Why the 'Penis' Don’t Like the Cold

Penises are kind of divas: They do what they want, when they want and give zero effs what you or the penis owner has to say about it. While we totally respect that, we were curious why chilly temps make them duck and cover—so we asked.
One urologist says you can expect a penis to shrivel by about 50 percent in length and 20 to 30 percent in girth when you’re exposed to any air temperature below 60 degrees.

“When men [and humans in general] get cold cold, their blood vessels constrict, which limits blood flow to the penis,” says Darius Paduch, the director of sexual health and medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine. “This causes it to decrease in size.”
Seems like a cruel biological joke, but there’s actually an

evolutionary benefit to shrinkage.

The body is programmed to preserve heat and energy. So in the cold, it funnels its resources into maintaining blood flow to the middle of your body, where your vital organs are. But in order to do that, the body has to reduce blood flow to appendages—like fingers, toes, and his package.

Meanwhile, the testicles retract and rise closer to the rest of your body so they can also stay warm, says Paduch.

We all laugh about shrinkage—thanks in part to that classic Seinfeld episode—but for some guys, it can actually be a really uncomfortable experience.

That’s because when blood flow decreases, the penis becomes rubbery. And when it jostles around in a guy's underwear or pants, it can cause pesky or even painful friction, says Paduch.
The solution: Sporting boxer briefs can keep his penis contained and reduce friction, he says.

If a new pair doesn't do the trick, his doctor may prescribe an erectile dysfunction (ED) drug like Cialis to help relax the smooth muscles and increase blood flow in his penis. Surprisingly, this won’t trigger an insta-boner since ED drugs require him to be aroused in order to boost an erection.
Fortunately, shrinkage doesn’t last long. Once he enters a warmer climate, like the indoors, his body will heat back up, blood will flow freely again, and his penis will return to its normal size in minutes.