Spreading that message is the mission behind Pariah Underwear, a new line of luxury men’s underwear that's raising awareness for testicular cancer and other men’s health issues.
Thirteen years ago, founder Scott Petinga was diagnosed with early stage testicular cancer. While he’s currently free of the disease, Petinga’s 16 rounds of radiation treatment left him with one less testicle, infertile, and unable to properly produce hormones. To this day, he has to have the necessary hormones surgically implanted into his body every 10 weeks.
The last decade hasn’t been easy for him: “My muscles and my body are literally disintegrating,” Petinga told Men’s Health.
That’s why he donated $500,000 of his own money and partnered with the University of Southern California Norris to establish his own nonprofit, where a team of cancer researchers is devoted to studying the quality of life in testicular cancer patients after their treatment. But he wanted to take it one step further, so Pariah Underwear was born.
6 Things Every Man Should Know About His Penis:
After two years of testing different fabrics from various countries, Petinga finally developed trunks and briefs he was excited about, he says.
The underwear line uses a fabric called CLEANCOOL, which was scientifically tested to help eliminate germs and bacteria to help reduce potential odor. The boxer brief style, for instance, is designed to be moisture-wicking and antimicrobial. The best part? At just $13, they’re affordable—and more than 50 percent of the proceeds are donated to help fund men’s health research in testicular cancer and other health issues, like dementia and PTSD in men.
“You can have a luxurious, comfortable product that can also help change the world,” Petinga says.
Each box of underwear also comes with a flyer walking you through how to do a testicular self-exam. Even though testicular cancer isn’t as common as, say, prostate cancer, it’s still important to be aware of the warning signs, Jamin Brahmbhatt, M.D., a urologist at Orlando Health, says.
“Testicular cancer is most common in ages 15 to 35,” Dr. Brahmbhatt explains. “This group of guys is usually the healthiest, and therefore least likely to go see a doctor.”
“When it comes to testicular cancer, you can literally take screening in your own hands,” he adds. “I generally recommend checking your testicles once a month after a shower. Know what your ‘normal’ ball feels like so you know when it’s ‘abnormal.’”
The skin of your scrotum will be more relaxed during or after a shower, the ACS says. You should examine each testicle separately between your thumbs and fingers, feeling for any hard lumps, smooth rounded masses. Any change in the size, shape, or consistency of your testicles is also a major red flag.
If you do feel a lump or notice those changes, here’s exactly what you should do about it.