DON’T MILK IT
Men warned dangerous ‘jelqing’ trend that claims to make their penis longer could leave them IMPOTENT
FROM the dawn of time, men have worried about the size of their tackle.
And they've tried all sorts of methods to make them bigger.
1
But a worrying DIY trend has kicked off online, which experts are warning could lead to scarring and erectile dysfunction.
According to The Cut, "jelqing" is a technique that incels (involuntarily celibate men) on Reddit have been trying to stretch their penises.
It's an ancient practice
Jelqing may be something that's now being banded around on Reddit but it's actually something men have been trying for centuries.
Some people claim that it has roots in ancient Arabic texts.
It involves "milking" a semi-erect penis for a set amount of time per day.
That then is supposed to create small tears in the penile issue (ouch!) - forcing new cells to grow and create a small increase in size.
By continually pulling on your member, you're apparently enlarging the blood chambers and creating more blood flow, which leads to a bigger erection.
There's very little research on the benefits of jelqing, with experts warning that it could actually have a detrimental impact on your penis.
Apparently, it can cause:
Peyronie's disease
Continually stretching can cause injury to the chambers in the penis that fill with blood when you get an erection, as well as putting you at risk from Peyronie's disease.
That's a condition which can create in a severe curvature of the penis and in some cases, erectile dysfunction.
According to the (BAUS), urologists believe that Peyronie's disease affects approximately one in ten men.
For many guys, it occurs naturally but penile injury is a big risk factor.
GP and clinical director of , Dr Sarah Jarvis told The Sun: "It’s caused by scar tissue forming along the shaft of the penis.
"It’s usually only visible when your penis is erect but can still be troublesome because it can cause painful erections and make sex difficult. It’s rarely due to a serious underlying condition, but it can be treated if it’s causing troublesome symptoms."
There aren't many treatment options out there bar surgery, vacuum devises or injections which cost around £600 a pop.
BAUS say that treatment with tablets "has proven very disappointing", so that's not really an option.
Erectile dysfunction
The main worry with Peyronie's disease is that it can cause erectile dysfunction.
In other words, trying to make your functioning penis bigger can result in damaging it so much that it no longer functions as a sexual organ.
It's thought that around 40 per cent of 40-year-old men have some degree of ED, and that number goes up with age (50 per cent at 50, etc).
It can be down to a range of different causes - both physical and mental.
Smoking, drinking and leading a generally unhealthy lifestyle may have an effect on your ability to get and maintain an erection.
Both smoking and drinking alcohol could damage blood vessels, impeding blood flow.
But tugging on your member repeatedly also damages those blood vessels - meaning that you could struggle to get or maintain an erection even if you are young and healthy.
And it causes unnecessary pain
Dr Jamin Brahmbhatt, a urologist at Orlando Health, told that jelqing is a "complete waste of time".
"It can be very painful, and sometimes the scarring can take three to six months or even a year to build up for you to even notice the change.
"So you may think you haven't seen any negative side effects, but it may just take some time."
Dr Brahmbhatt said that he'd previously had to talk a patient out of hanging heavy balls on his penis to lengthen it.
No quick fix
There are no ways to naturally enlarge your penis - but getting healthy can help.
"We all want an easy way out," explained Dr Brahmbhatt.
"We don't want to go to the gym, we want liposuction. For most men, it's important to remember: you really are fine just the way you are."
How to protect your penis from shrinking with age
Your penis can actually shrink as the years pass by.
Thankfully there are a few things you can do to try to halt the ravages of time down below:
1. Have more sex and masturbate more
experts say you've got to "use it or lose it".
“Some research suggests that when the penis is flaccid for long periods of time — and therefore deprived of a lot of oxygen-rich blood — the low oxygen level causes some muscle cells to lose their flexibility and gradually change into something akin to scar tissue," their report said.
2. Quit smoking
Smoking is responsible for a tonne of diseases and conditions. Cancer aside, it can also be responsible for shrinking your penis.
The chemicals from cig smoke can damage the blood vessels in the penis - stopping it from filling with blood.
3. Brush your teeth
Blokes who fail to brush their teeth twice a day are more likely to be a flop in bed, a recent study revealed.
Scientists from Jinan University, in China, analysed the teeth and sexual performance of 213,076 men.
They found guys with gum disease were 2.85-times more likely to suffer erectile dysfunction.
4. Keep cool
It's not just your todger that gets small with age; after 40, your testicles also start to shrink.
To slow their decline, try keeping them cool.
Wear boxers rather than briefs so you're getting more air up there and avoid very tight trousers which may restrict blood flow.
5. Lose weight
A bulging waist-line won't just put you more at risk of heart problems, diabetes, cancer and fatty liver disease.
Carrying extra padding can make your todger look smaller.
The penis is attached to the belly wall and when it expands, it pulls the penis inwards.
Lose weight and it'll drop back down. Now there's a weight loss incentive if ever we heard one.
MORE ON MEN'S HEALTH
He recommends hitting the gym and eating well - and rocking what you've got.
There aren't any natural ways to enlarge your penis, but being overweight can make your todger appear smaller than it is.
So your best bet is to be as fit and healthy as you can, and leave the tugging to the bedroom.
Average penis sizes from around the world
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