PART 2 * * * 12 THINGS EVERY MAN SHOULD KNOW ABOUT HIS PENIS * * * BY TAYLOR KUBOTA, SEPT. 19, 2022 * * * FOR HEALTHIER LIVES AND BETTER SEX. * * * ZIPPER INJURIES: Research from the University of California, San Francisco found that zipper injuries were the most common cause of penile injury in adults. Between 2002 and 2010, 17,616 men made trips to ERs for zipper mishaps, accounting for nearly one-fifth of all penis injuries during this time. Should you ever find yourself in this unfortunate situation, make sure you're telling the truth about what kind of teeth bit you. "If you have a human bite injury and you go to get care and tell them it's a zipper injury, you could lose your penis," says Dr. Turek. Human mouths have all kinds of special bacteria that zippers don't, so injuries from the two are treated very differently. WHAT ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION MEANS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH: Beyond heart health, there are plenty of conditions that can affect your penis. "If you have a big belly and you're diabetic, and you have high blood pressure and you have a cholesterol issue, guess what? You're probably going to have an erection problem," says Turek. Basically, many health issues affect various organs and systems all over your body and your penis is not immune. Again, if your stuff is not acting quite right, go ahead and get a doctor's opinion. HEART HEALTH BY WAY OF PENIS: A man's penis health is a great indicator of his cardiovascular health in general. The penis has very small blood vessels running through it, which help create erections. If there is a problem in these small vessels, a man's erection will likely suffer. Therefore, erectile problems can be red flags for future heart problems (where bigger blood vessels are involved). This close relationship means that changes in erection are something to talk to your doctor about and that staying heart healthy is a good way to make sure your penis is healthy too. KEEPING IT CLEAN: Keeping your penis clean means a few different things. First, men should make sure to soap up and wash off down there, and be especially diligent if they are uncircumcised. Having a clean penis also means having safe sex and getting checked for STDs. "You carry your whole history with you, as does your partner," says Turek. Remember that all sexually active people are in a kind of sexual web. Even if you've slept with only one person, they may have slept with another and who knows how many partners that person has had? WHAT IS PHIMOSIS?: Phimosis is a condition where the foreskin of the penis can't be pulled back. This is common in children and usually resolves with age. It can also be the result of scarring, infection, or inflammation. Phimosis can lead to poor hygiene, infection, and even cancer, most likely due to an inability to clean under the foreskin. Men can use a topical ointment to soften the skin and pull it back. Circumcision is also used to treat phimosis. NEVER IGNORE BELOW-THE-BELT HEALTH PROBLEMS: Between risk-taking behaviors and less frequent doctor's visits, research has shown time and again that men aren't always on top of taking care of themselves. It's a different story when it comes down to a man and his penis. "MEN PAY APPROPRIATE ATTENTION TO THE WOOD," says Dr. Paul Turek, Men's Health Specialist and founder of the Turek Clinic. If anything, many of the concerns men have about their penises are nothing to worry about. (Of course, anything that seems off down below is still worth discussing with a medical professional).