Don’t take penis health for granted. Sure, everything may be looking and feeling good now, but that won’t always be the case if the organ isn’t given proper attention. Preventing injury, skin problems and erectile dysfunction involves a number of steps related to hygiene, inspection and safe sexual practices. The following seven tips will help men keep their tips and shafts in peak condition.
1) Be careful with those hard thrusts.
Some men and women like it rough. That’s fine, but penis care requires a bit of caution when going at it hard. The penis contains two chambers called the “corpora cavernosa” that fill with blood to make the penis stiff. Think of them as the hydraulic cylinders of the penis. A hard thrust to one of these cylinders can do damage that, later on, leads to scar tissue formation and erectile dysfunction. Men should be particularly cautious when a woman is positioned on top, as an awkward angle in this situation can subject one of the chambers to excessive force.
2) Use it frequently.
Like any muscle, the smooth tissue of the penis benefits from regular exercise. When a man becomes hard, his penis fills with a rush of fresh blood and oxygen. This helps keep the tissues healthy and increases the likelihood of strong erections later on in life.
3) Know when to see a doctor.
A number of things can go wrong down there that require medical attention. Knowing what to look out for ensures that men can get the help they need early on, increasing the likelihood of recovery. Symptoms that call for a trip to the doctor include:
– Severe pain after an injury to the penis
– A change in ejaculation
– Bleeding during ejaculation or urination
– Abnormal discharge
– A bend in the penis that interferes with sex or causes pain
– Burning sensation when urinating
– The appearance of bumps, lesions, warts or discoloration
When in doubt, get checked out. It’s better to risk an unnecessary trip to the doctor than to risk neglecting a serious health problem.
4) Wear a jacket.
Unprotected sex increases the likelihood of catching sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, human papilloma virus (HPV) and herpes, which affect penis health in different ways. Choose lubricated condoms to prevent excess friction.
5) Keep it clean, but not too clean.
This one is particularly relevant to the uncircumcised fellows out there. It’s important to retract the foreskin and wash the area on a fairly regular basis, but excessive washing – particularly with soap – can deplete the natural oils secreted by the inner lining of the foreskin, leading to dermatitis. Circumcised or not, go easy on the soap. Warm water is often sufficient for keeping it clean down there.
6) Don’t jump the gun on insertion.
It’s easy for a man to get a little too hasty when his partner is ready to go, but injury prevention requires waiting until the erection is firm and reliable. A weak or partial erection can lead to the penis buckling when a man attempts to insert it into his partner, and this greatly increases the chance of injury. Extend foreplay until the erection is a sure thing.
7) Use a penis health crème.
A penis health crème (health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil) containing natural ingredients that moisturize and sensitize the organ is a great way to keep the tissues healthy. Look for products with ingredients such as L-arginine that encourage good circulation, Shea butter and vitamin E for hydration and acetyl L-carnitine and alpha lipoic acid, which are rich in antioxidants that help maintain and repair cells.