Maybe someone should have realized that putting sharp metal teeth next to sensitive genitalia was a bad idea, but since the zipper's invention in 1913, the device has proven immensely popular, replacing the button fly on most trousers, jeans and pants. Now we're paying the price for the zipper's speed and efficiency at the emergency room.
According to a new study from the urology journal BJU International, 17,616 people went to the ER in the United States from 2002 to 2010 with genital injuries caused by zippers.
University of California San Francisco urology resident Herman Singh Bagga, who authored the study, explains Zipper injuries are the single most common cause of penile injury in adult men reporting to emergency rooms. In small boys, the most common cause of penile injury is a toilet seat slamming down while the kid is urinating, but Zippers are right up there at number two.
If it does happen to you – and you can extricate yourself – Dr. Bagga recommends washing thoroughly and using an antibacterial ointment. Although it’s rare, these injuries can and have caused abscesses or cellulitis.
Mostly it’s a pain issue – as Bagga, who was once a victim himself, says, “It can really ruin your night.”
I vividly remember catching little Willie in my zipper when I was about 10! We were at a square dance and it happened in the boys bathroom. I was screaming- "I want my Mommy!!" as loud as possible, but no one knew which mommy was wanted!
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