Less gifted men have often blamed the unfortunate size of their manhood on the cold.
But maybe it’s not an excuse after all.
Because doctors say, “winter penis” – as it is also called – really happens.
And the shrinking is all due to the body’s natural response to the cold weather that has hit the UK this week, sending temperatures plummeting to -6C.
The body conserves energy by reducing blood flow to its extremities, such as the ears, hands, toes, and penis. This can lead to penis shrinkage, experts warn
The science behind a “winter penis”
According to Oliver Kayes, consultant urologist and volunteer lecturer at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, colder temperatures reduce blood flow to extremities like the toes, nose and penis.
Therefore, they are more susceptible to frostbite in extreme weather conditions.
This reduction in flow can cause vasoconstriction — when the muscles around the blood vessels tighten — which can also cause the testicles to be pulled higher into the scrotum.
“However, this is neither a condition nor a disease. It’s a normal physiological response to the cold,” he said.
Keeping the area warm, for example with thermal leggings, gloves or a balaclava, ensures that the tissue is not injured.
However, experts insist that it is only temporary and will not cause any permanent damage.
Oliver Kayes, consultant urological surgeon and honorary lecturer at the University of Leeds, said the “winter penis” is ultimately neither a condition nor a disease.
Instead, he added, it’s just a “normal physiological response to the cold.”
dr Richard Viney, a consultant urological surgeon at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, also told Web that “the winter penis is definitely a thing”.
When the mercury goes down, the body tries to maintain its internal core temperature and protect internal organs.
It does this by deliberately constricting the vessels that supply blood to the skin to prevent cooler blood from flowing back into the body, where it could cause a temperature drop around vital organs.
But the result of vasoconstriction, as it’s medically called, can be that tissue—particularly in the extremities—becomes smaller.
And the penis and testicles are no exception to the reaction.
While the impact this has on the size of the penis is debatable, sexual health experts have previously claimed it could shrink in length by as much as 50 percent.
Mr Kayes told Web that “colder temperatures reduce blood flow to extremities like the toes, nose and penis”.
He said this explains “why they are more susceptible to frostbite in extreme weather conditions.”
“Generally, when a man chooses to stand naked in sub-zero temperatures, the natural response is for the area to vasoconstrict and the dartos muscle (scrotum) to contract, pulling the penis and testicles inward for general protection.” , he added.
“It’s a natural reflex. Obviously, if he managed to get an erection or sit in a warm bath for five minutes, the effects would reverse.”
dr Viney added that the dartos muscle – which sits just under the skin of the scrotum – “contracts in response to cold, tightening the skin of the scrotum, making it thicker and pulling the testicles closer to the body so they don’t get cold.”
Experts have previously warned that decreased blood flow to the genitals caused by a “winter penis” can cause friction with underwear and lead to physical discomfort.
“In my practice, I’ve seen many issues that affect blood flow to the penis,” said Mr. Kayes.
“Slight or moderate reduction leads to shrinkage and erectile dysfunction, which is common in men with cardiovascular disease.
“More severe blood flow problems following trauma, infection, vasculitis, extreme cold, and sometimes illicit drug injection have resulted in ischemia, gangrene, and autoamputation, or tissue loss,” he added.
“The so-called ‘winter penis’ is a far cry from these major life-changing issues that can affect some men.”
To counter the reaction, Mr Kayes offers three pieces of advice: “Keep warm, stay active and have sex and don’t worry.”
Meanwhile, said Dr. Viney told Web: “Once the temperature improves, the male genitalia will emerge from hibernation just like a bear, no doubt be hungry and eat shoots and leaves just like bears.”
What is the average penis size?
For years, men around the world have wanted to know if their manhood compares to others.
So, in 2015, a team of researchers tried to figure out the global average of penis size.
Their work revealed that the mean length of an erect penis is 5.2 inches (13.12 cm), scientists found.
The average length of a flaccid penis is 3.6 inches (9.16 cm) and 5.2 inches (13.24 cm) when flaccid but stretched.
And when it comes to girth, the average erect girth was 4.6 inches (11.66 cm) and 3.7 inches (9.31 cm) flaccid.
The research, conducted by King’s College London’s Department of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, also found that there is a small correlation between the erect length of a penis and a man’s size.
The team looked at 17 studies involving 15,521 men worldwide who underwent penis size measurement by healthcare professionals using a standard procedure.
The paper was published in the British Journal of Urology International.