Life

'Winter Willy' - why your penis may look different this time of year

'Winter Willy' - why your penis may look different this time of year
Credit: Deon Black Pexels

Temperatures have plunged and our bodies now have to adapt to below-freezing conditions.

The cold winter weather can cause changes in our bodies, and even affect the appearance of our body parts.

'Winter penis' or 'winter willy' has been used to describe the effect the cold snap has on a person's penis and why it may look different this week.

Speaking to the Sun UK, Dr. Sarah Jarvis GP said "When your cold your body is going to try and maintain its internal heat and therefore it will shrink the blood vessels, so you might think your penis looks a little bit small. If you are really, really cold, then you will shrink."

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The opposite effect is shown in higher temperatures, as a heatwave can cause a "summer penis" -a penis that looks bigger due to blood vessels expanding.

Other effects of the colder weather on the body include dry mouth, tooth pain and more frequent urination.

According to Benenden Hospital UK,  the cold weather causes us to sweat less and to lose less fluid through sweating. Consequently, we produce more urine to lose excess fluid.

The Sun UK also reports that the cold weather can cause tooth enamel to crack, resulting in more tooth sensitivity. We tend to clench our teeth in cold weather, as our body tenses up, and this clenching and grinding places stress on our teeth as well.

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