released only after the bands are removed.

What about penile injections? Do they work? Find out in the sixth part of this series. If your partner has a diminished sex drive, help her recover with Fematril, a safe and natural female sexual enhancer that can stimulate your mind and body. For details, go to