How to Suppress an Erection

Last Updated: November 29, 2021 References Approved

Erections are a perfectly healthy and normal part of life so you should not be embarrassed by them. Erections are only awkward if you make them awkward. But sometimes erections can distract you from your task or you would prefer not to have one at the moment. The best advice is to own it and not draw attention to it. Until then follow these tips.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Preventing Distraction

1
Wear pants and underwear that fit properly. You can keep erections from being obvious, and even keep them from occurring and sticking around, if you wear the right pants and underwear. Wear well-fitting boxer briefs and pants that fit your frame.^{[1]
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- Loose underwear or pants can cause your erection to spring free and to bulge more obviously, and make it more difficult to go away as the sensitive head rubs against the fabric.
2
Wear dark pants. Dark pants show contrast less than lighter colored pants. So, if you get an erection and you're wearing white jeans, it'll be a lot more obvious than if you're wearing dark-colored pants. If you're worried about getting erections you won't be able to control, wear dark blue, black, or other dark colors in your bottom half. If you're prone to leaking pre-cum fluid when erect this will make the stains less noticeable.
3
Wear longer shirts.^{[2]
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Research source} If you've got a shirt that sags a little lower than your waist band, it'll be easier to cover things up in an emergency. Oversized t-shirts, jackets, or jerseys can come in handy when you're struggling with your hormones.
4
Avoid sexual stimuli. It's tough to do, but the less you think erotic thoughts, the less likely an unwanted erection will be.^{[3]
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Research source} If you don't want a noticeable bulge, avoid thinking about sex or looking at sexual imagery.
- Again, it's difficult to avoid sexual stimulation sometimes, and erections don't always happen when you're stimulated by anything. Sometimes, your body just doesn't cooperate because your hormones are running wild. That's totally normal.
5
Relax. Getting erections is perfectly normal, though it can be distracting when you're in public or in a delicate situation. If you feel one coming on, try to keep your mind off it and not get too excited. The most important thing to keep in mind while you're struggling is that there's nothing wrong with you and it's best to stay calm.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Covering Up the Evidence

1
Sit down.^{[4]
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Research source} If you're standing up and get an erection, it can be pretty obvious. If you want to cover it up, try sitting down and crossing your legs if necessary. This can help open up some room in your pants, if they're too tight, and make your situation less obvious. Shifting your knees up usually lets some space into your pants.
- If you're in public, try to sit down anywhere, but a chair with arms would be ideal. Any kind of reclining chair that you can sink back into would be perfect. But anything will do in a pinch.
- If you can, just head to a bathroom or your bedroom to do some rearranging. Both are as good a hiding spot as there could be.
2
Shift it around. Depending on your body, it can be more or less comfortable to shift the evidence somewhere it will be less visible. If you can, try to move things around a bit with your hand, or by shifting your hips a little as quietly as possible.
- Shift it to point up, or point down, along the line of your zipper. The zipper in your pants creates a natural kind of bulge anyway, so it'll be less obvious if you can tuck it in that direction. Check to make sure that the head doesn't stick up above your belt line.
- If your erection is oriented sideways, that's often the most obvious and uncomfortable. Try to shift it up or down if you can.
- If you handle your erection too much people might think you are stimulating yourself. You might even ejaculate if you shift it around too much.
3
Use a book or your backpack to cover your lap.^{[5]
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- If you are in school, or a similar place and you get an erection, look at the clock. How much time do you have until you need to move?
- If you're at the swimming pool, use your towel. Lay on a beach chair or in the sand until it goes away.
4
Wait it out. Try to get your mind off what's going on down under and think about something else while you wait it out. Even tenacious ones will go away after a couple of minutes, usually, without having to do anything about it.
- If you can't get it to go away by waiting, go to the next section to learn some more techniques.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Making Erections Go Away

1
Exercise. If you want your erection to go away, start doing something physical. Go outside and get some exercise for a while, and that erection will go away pretty quickly, usually more quickly than waiting. Make your muscles burn and it'll go away, because your body will need that blood elsewhere.
- Drop down and do ten pushups quickly, then try to do 30-40 sit-ups. This will usually do the trick. Go jogging with an erection, if you prefer.
- Sometimes, just the act of focusing your attention on some sport or game can also do the trick. Keep exercising to get your body working and get rid of some of that frustration.
- Swimsuit erections can be some of the most obvious. If one happens in the water, start doing some serious lap-swimming.
- Alternately contract the large muscles in your legs to draw the blood away from your crotch.^{[6]
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  Research source} This is useful when you are sitting in class.
2
Eat something. Eating a meal will help your body focusing its attention elsewhere. Eating causes blood to flow to your digestive system, helping you to process your food and convert it into energy. Try eating some raw seeds, oatmeal, or citrus fruit to improve your blood flow and get your body busy in other ways.^{[7]
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3
Take a warm shower or bath. While a "cold shower" is the common advice for a horned-up teenager, cold temperatures can actually promote sperm production, while hot temperatures can actually make you less fertile for the time being.^{[8]
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Research source} While that doesn't necessarily have any bearing on the erection you've got, it can help in the long term.^{[9]
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Research source} A bath of any sort is a good idea.
4
Think about something gross or complicated. The old joke goes that a guy's only got enough blood in his body to run either his brain or his penis, but not both. There's some truth to it.^{[10]
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Research source} If you can't do something active or out-wait your erection, try to out-wit it by doing any of the following things:
- Think about the true nature of being. Decide what happens when you die.
- Complete this problem in your head: (1567 x 34)(143 - 56)
- Picture old people in nursing homes eating lunch.
- Try to write a rhyming Petrarchan sonnet.
- Imagine eating raw jellyfish.
- Read Aristotle.
- Do a sudoku or a crossword puzzle.
- Remember the time you stepped in dog poop with bare feet.
5
Pinch your leg gently.^{[11]
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Research source} If you absolutely can't do anything else to get rid of your erection, you can try causing yourself an extremely gentle but noticeable amount of physical pain. Pinch your thigh firmly to cause a distracting sensation and get your attention to focus elsewhere. Only do it for a second or two, and then stop if it doesn't work, and try another method.
- Never, under any circumstances, should you attempt to injure or cause pain to your genitals to get an erection to go away. It's a perfectly normal and natural thing to happen to your body. And it'll go away eventually.
- If you have to give your body some sensation to get rid of an erection, there's nothing wrong with or unhealthy about occasional masturbation. It makes erections go away most times.

Community Q&A

Question

Is it natural to get erection at the age of 12 to 15?

Socialist Tsar

Community Answer

That is the time when puberty starts to occur, so yes, it is natural.
Question

Is it true that I get an erection when I see attractive girls because I'm a virgin?

Community Answer

No, all young males get erections when they are sexually attracted to someone.
Question

Will an erection go away if I'm completely submerged in water, for example, a pool, bath, or beach?

Tom De Backer

Top Answerer

Cold water will help, yes, though it's not a guarantee. Use the other tips and tricks in this article simultaneously.

Warnings

There's nothing physically dangerous about practicing healthy masturbation. Orgasms make erections go away most times.

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