Doctors warn against weird penis-enlarging ‘jelqing’ trend that claims to ‘add inch of girth’

Medics have warned men taking part in a bizarre penis-enlarging trend that their efforts might actually be having the opposite effect.

Participating in the 'jelqing' trend could leave you with severe pain and scarring, but thousands of blokes are still doing it.

If you're one of the lucky ones who are still blissfully unaware of what it means, buckle up.

Basically, lads sit there massaging their semi-erect manhood and repeatedly stretch the skin to create 'micro-tears' which supposedly make the whole package look bigger when they have healed.

The idea is that each hand movement slowly rips the delicate skin and will later form scar tissue, which some men claim increases the size and thickness of the penis as a result.

Jelqing is said to be an 'ancient' technique, but the effectiveness of the weird penis-enlarging method has long been disputed by the medical community.

The TikTok mob and Reddit users have now cottoned onto the grow-your-own-todger trend, meaning a lot of people's timelines are full of videos of lads demonstrating the wacky routine.

Some members of the male species have alleged that their penises have grown 'an inch and a half' in length and 'an inch' in girth after they started jelqing.

But although you might think your equipment looks the part, you might run into some trouble trying to use it in the bedroom - and you may realise that the trend has actually caused your tool to reduce in size.

On top of that, you might have unintentionally self-inflicted ruptures, scarring, disfigurement, and desensitisation on yourself if you have been too heavy handed.

Doctors have now spoken out to warn social media users about the dangers of jelqing and the painful health conditions it could result in, while dubbing it 'dangerous and pointless'.

Blokes are putting themselves at risk of Peyronie's disease by trying to inflate their private parts.

According to the NHS, this condition mostly affects men over 40 although it can happen at any age and causes the penis to become curved when it's erect.

Symptoms include a thickened area or hard lump (plaque) in the shaft of the penis, a curve - typically upwards - in the penis when it's erect, pain in the penis, a misshapen appearance and a loss of length or girth of the penis.

This can cause a few issues for your sex life and can also lead to erectile dysfunction.

A board-certified urologist at Orlando Health, Dr Jamin Brahmbhatt, told the Daily Mail: "Those repeated, traumatic movements can translate into scarring, but that can then translate into Peyronie's Disease, where you form a plaque, that can be associated with erectile dysfunction and pain as well."

Discussing the discomfort during intercourse, the medic said its a 'complete waste of a guys 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," he explained.

"So you may think you haven't seen any negative side effects, but it may just take some time."

Dr Premal Patel, a urology fellow at the University of Miami, reiterated his concerns and said patients who have partaken in jelqing should seek medical advice quickly if they have any concerns.

He added: "Any men with concerns about this needs to speak to a physician in primary care or sexual health because there is no scientific basis for jelqing.

"It may not do anything, and it may not be safe. Penile curvatures can cause a lot of trauma to the penis. It's dangerous and pointless."

Featured Image Credit: Getty stock images

Topics: Health, Viral, TikTok, Weird

Olivia Burke

Olivia is a journalist at LADbible Group with more than five years of experience and has worked for a number of top publishers, including News UK. She also enjoys writing food reviews (as well as the eating part). She is a stereotypical reality TV addict, but still finds time for a serious documentary.

@livburke_