The Prepuce (Foreskin) & the Penis:

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Other Categories: Research Circumcision - Consequences of Circumcision - Religion & Circumcision
_What is the Foreskin (Prepuce)?

The foreskin- also known as the prepuce- is the flexible, doublelayered sheath of specialized skin that covers and protects the glans (or head) of the normal penis. The foreskin is a uniquely specialized, sensitive, and functional organ of touch. No other part of the body serves the same purpose.

The foreskin is an integral and important part of the skin system of the penis. It is a complex and sophisticated structure with many interesting and unique properties. No other part of the body's skin covering duplicates the amazing design and functional possibilities of the foreskin. Among the many interesting features of the foreskin is the fact that it is highly elastic, entirely devoid of any subcutaneous fat, and lined with a sheet of smooth muscle.

The foreskin is more than just skin; it is a complex, highly mobile, and beautifully engineered organ composed of an intricate web of blood vessels, muscle, and nerves. In fact, the foreskin contains about 240 feet of nerve fibers and tens of thousands of specialized erotogenic nerve endings of various types, which can feel the slightest pressure, the lightest touch, the smallest motion, the subtlest changes in temperature, and the finest gradations in texture.

Nature has designed the delicate glans (commonly called the head of the penis) to be an internal organ. In the normal, intact penis, the glans is a glistening, rich red or purple color. The foreskin protects the glans and keeps it in excellent condition.

In many ways, the foreskin is just like the eyelid. It covers, cleans, and protects the glans just as the eyelid covers, cleans, and protects the eye. Also, just as the eyelid can open and close to uncover the eye, so the foreskin can open to reveal the delicate glans. The foreskin's inside fold is lined with a smooth red tissue called mucous membrane. This type of tissue is also found lining the lips, the inside of the mouth, and the inner fold of the eyelid. The foreskin's soothing inner fold gently keeps the surface of the glans healthy, clean, shiny, warm, soft, moist, and sensitive.

From the book What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Circumcision
By M.D. Paul M. Fleiss, D.Phil Frederick M. Hodges

Anatomy of the Foreskin:

Proper Care of the Intact Penis

The male foreskin is fused to the head of the penis at birth (just like the female foreskin- the clitoral hood- is normally fused to the glans of infant and young preadolescent girls). This is the body's way of protecting the genitals against urine and feces. Because it is fused shut, bacteria and other foreign particles cannot invade. 

It is absolutely unnecessary to forcibly retract the foreskin to clean under it, and in fact- this will cause bleeding, scarring, and damage to the penis. Pulling it back before it is ready can also introduce foreign bacteria which can lead to infection.

The first person to retract a boy's foreskin should be the boy himself. Everyone else- hands off. The average age for this to happen is about 10 years old. About that time, the foreskin will start to become detached (although sometimes it is sooner, and sometimes it is later). Until about puberty, the body isn't producing anything that needs to be 'rinsed'. So if he gets especially dirty, sitting in a warm water bath (without soap) should take care of the cleaning. Once he can retract his own foreskin, he just needs to pull it back during a shower, rinse with warm water, and return it to the original position. No soap & no scrubbing under the foreskin. 

If child has been forcefully retracted, the best thing to do is stop retracting and let it heal. Please click here to get more information on what to do now and how to clean. Putting a boy into the bath several times a day helps. The body, air, and water are the best healers. Of course, you must be vigilant about watching for infection beyond the initial inflammation for the first week following forcible retraction.

Videos About the Foreskin
    FAQ About the Foreskin

    FAQ is currently under construction. Check back soon for updates!
    Forceful Retraction of the Foreskin

    If a child has been forcefully retracted, the best thing to do is stop retracting and let it heal.

    Putting a boy into the bath several times a day helps. The body, air, and water are the best healers. Of course, parents must be vigilant about watching for infection beyond the initial inflammation for the first week following forcible retraction. The other complication could be adhesions, but we're learning that they, too, usually resolve just as the normal balanopreputial membrane (synechia) resolves. So, the rest is just wait and see...

    Even if you have been retracting for a prolonged period of time, the same rules apply. Leave it alone, and wait until he retracts it on his own.

    If his foreskin doesn't fuse back to the glans, retraction and "cleaning" are still unnecessary. Because he hasn't gone through puberty yet, the body isn't producing anything that needs to be 'rinsed'. So if poop or something especially dirty gets in there, a warm water bath should take care of the cleaning.

    Once he can retract it on his own and reaches puberty, the only thing he should do is use warm water to rinse. No soap, no scrubbing.

    Confusion Surrounding the Foreskin

    Phimosis:
    Hypospadias:

    UTI:
    Foreskin Resources
    Restoring Foreskin