Thinking about undergoing 'scrotox'? A doctor has shared her warning about the cosmetic procedure, and it might make you reconsider.
Sometimes, if people don't like something about their appearance, there’s an easy (if sometimes expensive) fix.
But while we’ve seen procedures like Botox for the face, chemical peels, derma rolling, salmon sperm injections and whatever else, this new trend might come with a downside that could impact your future.
What is Scrotox?
Scrotox involves injecting Botox (botulinum toxin) into the scrotum, just under the skin.
You might be wondering why people would want to get this done, but according to a report by Indy100, 'Google searches have shot up to 46,000'.
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It’s getting more and more popular for ball-havers to book.
The procedure is quick, and works fast, but mostly, it's done to help with pains or the way the scrotum looks.
Mike Tee, a senior doctor at the Harley Street Skin Clinic, previously shared that '80 percent' of patients are getting it done to either reduce wrinkles, treat hyperhidrosis (sweating of the skin), or temporarily increase scrotal size or sag.
But the dangers may not be worth it.
Why do people get it?
Dr Bita Farrell (@drbitafarrell), a Physician and former UCLA Professor who specialises in aesthetic and regenerative medicine and regularly educates her 180,000 followers on TikTok, warned of the dangers this type of Botox placement can cause.
She explained that people often get it to reduce their wrinkles, to have the appearance of bigger balls, or to reduce painful symptoms of too-tight contractions of the dartos muscle.
Dr Farrell shared that the scrotum harbours the muscle under the skin which is ‘smooth’ and is for ‘thermoregulation’.
The dartos muscle pulls the scrotum tight, contracting the skin to conserve heat.
Similarly, the cremasteric muscle, a muscle which pulls the testicles further into the body, also does so to regulate temperature if too cold.
As testicles need to be temperature regulated to ensure the sperm is at around 2 degrees lower than body temperature (37C), these functions are essential to maintaining a good sperm quality for baby making.
According to Dr Tee: "In adult men, an overactive cremasteric muscle can cause involuntary and frequent tight contractions, which can be very painful.
"Once again, both physical activity and sexual activity can be affected."
Once injected, Dr Farrell shared that it relaxes the dartos muscle, smoothing out wrinkles and giving the appearance of larger balls.
The doctor's warning
“However, caution must be taken as this can affect thermoregulation, and sperm production, and it can affect fertility.”
She explained that she does not offer the procedure in her practice and also cautions anyone who wants to get it for ‘purely aesthetic reasons’.
Of course, many people were quick to point out that this is a procedure they’ve never once heard of, and they are shocked that it is a popular beauty trend.
One person said of it: “gonna quote Miranda Hobbs here ‘not once have I ever heard a woman say he had such a smooth full scrotum!’”
Another said it didn’t impact them, but they still feel the pain of being injected somewhere so sensitive, writing in the comments: “I'm a chick and this made me clench in pain....”
Someone else wrote: “Oh hell no, I’m happy with my 2 shriveled raisins.”
Britt Jones