Thai men are going nuts for this bizarre penis procedure.
Lelux Hospital in Bangkok raised eyebrows after sharing a Facebook post detailing its specialized penis whitening procedure, a cosmetic treatment that alters the pigmentation of men’s nether regions.
The now-viral post includes a video of the laser procedure, which has been viewed over 4.5 million times as of Thursday, as well as side-by-side images of a penis before and after the whitening process.
The hospital began performing the peculiar procedure six months ago after a patient complained about dark pigmentation on his groin, according to French news agency AFP.
The clinic now averages about 100 clients per month for penile whitening, which costs $650 for five sessions.
“We use the same pigmentation laser equipment employed in other skin treatments,” Popol Tansakul, Lelux’s marketing manager, told German news agency DPA. “All of the equipment received certification [by Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health].”
Products and laser procedures that whiten the skin have become increasingly popular in Thailand, but critics say the country’s apparent obsession with whiteness is perpetuating racism.
Last year, a video advertisement for skin-whitening pills that used the slogan “whiteness makes you win” was met with outrage.
Lelux Hospital previously made a splash on social media by promoting its “3-D vagina” procedure, which involves injecting a patient’s own fat into the mons pubis to achieve a “plumper” look, according to Newsweek.