Doctor warns men may soon begin experiencing the dramatic effects of a 'winter penis'

Winter is well and truly on the way, and it turns out - for the men among us at least - there is more to worry about than just the heating bills going up.

As the temperature grows ever colder and the nights draw in, many of us will begin to suffer from a spot of seasonal sadness, knowing that we have a long while to wait for summer to return.

And as well as trying to fend off the common cold, some men could also be struck down by another ailment - a winter penis.

A winter penis is apparently a thing... Credit: wakila/Getty Images

Fresh off the back of a summer penis - the sensation when a person's manhood temporarily appears larger in the warm weather - comes the winter penis, which is - unfortunately - the opposite.

In the winter, men are more prone to experience some shrinkage due to the blood vessels in the extremities contracting in the cold, in order for the body to direct heat to more vital organs such as the heart and lungs.

Dr Sarah Jarvis, who is a general practitioner and clinical director of Patient.info, told The Sun: "Technically winter penis is a thing.

"Basically, in winter your body retains heat by shutting down blood vessels on the surface.

"We know that one of the most obvious places, because it has a very large surface area, is the penis."

She revealed that the testicles tend to get smaller when the weather is cold, and could be "drawn higher up into the scrotum".

Any shrinkage is thankfully only temporary. Credit: michellegibson/Getty Images

Now, the thought of your manhood being deprived of blood may sound a bit scary, but it's actually a totally normal thing to happen - and fear not, it's not permanent, either.

She explained: "It is not a physical permanent change, if you warm up then it will go back to normal.

"Do not panic, it may well look smaller, just go into a warm room or have a nice warm bath and you will be fine."

And for those wondering if it will affect your performance between the sheets, the winter penis won't cause any direct issues that weren't there before, such as erectile dysfunction.

One thing that may affect your sex drive in the winter is seasonal affective disorder (commonly known as SAD), which affects many people when it gets colder and darker for extended periods of time.

And, of course, when we eventually broach the winter, it will soon be time to look forward to the opposite phenomenon - the summer penis.

Any shrinkage is thankfully only temporary. Credit: michellegibson/Getty Images

Dr. Chun Tang, a General Practitioner at Pall Mall Medical, previously explained: "So, ‘summer penis’ is a term people use to describe when a male's penis seems a bit bigger or fuller during hot weather."

He told The Sun: "It’s not an official medical thing, just something people have noticed and talked about."

The effect is tied to the way warm weather impacts the body, particularly the blood vessels. “The idea is that in warmer months, especially when it’s hot and humid, the heat causes your blood vessels to expand a bit, which can make things down there look a bit different,” he said.

The hot weather can have a more pleasing effect on the manhood. Credit: Alexander Spatari/Getty Images

"Some men notice that their penis looks a little larger, especially when it’s flaccid," he added. "Because of the increased blood flow, it might feel a bit softer or more relaxed than usual.”

However, as with all good things, that effect will also come to an end when the weather cools down again.

You win some, you lose some.

Featured image credit: wakila/Getty Images