Icing your balls in the sauna is a sensible way to cut the heat that reaches the testes, and it follows the same logic as the research on heat and sperm. No controlled study has tested it directly, so treat it as risk reduction, not a guarantee. The bigger problems with the DIY version are practical: ice on bare skin can injure it, and a loose pack slides, drips and warms up long before your session ends.
- Sauna heat raises scrotal temperature, and research links repeated sauna use to temporarily lower sperm count and motility.
- Cooling during the session reduces heat at the source. A cold plunge afterward can't undo exposure that already happened.
- Never put ice directly on scrotal skin. Always keep a fabric layer between the cold and your skin.
- Loose ice packs are hard to keep in place and don't stay cold long in sauna air.
- Purpose-built cooling briefs solve the positioning and skin-contact problems of DIY icing.
Want the cooling without holding an ice pack for the whole session? See how SaunaArmor cooling briefs work.
Why are men icing their balls in the sauna?
Men ice during sauna sessions because heat is one of the few lifestyle factors with a clear, measurable effect on sperm. The trend, often called "ice the boys", spread through biohacking and longevity circles as more people learned that their favorite recovery habit has a side effect below the belt.
The heat problem in one paragraph
The testes sit outside the body so they can stay a few degrees cooler than your core, because sperm production works best that way. In a traditional sauna, typically around 66–91°C (150–195°F), the air is hotter than your body, so that cooling gap shrinks.
A 2013 University of Padova study, published in Human Reproduction, found that men who used a sauna for 15 minutes twice a week for three months had lower sperm count and motility. The effect reversed, but only months after they stopped.
Session length is one of the easiest ways to manage that heat. See our guide on how much time to spend in the sauna.
Why not just skip the sauna?
Most men who sauna regularly do it for good reasons: recovery, sleep, stress relief and the ritual itself. Quitting is an option, but it's not the only one. Cooling the one area that needs to stay cool lets you keep the habit while cutting the part of the heat that affects sperm.
Does icing your balls in the sauna actually work?
The logic holds, but the direct proof doesn't exist yet. Research shows that heat lowers sperm quality. It follows that reducing heat to the testes during a session should reduce that effect. What no one has done is run a controlled trial of icing during sauna use and measured sperm afterward.
So here's the honest version. Cooling during the session is a reasonable, low-cost way to reduce your exposure. It is not a proven treatment, and it won't fix a fertility problem that has other causes. If you're trying to conceive, a semen analysis and a conversation with your doctor come first.
During the session beats after the session
Timing is the part most people get wrong. A cold plunge or cold shower after the sauna feels like cooling, and it is a great way to finish. But by then, the testes have already spent the whole session in the heat. If the goal is to reduce exposure, the cooling has to happen while you're sitting on the bench.
What are the risks of DIY icing?
The main risks are cold injury to the skin and cooling that doesn't stay where you need it. Neither is a reason to avoid cooling altogether, but both are reasons to do it properly.
Cold injury to thin skin
Standard first-aid advice for any ice pack is the same: don't put ice directly on bare skin, and wrap it in cloth. Scrotal skin is thin and sensitive, so that rule matters even more here. A frozen pack pressed straight against the skin can cause pain, numbness and, with long contact, an ice burn.
A cool layer that sits beneath the testes, with fabric in between, is gentler than raw ice held against them.
The practical problems
Even when it's safe, DIY icing is hard to do well for a full session:
- A loose pack slides out of position every time you shift on the bench.
- You end up holding it in place with your hand for the whole session.
- Ice and gel packs warm up quickly in sauna air.
- Meltwater drips onto the bench and your towel, which is awkward in a shared or public sauna.
DIY cooling methods compared
Each method solves part of the problem. The table below compares them on what actually matters in a sauna: whether you can use it hands-free, whether it stays put, whether there's a barrier between the cold and your skin, and whether it works during the session.
| Method | Hands-free | Stays in place | Barrier from skin | Works during session |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loose ice pack | No | No | Only if you wrap it | Yes, until it warms up |
| Frozen wet towel | No | No | No, the towel itself is the cold contact | Briefly |
| Frozen water bottle | No | No | Only if you wrap it | Yes, but awkward to position |
| Cold plunge or shower after | Yes | Not applicable | Not applicable | No, only after exposure |
| Cooling briefs with insert | Yes | Yes | Yes, built in | Yes |
How to cool safely if you try it
If you want to try cooling during your sessions, DIY or not, follow these six rules. They come down to one idea: cool, not frozen, and never on bare skin.
If you'd rather not improvise, SaunaArmor briefs handle rules one and three by design: the insert sits in a fabric pouch beneath the testes, so it never touches bare skin.
- Never put ice on bare skin. Wrap any pack in cloth or use gear with a fabric layer built in.
- Keep the barrier dry where you can. A soaked cloth transfers cold faster and adds to the mess.
- Cool from below, don't press. Let the cold sit beneath the testes rather than squeezing a pack against them.
- Stop if it goes numb or hurts. Numbness, burning or sharp pain means it's too cold or too long.
- Check your skin afterward. Redness that fades quickly is normal. Pale, waxy or blistered skin is not, and needs medical advice.
- Skip it if you have reduced sensation. If you have a condition that affects circulation or nerve sensation, ask your doctor before using cold on sensitive areas.
The purpose-built alternative to DIY icing
Cooling briefs keep the idea behind icing and fix the execution. Instead of holding a loose pack, you wear the cooling.
SaunaArmor cooling briefs have a 100% cotton body and a horizontal zip pouch that holds a reusable cooling insert beneath the testicles. The fabric of the pouch sits between the insert and your skin, which covers rule one on the checklist without any extra effort. The pouch keeps the insert in position while you sit and move, so your hands stay free and nothing drips onto the bench.
Using them takes three steps: freeze an insert before your session, zip it into the pouch, and sauna as usual. Each pair comes with two reusable inserts, so one can be in the freezer while you use the other. Sizes run from S to XXL; check the size chart before you order.
Stop holding an ice pack. SaunaArmor briefs come with two reusable cooling inserts and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
If your sauna isn't at home
Gym and public sauna users have an extra problem: the freezer is at home and the sauna isn't. The SaunaArmor insulated travel case holds up to eight inserts and keeps them frozen for up to four hours, long enough for a commute or a workout before your session.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to put ice on your testicles?
Not directly. Ice on bare scrotal skin can cause pain, numbness and cold injury. Always keep a fabric layer between the cold and your skin, and stop if the area goes numb or hurts.
How long should you ice during a sauna session?
Keep it to the length of a normal session, around 15–20 minutes, and always with a fabric barrier. The goal is steady cooling, not freezing. If the area goes numb or starts to hurt, remove it straight away.
Can I use a cold plunge instead of icing?
A cold plunge is great after the sauna, but it doesn't reduce the heat the testes took in during the session. For that, the cooling has to happen while you're in the heat.
Does icing work in an infrared sauna?
The same logic applies. Infrared saunas run at lower air temperatures but still raise body temperature. Cooling the area during the session reduces local heat either way.
The bottom line on icing in the sauna
Icing your balls in the sauna isn't a weird internet stunt. It's a practical response to real research on heat and sperm. The idea is sound, the proof is still indirect, and the DIY version is clumsy and easy to get wrong. If you want cooling to be part of every session, keep a barrier between the cold and your skin, cool during the session rather than after, and use gear that stays in place.
Explore the full Sauna Protocol range, including the thermal sauna cap, or read why we started.
Try SaunaArmor with a 30-day guarantee
This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. If you have concerns about your fertility, a medical condition affecting circulation or sensation, or any injury, speak with a doctor.