Doctor shares true reason behind ‘gym penis’ that is terrorising men
If after a gym session your penis is looking a little smaller than normal, not to worry.
‘Gym penis’ is a temporary reduction in penis size, and funnily enough, is often caused by chasing the pump.
You see, weight training forces blood to flow into your muscles, making everything seem bigger.
Soon after heading to the changing room, however, you might have noticed your member shrinking down a notch.
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The good news is that gym penis is completely normal - even if it arrives at the worst time.
“During exercise, your body prioritizes sending blood to the working muscles and vital organs to support performance and oxygen delivery,” Dr David Shafer, a board-certified plastic surgeon at Shafer Clinic Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, told Out Magazine.
Dr Shafer explains that when muscles contract, the testicles can become closer to the body, causing a flaccid reduction of anywhere from 20 to 50 percent in size.
How to get rid of ‘gym penis’
The penis is able to return to its normal state within a few minutes, but the best thing to do is totally relax.
“Once you finish exercising, cool down, rehydrate, and return to a relaxed state with normal blood flow restored, everything typically returns to baseline within minutes to an hour,” Shafer said
When it could mean something else
If you are experiencing any other symptoms, like severe pain, rash, or mild sores then contact your GP.
Dr Giuseppe Aragona, GP and medical adviser for Prescription Doctor, said to Metro: “Those features would not be something I would simply put down to exercise without considering other possible causes.
“And particularly with sudden severe testicular pain or a penis that becomes very painful or markedly discoloured, that would warrant prompt assessment rather than waiting for it to settle.”
Why men are getting worried
According to aesthetic nurse practitioner Chris Bustamante, founder of Lushful Aesthetics, men are experiencing anxiety over their ‘gym penis’, and the anxiety is what also causes it.
“Some men may feel embarrassed, avoid locker rooms, compare themselves to others or worry that something is wrong with them,” he told Body+Soul.
“That anxiety can become a bigger issue than the temporary retraction itself.”
Relationship therapist Sofie Roos added to Out Magazine that ‘straight men and gays who are not looking for a sexual partner tend to be worried and sometimes bothered by their gym d**k as it feels un-masculine’.
To help ease those nerves, note that ‘gym penis’ is only temporary and can be quickly fixed with a relaxing shower after the workout.
Anish Vij