Shall we talk about men's balls? Easy to snigger about and turn into an Inbetweener when discussing (oh come on, they are an amusing aspect of anatomy!) but those little sacks of joy can, as with any part of the body, become a health issue for many men.
Tox for your Balls. Does Scrotox Make Sex Better?
Chronic scrotal pain (CSP) is a common, often debilitating, condition affecting approximately 4.75% of men. While medications that block the nerve (such as aesthetic) usually provide temporary pain relief, Botox can be a longer-term solution, reducing the pain for 3 months or more for most men with CSP.
What is Chronic Scrotal Pain?
Well, as the name suggests CSP is pain in a pain the balls! Well there abouts. It's defined as constant or intermittent pain in the scrotum lasting for more than three months. It can be a debilitating condition for patients and really impact day-to-day life for men.
What causes CSP?
CSP can present due to a whole heap of reasons from infection to trauma, post-vasectomy pain syndrome, hernia surgery and a trapped nerve, but often the underlying cause is idiopathic - eg unknown!
Chronic scrotum pain can be a deliberating and serious condition for many men.
How does it help testicular pain?
Botox is just one brand of a neurotoxin called botulinum toxin. It blocks the release of a chemical signal from nerve to muscle, reducing muscle contraction. A number of studies have reported that this therefore eases the pain for men suffering with CPS, for far longer than typical antidotes.
What is Scrotox?
Okay, so this is where things get interesting. I suspect in the same way that women noticed their lines and wrinkles vanished when using botulinum toxin to treat other medical conditions, clearly some men noticed other 'benefits' to having it injected in their scrotum, sparking a new demand for Scrotox.
Men's Health magazine reports that more and more men are looking to seek the treatment for the same reason you’d want regular wrinkle relaxing injections: the guys want fewer wrinkles on their balls.
Men's testicles only function properly if their temperature is lower than their internal body temp, the scrotum relaxes in warmer conditions and contracts when it’s colder. So, over time, this can cause a loss of elasticity and create wrinkles. So, when it is injected into the scrotum, it smoothes the wrinkles! Ball sack ironing!
Getting back on the saddle.
Just after the 2016 Olympics, there was a reported rise in demand for Scrotox. (I remain cynical that this wasn't just a plastic surgery group looking for some PR). Alas, high on the Bradley Wiggins craze, the Metro reported how cyclists and runners were seeking ‘scrotox’ to relieve them from skin irritations and burns caused by excess sweating and inner thigh rubbing.
Does Scrotox make sex better?
Well, we don't know for certain. You'd have to find a fella who has had Scotox and ask him! But, there are a whole host of claims have been made about this treatment including:
- Your scrotum sweats less.
- Your scrotum looks bigger or more filled out.
- Your testicles hang more loosely or lower.
- Sex is more pleasurable.
How you might feel after Scrotox. Might. I said might.
Is there any scientific evidence for this?
Not really. A few random, small trials. I'm going to assume obtaining funding for this kind of research is hard to come by. It's niche. So it's largely anecdotal and there is no hard evidence that Scrotox makes your sex life better.
How Scrotox is done
For women this will sound like a breeze. For men, you may want to stop reading.
- Numbing cream is applied to the balls.
- The areas where the botulinum toxin can be safely injected are marked up.
- A needle is inserted into your scrotum and botulinum toxin is injected. This may be repeated a few times to make sure it's got everywhere required.
The treatment usually takes anywhere from two to four minutes.
Are there any side effects of Scrotox?
Some documented symptoms after getting a Scrotox injection include:
- mild to moderate scrotum pain
- numbness
- swelling
- bruising around the injection site
- feeling of tightness in your scrotum
- lower sperm count (although this has only been demonstrated in lab rats)
How long does it last?
Scrotox results typically last about three to four months.
Are more men getting wrinkle relaxing treatments?
We can't really speak for Scrotox as we're not aware of many (if any!) clinics on Glowday who offer this as a treatment. However, wrinnkle relaxing for men in more 'standard' areas is certainly a growing trend. More and more males are seeking help to sort their crows feet, forehead lines and general signs of ageing. Check out Mike's story here. Not only has he embraced wrinkle relaxing, he's also loving dermal fillers!
If you're interested in male aesthetic treatments, have a look who is near you on Glowday and book in for a consultation. If you're also in the market for a dab of Scrotox, your practitioner may be able to advise you on this and if they don't offer it, point you in the right direction.
