All men notice this effect on their penis, especially if they immerse themselves in low-temperature waters : with the cold , the virile organ diminishes and becomes wrinkled and soft, more endearing than phallic. Since the size of the member in almost all cultures is the subject of jokes and comparisons , this shrinkage is feared among men because it is mistakenly associated with a loss of virility.
In some areas of Southeast Asia, for example, a psychosomatic syndrome called koro is diagnosed: those affected believe that their penis is gradually shrinking, that it is retracting into the belly and that they will eventually die from it . Although it is an imaginary disease, it poses problems, as those affected try to counteract it with remedies such as hanging weights and brutal stretching.
The reality is that this shrinking of the virile member is a natural effect without major consequences. As the temperature drops, blood vessels contract throughout the body to carry warm blood to internal organs. That inevitably makes the penis smaller. In addition, a part of it is hidden to prevent heat loss in the fatty tissue that covers the pubic bone, and it makes it look like it goes inwards. On the other hand, to save sperm, the testicles are also pressed against the body to keep warm and protect that kind of nest in which the body produces germ cells.
There is no point in worrying about what in the United States is called turtling ( turtle effect , because of the way these animals hide under their shells). When the temperature recovers, the member and the testicles expand again and leave the cave without major consequences.
