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Experts have spoken to British newspaper The Daily Mail about how various pants can cause anything from allergies to pain.
'We always recommend men wear pants made from absorbent materials such as cotton'
Are you a silk lover, or do you know a guy who favours the material? It may look sophisticated but it could cause a 'jock itch' - when areas where the skin creases form red sore patches known as intertrigo, a form of dermatitis. This is caused by the material of underwear, with silk not the best option.
"Intertrigo is usually caused by a combination of eczema, a slight fungal infection (fungi particularly like warm, moist areas) and an irritant such as sweat - so men who exercise a lot may be prone to it, as too are men generally in the summer," Adam Friedmann, a consultant dermatologist at the Whittington Hospital and the Harley Street Dermatology Clinic in London, UK, explained.
"To prevent it or reduce its symptoms we always recommend men wear pants made from absorbent materials such as cotton which will soak up sweat and wick it away from the skin."
The same goes for other materials like Lycra or nylon, and the tighter the underwear the more prone the area will be to this condition. Men should go for breathable fabric like cotton to let air circulate.
And if a male suffers from aches and pains in their testicles they may want to go for tight cotton underwear for support. It can affect men aged between 20 and 40, and Zaki Almallah, a consultant urologist at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and BMI The Priory Hospital in Birmingham, UK, believes snug options can help.
"Some men experience this regularly, while for others it occurs after ejaculation, or after sitting for a long time while driving, for example," he said.
"With looser-fitting underpants the testes are less compressed, so in principle this should be less painful, but some men find that tighter underwear is preferable because it reduces movement, and therefore the impact on the testes - it is a matter of trial and error."
Though if it causes more discomfort don't go for fitted pants, and seek professional help instead.
Allergies are also common in this area and if men suffer from skin conditions such as eczema anyway then the type of underwear they choose could trigger them. It's the rubber in the elastic waist which is known to cause a reaction, and Dr. Friedmann recommends sticking to well-known brands rather than cheaper options as the less money they are, the more likely they'll case an allergy.
One thing all men should do is change their underwear every day. Wearing the same pants for days on end will increase chances of fungal infections like candida and thrush; which is the last thing a man wants.
"This mainly relates to bacteria from the backside, and the fact that men get sweaty and often scratch themselves there, so the underwear wouldn't stay bug-free," Dr. Friedmann added.
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