As summer vacation begins for many, it’s time to rest, escape, get a tan and… a bigger penis? You may have already heard of this funny phenomenon, which some call the “summer penis” in English (“summer penis” in the language of Molière). The principle is simple: many men notice, each summer, a difference in the size or volume of their penis as seasonal temperatures increase. A phallic myth or a scientifically established physiological reality?
Collective “hallucination”?
Might as well break the legend now. Gentlemen, at the risk of disappointing you, there is, to date, no serious scientific study that has demonstrated an influence of summer heat on the size of your member. So no longer and wider penis in summer, end of explanation?
Not so fast. If the summer penis is not an officially recognized medical condition, specialists recognize that heat can affect this impression. A well-known phenomenon could be at work behind this voluminous upheaval: vasodilation. When the outside temperature increases, the body naturally seeks to release excess heat. The blood vessels located near the skin then dilate, promoting blood circulation and, ultimately, cooling the body.
By increasing blood flow through vasodilation, a warm environment could indirectly promote firmer erections in some men.
As the penis is an extremely vascularized organ, when blood flow increases, the tissues, particularly the corpora cavernosa, may appear slightly fuller. In other words, the penis may seem larger than usual, especially when it is at rest.
And erect? A warm environment, by increasing blood circulation through vasodilation, could indirectly promote firmer erections in some men. But here we are simply talking about an erection which may seem more complete or easier to obtain: the size of the penis remains limited by its anatomy and will not increase tenfold. So no bigger member this summer, but rather a feeling of volume at rest and erections in action-reaction mode.
Testicles under the heatwave
Heat, humidity, relaxation… This impression of big summer sex varies greatly depending on the conditions, but also depending on the individual. While many claim to notice a significant difference during the summer, others – particularly on social networks (yes, this article also asked us to do some unusual research) – only observe a marginal difference in volume.
On the other hand, the position of the testicles, particularly low in summer, seems to be unanimous. The phenomenon is studied scientifically. When it’s hot, the testicles naturally descend. The scrotum, which contains the testicles, tends to appear looser in hot weather, particularly under the influence of the cremaster and dartos muscles.
Far from anxiety and daily stress, we perhaps have more time to observe from top to bottom those private parts that we bundle up in winter…
Why this testicular lift? It’s actually a protective mechanism. To keep the testicles at an ideal temperature located approximately 2 to 3°C below that of the rest of the body, essential for good sperm production, everything is done to ensure that the testicles move away from the body in order to cool themselves better. And, we give you a thousand, this pendulum mode also has an English name: the “summer long balls” (no need to translate, you get the idea).
And if we were to return for a moment to this story of a penis boosted during the heatwave, we must also clarify one point. Summer is also the time when we relax, where we let go, where our senses are awakened and where our libido is increased tenfold. Far from anxiety and daily stress, we are simply more stimulated and we perhaps have more time to thoroughly observe those private parts that we bundle up in winter…
A “winter penis”?
And if it were there, the real visible difference: that of winter penis? It will not have escaped your attention, but in winter, the rods at rest tend to make their faces. Winter temperatures are clearly not their thing and it’s scientifically proven.
When the temperature drops, particularly below 10°C, the body triggers the same vasoconstriction mechanism, but with the opposite effect! To maintain heat in vital organs, blood vessels tighten. The blood supply then decreases to the extremities, considered by the body as parts not essential for immediate survival, such as the hands, feet and… the penis. And yes, the body has its priorities and puts the brain first!
As a result, the penis temporarily retracts. In certain conditions of intense cold, the apparent length of the penis at rest can even decrease by up to 50% and its width by up to 30%. On the testicle side, this is again the opposite effect of high heat: here, the cremaster muscle contracts in order to bring the testicles closer to the body and maintain their temperature.
And what about women besides that? Men are far from being the only ones to experience seasonal variations. In winter, cold and dry air, associated with indoor heating, promotes dehydration of the skin and mucous membranes, for example. Some women may experience greater vaginal dryness during this period, a phenomenon sometimes nicknamed… the “winter vagina”.
