A comprehensive data analysis of genital injuries over the last decade conducted by UCSF researchers points to some practical tips for preventing a surprisingly common health problem in adults and children.
Benjamin Breyer, MD, lead author on a paper summarizing the findings, which appeared in November in The Journal of Urology, has responded to many queries from the popular press on the report, which described everything from skin pinched in zippers to lacerations from grooming pubic hair to bicycling injuries.
The data on which the study was based was collected through the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), a service of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The system uses information collected from 100 hospitals to estimate the national rates of a wide range of injuries related to consumer products.
Breyer and his UCSF colleagues are writing additional papers on specific genital injuries reported through NEISS. In the meantime, Breyer offers the following tips for preventing some of the most common injuries:
- Use non-slip bath mats and safety railings in the bathroom, especially if you are older. Slipping and falling in the bathroom were common causes of genital injuries in older men.
- Parents of potty-training boys may want to install a slow-release seat on their toilet to prevent crushing injuries to the penis from a falling lid.
- If you groom your pubic hair, take your time, and use a fresh safety razor, or better still, an electric razor, to prevent lacerations and infections.
Click here to read more about the study findings.
