'Ballmaxxer' explains what it feels like as expert issues warning over trend
A self-proclaimed 'ballmaxxer' has opened up about the 'intense' realities of the bizarre trend.
Ballmaxxing is a niche and fetishised offshoot of looksmaxxing, which involves injecting saline into the testicles in order to artificially enlarge them.
The phrase made the jump from Reddit to the mainstream media, thanks to a recent Men's Health article which asked several ballmaxxers about why they feel the need to swell their balls to roughly the size of a cantaloupe melon.
So now we have an idea of what ballmaxxing is, it's time to answer the next question on everyone's mind: why?
Why do people ballmaxx?
The guys interviewed by Men's Health weren't shy about sharing their reasons for why they were partaking in the trend, with one man comparing it to 'really good foreplay'.
Advert
"Nothing really matches experiencing it yourself," one ballmaxxer, named Jack, told the outlet.
"You have to talk yourself into doing it, find the time [and] get everything prepped," he continued. "Watching it happen and feeling it in real time is intense. The whole buildup is electric. It’s similar to really good foreplay."
Jack isn't the only ballmaxxer to speak positively of the unusual past time, with commentators on the 8,700-person-strong subreddit describing it as 'electrifying, addictive, euphoric and transcendental'.
However, the trend isn't a harmless one.
Are there any health complications associated with ballmaxxing?
"[Ballmaxxing] can damage intimate health, performance, and even lead to life-threatening sepsis," Robert Bradshaw, Superintendent Pharmacist, Oxford Online Pharmacy, recently told LADbible.
So, what are the dangers of ballmaxxing?
Infection and health complications
While the saline solution used by most ballmaxxers itself isn't dangerous, it's a fluid used by medical professionals for a range of things and injecting yourself without medical knowledge or supervision can cause serious health complications.
"The most obvious and medically severe risk is infection. Injecting any substance under the skin can introduce harmful bacteria," Bradshaw continued.
"The scrotum is a sensitive part of the body and particularly vulnerable to infections such as cellulitis (a skin infection) or abscess formation (a collection of pus)."
Left untreated, bacterial infections can lead to life-threatening complications such as sepsis and tissue death.
Infertility, erectile dysfunction and issues with urination
"Persistent and extreme ballmaxxing techniques can interfere with the natural function of the testes and surrounding structures, potentially leading to erectile dysfunction and problems with conception and urination," Bradshaw said.
Ballmaxxing and mental health
Bradshaw also noted that ballmaxxing can be an indication that someone is dealing with Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD).
"People who engage in looksmaxxing fads may be suffering from BDD as they feel an overwhelming need to alter their bodies to meet an idealised standard of beauty or masculinity," he said.
"Having BDD can lead to a cycle of continuous and dangerous body modification attempts, as individuals may never feel satisfied with their appearance."
Topics: Health, Sex and Relationships
Brenna Cooper