Jan is simply summarizing what the medical evidence supports. The clinical studies on Peyronies Disease are few and not that well done, not the fault of the researchers so much as limited number of participants and inability to control all of the possible confounding factors. If you look at the reviews of possible treatments and international guidelines for treatments, there is some variation in recommendations but most are similar to the review cited below. I provide the conclusions section and attach the paper. Oral treatments like vitamin E and Co-Q10 are not harmful, and may even have other health benefits, so I take them as well. But there is only anecdotal evidence of their benefits.
Medical Management of Peyronie’s Disease: Review of the Clinical Evidence
Patrick Teloken and Darren Katz
"A great number of medical treatments have been suggested and utilized in Peyronies Disease. Evidence from
randomized controlled trial with regards to improvement in curvature exists for intralesional (with CCH and interferon alpha-2b) and
traction therapy. Oral therapy has not proven to be effective and due to potential side-effects and costs, is not currently recommended. Topical
verapamil with or without EMDA is not recommended and novel topical agents need further studies prior to routine use. An optimal treatment algorithm applying a multimodal approach is yet to be defined. With advances in the comprehension of the mechanisms of
inflammation and scarring and the development of new agents, it is expected that more effective treatments for Peyronies Disease will become available."
These two papers (also attached) are a little less enthusiastic about
Xiaflex, but seem to simply be noting the uncertainty of how it will work for every patient.
Contemporary surgical and non-surgical management of Peyronie’s disease
Recent advances in managing Peyronie’s disease
This last paper "Minimally invasive therapies for Peyronie’s disease: the current state of the art" (also attached), concludes:
"The optimal minimally invasive therapy for Peyronies Disease likely involves a combination of non-surgical therapies. Further investigation into particular combination therapies, including oral anti-inflammatory agents, CCH, and
PTT,
may reveal a synergistic therapeutic effect. Nonetheless, surgery offers the highest success rates for men with
chronic-phase Peyronies Disease who desire rapid return of a functionally straight erection."
All of these papers were published in the last 2 years and are from highly qualified medical researchers at very good medical schools. None of them note any conflict of interest with manufactures of
Xiaflex,
traction/
VED, or any other therapies.
They are not saying that the many therapies discussed in this forum do not or cannot help, but that there is no good evidence that they work. I realize that not everyone has access to
Xiaflex or is a good candidate for this drug, but it does appear to be the best non-invasive treatment (with reasonably good controlled clinical studies to support it) used alone or in combination with
traction.
And from my personal experience, after three series of injections, it has made a very big improvement of my
hourglass indentation and penis stability, albeit with some pretty bad bruising and pain, but well worth it.