Is the P Shot Worth It? An Honest UK Doctor’s View
If you are considering the P Shot for erectile dysfunction, reduced sensitivity or concerns about sexual performance, one of the most important questions is also one of the simplest: is the P Shot actually worth it?
My answer is that it may be worth considering for carefully selected men, but it is not a guaranteed treatment for erectile dysfunction and it should not be presented as one.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment for erectile dysfunction is an evolving area of regenerative medicine. Some studies have reported improvements in erectile-function scores following PRP treatment, while more recent reviews have found that the evidence remains inconsistent.
That distinction matters. I would much rather a patient understand both the potential benefits and the limitations of the evidence before deciding whether the P Shot is right for him.
What is the P Shot?
The P Shot, sometimes called the Priapus Shot, involves preparing platelet-rich plasma from a patient’s own blood and injecting the resulting PRP into specific areas of the penis.
PRP contains a concentrated proportion of platelets and associated growth factors. The theory behind using PRP for erectile dysfunction is that these biological signals may support processes involved in tissue repair and vascular function.
However, a plausible biological mechanism does not automatically mean that a treatment has been conclusively proven to work. That is why the quality of the clinical evidence is so important.
Does the P Shot actually work?
There isn’t yet a simple yes-or-no answer.
Several clinical studies and meta-analyses have reported improvements following PRP treatment. A 2024 meta-analysis of four randomised controlled trials involving 413 patients found that PRP produced better erectile-function outcomes than placebo at several follow-up points.
Another 2024 analysis of three randomised controlled trials involving 230 men also found results favouring PRP for mild-to-moderate erectile dysfunction, while stressing the need for further high-quality trials.
However, the evidence has continued to evolve. A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis examining seven randomised controlled trials involving 479 patients found no overall difference between platelet-rich therapies and placebo in combined erectile-function scores at one, three and six months. It did find a potential advantage in one six-month outcome, but the authors cautioned that the evidence was limited and concluded that additional high-quality studies are required.
This illustrates why patients should be cautious about clinics claiming that the P Shot has been definitively proven to treat erectile dysfunction. The research is interesting, but it isn’t conclusive.
What do current medical guidelines say?
This is particularly important.
The European Association of Urology has reviewed PRP for erectile dysfunction and describes the available findings as promising but insufficient to recommend PRP for routine clinical practice. Its current guidance states that intracavernosal PRP should only be used in a clinical-trial setting because larger studies and better-standardised treatment protocols are still required.
So if somebody tells you that PRP is an established or guaranteed cure for erectile dysfunction, I would be cautious. It isn’t.
Why are some studies positive while others aren’t?
One of the biggest problems with the P Shot evidence is that not every PRP treatment is the same. Studies differ in areas such as:
- how the PRP is prepared;
- platelet concentration;
- injection volume;
- number of treatment sessions;
- treatment intervals;
- PRP activation;
- injection technique; and
- the type and severity of erectile dysfunction being treated.
The European Association of Urology specifically highlights this lack of standardisation as one of the limitations of the evidence.
This is also why simply saying that somebody has had “PRP” doesn’t tell us very much about the actual treatment they received.
So when might the P Shot be worth considering?
For me, the starting point isn’t “Do you want a P Shot?” It is “Why are you experiencing the problem in the first place?”
Erectile dysfunction can have many causes. These can include vascular disease, diabetes, medication, hormonal problems, neurological conditions, psychological factors and combinations of several different issues. That means two men experiencing apparently similar erectile problems may need completely different approaches.
PRP may be something a patient wishes to explore after an appropriate assessment and a discussion about the uncertainty surrounding the evidence. But it shouldn’t replace investigating an underlying medical cause.
When might the P Shot NOT be worth it?
I would be cautious if someone is considering the P Shot because they have been promised a guaranteed erection, a permanent cure for ED, a guaranteed increase in penis size, or results that sound too good to be true. Those aren’t realistic promises based on the current evidence.
I would also question whether PRP is the sensible first step when a patient has unexplained erectile dysfunction that hasn’t been properly assessed. ED can sometimes be associated with wider cardiovascular or metabolic health problems. Treating the symptom without considering the cause isn’t the approach I favour.
Is the P Shot worth it if Viagra or Cialis already works?
This is a different question.
Medicines such as sildenafil (Viagra) and tadalafil (Cialis) are established treatments for erectile dysfunction. PRP should not be presented as though it has the same level of supporting evidence.
Some men investigate regenerative treatments because they don’t tolerate medication, don’t obtain the result they want from it, don’t want to rely on medication, or simply want to understand whether other options exist. That doesn’t automatically mean the P Shot is the better option. The appropriate treatment depends on the individual.
