Definition of a Suspensory

Suspensory uses fabric and distance to control the temperature of a man's genitalia, conditions that combine to change sperm. Suspensory is also used to protect and restore the function of recently injured testes. The specially designed undergarment is also used by some men as a form of birth control.

How a Suspensory Works

• The temperature of testes is generally between 1-2 degrees Celsius below a man's overall body temperature. Slightly raising testes temperature decreases the rate of sperm cell development. It also weakens the strength of the sperm that are produced by the testes. Suspensory, or special male undergarments, keep the testes closer to the body than do normal underwear. Suspensory stimulates hidden or obscure testis and helps the cremaster, the muscle that covers the testis, to relax and move away from the body. That lowers sperm count and potency.

Suspensory Effectiveness

• In 1994 Dr. Roger Mieusset and a team of French researchers conducted clinical trials on suspensory garments to see how effective the garments were as contraceptives. Findings indicated that a single suspensory design used in conjunction with a soft painless, elastic rubber ring that wrapped around an erect penis and held the testes in inguinal canals, the muscle that connects the testes' two scrotal sacs to the abdominal cavity, were 100 percent effective in preventing pregnancy. Each of the men who participated in the clinical trials showed decreased sperm counts. When the men stopped wearing the suspensory and the ring their sperm counts increased.

Time Involved

• It took some men who participated in Dr. Roger Mieusset's 1994 study only two months to show a drop in their sperm count. Other men did not show a drop until they had participated in the study for nine months. Generally it takes two months for newly developed sperm to move through a man's reproductive system. Because of this the soonest that a man's sperm count and potency would decrease is two months.

Suspensory Side Effect

• During hot weather wearing a suspensory design can cause a man to chafe in the crotch area. This side effect associated with wearing the design has not proven to be permanent. Sperm count and potency levels can return to normal for men 12-18 months after they stop wearing a suspensory design. A man can impregnate a woman in as little as three to eight months after discontinuing the use of a suspensory.

Suspensory Usages

• A suspensory is used to control sperm count to avoid impregnating a woman. The undergarment is also used to assist in the treatment of a man's injured suspensory ligament. The ligament is located above the penis and below the abdomen. A hard blow to the abdomen or the impact of the penis thrusting into a woman's pelvic bone during sexual intercourse can cause the ligament to tear. A decrease in an erected penis angle and low sperm count can be signs that you have injured your sensory ligament. Your sensory ligament can also be cut during surgery. An ultrasound will likely be taken of the affected area. Typically rests of several weeks to several months is all that is required to repair the injury. However, in some instances you might need to have a surgical procedure performed to repair the suspensory.

Considerations

• Suspensory undergarments are available in different types. There are designs that look similar to a jock strap. The design comes with a soft latex sheaf that snaps over the testis. There are also core design suspensory undergarments that work like a mesh pouch to hold the testis and expose the base of the penis. The garments are pulled on and worn the same as you would pull on a normal pair of underwear. Suspensories are available in sizes from small to large at prescription drug stores like Walgreens. To be effective, designs should be worn daily while sleeping.