Ballmaxxing: what is it, what are the risks and what does it say about us?

HELLO. Adorable velvet seeds <3

For around ten days, an intriguing new term has taken over all social media platforms: BALLMAXXING.

Behind this somewhat obscure English word lies a growing body-modification trend that is generating a LOT of discussion (and raising concerns among health experts). So, we’re going to tell you all about it, without judgement or beating around the bush, because we believe that informing is already protecting.

So before diving back into frantic scrolling, let’s take five minutes to unpack this phenomenon together: what it actually is, why it generates such hype on social media and, above all, what it says about our society and our bodies.

What exactly is ballmaxxing?

Ballmaxxing is therefore a practice that involves injecting a liquid (usually saline solution or, more simply, glucose solution, i.e. salty or sugary water) directly into the scrotum. Yes, the skin surrounding the testicles. The aim? To increase their volume.

This trend is part of the body-hacking movement, which involves radical physical modification outside any medical process by a large number of internet users. 

The name itself comes from the English "maxxing" — maximising — a phrase that has gone viral in certain online communities that encourage people to "optimise" their appearance or masculinity at all costs.

But here is an important detail: the result is not permanent. Once injected, the liquid is reabsorbed by the body within a few hours, sometimes a few days. The result? You have to start again. And that is precisely where the risks accumulate.

Why is it buzzing so much?

On Reddit, a community dedicated to ballmaxxing already has more than 8,700 members. On TikTok and Instagram, the videos keep coming, often presented as "electrifying", "transcendental" or "addictive" experiences — the words used by practitioners themselves.

But why such enthusiasm? The answer is as much social as it is personal.

A 2024 survey reveals that nearly 42% of respondents report feeling growing social pressure to adopt behaviours promoted by viral content around masculinity and physical performance. Ballmaxxing follows this logic: show, prove, maximise.

It's also linked to the culture of "maxxing" in general — looksmaxxing, gigachad, sigma male... — trends circulating in certain masculinist corners of the internet that promise that by "optimising" your body, you gain power, desirability and status. A seductive message, especially for young men looking for guidance. But one that deserves to be faced head-on.

What are the real medical risks?

Spoiler: they mean business. And doctors and sexologists have been sounding the alarm since the trend took off.

Actions performed without training

These injections are carried out by untrained people, neither technically nor in terms of hygiene. We are talking about infusions done at home, using equipment bought online. This context immediately creates a significant risk of infection.

Complications that can be serious

Dr Gilbert Bou Jaoudé, a sexologist, warns in particular of the risk of damaging the vas deferens — the ducts that carry sperm — and therefore causing infertility. In the most serious cases, infections can lead to testicular necrosis. Not to mention erectile dysfunction and the consequences for self-image.

Contrary to what one might think by analogy with muscles, traumatising the testicles does not make them "grow": the biological mechanisms are entirely different. There is nothing to gain medically — and a great deal to lose.

A worrying figure

A 2025 study reveals that 19% of young men who follow viral content about masculinity report having tried unsupervised practices to modify their bodies. This is no longer anecdotal.

What ballmaxxing says about our gender expectations

Let's take a step back. Because the real question isn't just "is it dangerous?" — it's: why do people get to that point?

Ballmaxxing did not emerge in a vacuum. It arises in a context where male bodies are increasingly subject to performance pressures: being tall, muscular, virile, imposing. Social media amplifies these images, makes them omnipresent and normalises them. And some online communities turn this diffuse pressure into a programme of action — with "techniques" to apply in order to "improve".

It is reminiscent of other phenomena we have analysed here: extreme diets, the widespread use of steroids among young men, and muscle dysmorphia — the obsession with never being big enough, strong enough or visible enough.

The question to ask isn't "how can we do it better?" but "why do we feel this need?" What image of ourselves are we trying to build? For whom? And at what cost?

These questions deserve to be asked with curiosity and kindness — not shame.

What if we talked about it differently? 

Exploring your body, without risks

We’re not here to tell anyone what to do with their body. Everyone is free to make their own choices. But we also believe that the freest choices are those based on real information.

If the idea behind ballmaxxing is to explore new sensations, feel more comfortable in your body or enrich your intimate life — there are ways to do so without risking your health:

→ Explore scrotal stimulation through massage or suitable toys

→ Consult a sexologist to discuss your relationship with your body and performance

→ Question what the desire for change says about your self-esteem

→ Taking care of yourself first: sleep, diet, movement, social connections — these are what truly nurture self-confidence

If you are a healthcare professional or sexologist and would like to share your expertise on this subject, please do not hesitate to contact us.