Is the P Shot worth it for Peyronie’s disease?
Peyronie’s disease needs to be considered separately from straightforward erectile dysfunction. It involves the development of fibrous plaque within the penis and can cause curvature, shortening, pain and erectile difficulties.
PRP has been investigated in Peyronie’s disease, but here too the evidence remains limited. Current European Association of Urology guidance does not recommend intralesional PRP to reduce penile curvature, plaque size or pain outside clinical trials.
Anyone considering treatment for Peyronie’s disease therefore needs an appropriate assessment rather than assuming that a standard P Shot is the solution.
Does the way the PRP is prepared matter?
Potentially. PRP isn’t simply blood that has been spun in a centrifuge. Different preparation systems can produce preparations with different platelet concentrations and cellular characteristics. This is one of the reasons research into PRP can be difficult to compare.
At Elite Aesthetics, we use a defined PRP preparation protocol rather than treating every PRP system as interchangeable. However, it is important not to make the leap from saying that PRP preparation differs to claiming that one particular centrifuge or processing method has been conclusively proven to produce superior erectile-function outcomes. That evidence does not currently exist.
Is the P Shot painful?
This depends partly on the anaesthetic technique used. One of the questions I encourage men to ask a provider is how they manage discomfort during penile injections.
At Elite Aesthetics, our P Shot protocol includes local anaesthesia/nerve-block techniques intended to make the procedure more comfortable. Pain management should be discussed before treatment rather than discovered once the procedure has started.
Is the P Shot safe?
Because PRP is prepared from the patient’s own blood, it avoids some of the issues associated with introducing a foreign pharmaceutical substance. That doesn’t make injections risk-free.
Published studies have generally reported relatively few serious adverse events, but the evidence base remains comparatively small. A 2025 meta-analysis noted isolated mild adverse events including haematoma and plaque formation.
Patients should therefore be told about possible adverse effects and procedural risks as part of informed consent. I would avoid any clinic describing the P Shot as “completely safe” or claiming that it has no possible side effects.
How much does the P Shot cost in the UK?
Cost is understandably part of deciding whether the P Shot is worth having. But I wouldn’t compare providers on price alone.
Ask what the quoted price actually includes:
- Who assesses you?
- Who performs the injections?
- What PRP system is being used?
- How is the PRP prepared?
- What anaesthesia is provided?
- Is follow-up included?
- What happens if you have concerns afterwards?
- Is the clinic appropriately regulated?
- Are you being offered the treatment because you are suitable, or simply because you enquired about it?
A cheaper injection isn’t necessarily better value. Equally, a higher price doesn’t prove that a treatment is better.
What questions should I ask before having a P Shot?
Before proceeding, I would ask the provider:
- Why do you think I am suitable for this treatment?
- What do you think is causing my erectile problem?
- What evidence supports using PRP for someone like me?
- What results should I realistically expect?
- What happens if it doesn’t work?
- What are the risks?
- Who will actually perform my procedure?
- How will my PRP be prepared?
- What anaesthetic will you use?
- What follow-up is included?
The quality of the answers is often more revealing than the clinic’s marketing.
So, is the P Shot worth it?
For the right patient, the P Shot may be an option worth discussing. There are encouraging studies and a plausible rationale for investigating PRP in erectile dysfunction. But there is also conflicting evidence, variation between treatment protocols and a continuing need for larger, better-standardised clinical trials.
That’s why I don’t believe the responsible question is “Does the P Shot work?” A better question is: “Given my particular problem, the alternatives available and the limitations of the current evidence, is PRP a reasonable option for me to consider?”
That is the conversation I believe patients should have before deciding whether the P Shot is worth their money.
About Dr Shirin Lakhani
Dr Shirin Lakhani MBBS, MRCGP, DRCOG is Medical Director of Elite Aesthetics and has extensive experience in aesthetic and intimate-health medicine.
Patients considering the P Shot can arrange a free 15-minute chat with an Elite Aesthetics patient coordinator to find out more about the treatment and the next steps. This is not a medical consultation.
Elite Aesthetics, Greenhithe, Kent. Serving patients from Kent, London and across the UK.
Medical references
- European Association of Urology. Guidelines on Sexual and Reproductive Health: Management of Erectile Dysfunction. Current guidance on platelet-rich plasma.
- de Amorim LGCR et al. Efficacy of platelet-rich therapies versus placebo in the treatment of erectile dysfunction: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2026.
- Mao Q et al. The efficacy of platelet rich plasma in the treatment of erectile dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Aging Male, 2024.
- Zhou Z et al. The efficacy of platelet-rich plasma alone or in combination with low intensity shock wave therapy in treating erectile dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of seven randomized controlled trials. Aging Male, 2025.
