Swamp Crotch

"Can you address swamp crotch?"

Sweaty balls. What guy hasn't been there? We can shower and a few hours later, The Boys are wet with perspiration. And, if left long enough, the odor can waft right through the pants. 

Swamp Crotch = Crotch Funk. It's caused by normal bacteria on the skin that mixes with sweat. While some people like the odor, others find it untenable. 

Even if we aren't exercising.

"How to Beat Swamp Crotch" from MensHealth makes some good suggestions.

Anti-perspirants can clog pores, so you don't want to use that on your bits. There are a ton of brands of deodorants out there to choose from. But there are other things you can do to help the situation.

After a shower, try OffCourt - a powder body spray, which might end up like the FreshBalls by the end of the day. The powder turns to a slimy mess. 

Or ToppCock Silver, a gel made specifically for the balls. Put it on after your shower.

Both use all-natural ingredients (just like Fresh Balls) so ingestion is perfectly safe.

Switch to 100% cotton briefs. Cotton is more breathable than micro-modal materials popular today.

While many of the newer men's briefs tout "moisture-wicking" material, for men whose groins sweat profusely they don't work. They still end up with wet crotches and butt cracks.

One really good solution: Get some Dude Wipes - On the Go.

They're individually wrapped and come in fragrance free or Mint Chill (which might help cool things down a bit). You can go into the men's room and freshen up during the day. But please, do not flush them after use. Any plumber or person who works in a sewer treatment plant will tell you wipes don't break down all that well. That can clog pipes - especially older cast iron ones.

Lastly, if you don't piss "balls out," start. 

Give the area some fresh air to dry out a bit.

And speaking of balls....

I totally missed Buddy Ball Check over this past weekend.

I trust you all remembered and did the deed.

Simple Is Best

More strife expressed during the isolation as we find ourselves in situations we haven't faced in a long while, if ever.

“I’ve followed your blog for quite some time. Thank you for all the help and advice you provide. Because I’m cut one of the things I do because of it is putting Vit E oil on the head of my pecker like you suggested. The sensitivity returned and it really does help the skin stay soft. If my wife sees me doing this she laughs for some reason. I don’t comment on her grooming or vaginal hygiene habits. I’ve shot her some frowns and but it hasn’t helped. What can I say to stop the harassment?”

I don’t know. Maybe you could growl, “You suddenly have a problem with my pecker?” Or, you could smile, and wink. “Want me to show you why?” But in all seriousness, simple is best. Just explain to her why you do it. It keeps the skin soft and moist, it prevents the development of callous from the constant rubbing against the material of your pants, or briefs if you wear them. As a result, it maintains the level of sensitivity you were born with.

It's worth noting, folks, we need to respect boundaries. We may be in this for a while yet, and we all need at least a modicum of privacy once in a while. If you typically weren't in the bathroom at the same time, showering, shaving, or whatever, don't do it now.

And, remember, we all need solitude once in a while. We need our "me time." That doesn't necessarily translate to anything sexual. It can simply mean we want to sit and read, 

or take a nap.

Or simply chill.

On Genital Grooming

JoyLovePeaceHappiness had another question for everyone.

"I was wondering if there's some good advice on genital grooming; what to use, styles, do guys shave their scrotums or just the shaft, how far down under do they go, etc. 

Shave with an electric body shaver, and I love how smooth things are. I clean up the shaft, balls and try to go down under as far as I can. 

Would guys like someone else to groom them? I think that would be quite the turn on."

As I've posted before, guys should, at the very least, do something to remove the hair from the shaft.

Everything else is personal preference.

There are tons of men who regularly go for waxing. 

Or sugaring; same process using melted sugar instead of wax.

But, I think a lot of guys do some level of manscaping in the region. I used to shave the shaft, the scrotum and the perineum. Then I decided to go for laser removal. Did the shaft, sac, perineum, and butt crack. While it's supposed to be permanent, there are a few spots I still have to shave. The rest is kept neat with a beard trimmer.

In the dancing days, visible hair was not allowed. Shaving was mandatory. You wouldn't spot a hairy man on stage. - Hairy bodies are not fun to watch. So, we helped each other shave.

Did anyone pop a boner? Once in a while, sure. You just shrugged and moved on. Shaving the shaft is much easier with an erection, anyway.

But, answer his questions, if you dare. 😁
Do you groom?
If so, what method, and what parts?

Grooming

A question about grooming hit my inbox only a few days after an article about pubic grooming. What more sign is needed than that?

"I was reading the other day about hair on the shaft of the dick and balls. Whereas hairy balls are something that we can relate to more easily (although generally we see clean ballsacks on pictures), it seems more uncommon (or is it?) to have hair on the shaft. Could you talk about that on a post?
In addition, I’d like to say something I was thinking about and I think it relates to this subject as well: when there are buddies naked together, we’ve learned to not be shameful about our bodies, ok, but in a way there might still be something that is socially imposed that makes us believe there’s something wrong with looking. I was thinking how healthy it would be if we weren’t scared of looking and pointing out “oh, you’ve got hair on the shaft” and that being alright. When I think of this scenario, first I think it would be as if the guy was judging the other for having the “wrong” genetics, but if it’s done without judgement and even curiosity, it must be a truly male bonding experience! - H"

When you hit the gym locker room you've probably noticed some of the dudes have manscaped. 

Approximately 50% of men admit to some degree of manscaping. To shave, to wax, to sugar (a form of waxing only with melted sugar), to pluck the pubic area is truly a personal choice. 

But...guys should at least be removing the hair from the shaft of the cock. Hair does grow along the shaft to varying degrees. It can be quite the irritant during penetrative activity.

My own grooming began many years ago. It's cooler. Less sweat means less itch. Less itch means less groping and scratching. I opted for laser hair removal from the shaft and scrotum. It was fast, pretty painless and, after 7 treatments, permanent. But, it can be pricey, though there are now home laser systems. There is no need to go "full Monty" on your pubes, either. You can remove the hair from cock and sac, trim the bush a bit and leave the rest of your body natural.

I use a beard trimmer (rather than scissors) with a length guide to keep the rest at about 5/8".

For a full explanation of different styles of manscaping the pubes and options for safely accomplish it, read the Healthline article "Manscaping Guide to Healthy, Well-Groomed Pubic Hair."

As far as guys being comfortable enough to talk to one another about genital issues, well, that's another post.