Foreskin Doesn't Retract? - Uncircumcised

[Anonymous13533]

I somehow recently found out that men can retract their foreskin basically to the bottom of the shaft. I can really only retract mine when erect a little less than a cm from getting over the head. (Aka can't get over head) I'd say I probably have a pretty wide head, but should I be able to retract that far? There is also definitely some flap of tissue attaching it to the bottom of the head. Is it because I'm not circumcised?

[xsevenx]

I’ve never seen a foreskin that can retract to the bottom of the shaft. Maybe it’s possible with a micropenis. Can you retract over the head when soft? If you can, that’s fine. If you can’t and it’s bothering you, see your doctor.

[Pauluslittlewoidgnom in reply to xsevenx]

Goes over the head when soft and hard. Normal

[roddythescot]

One cannot usually retract the foreskin 'right to the base' of the penis, but it should be possible (when erect as well as flaccid) to retract so as to expose the entire glans (head) and the 'groove' behind it - and then smooth the foreskin back along the shaft.

If you cannot get the foreskin to retract over the rim of the glans then you are suffering from a developmental abnormality called phimosis. If you can get the skin back off the glans but no further then you may be suffering from a related problem called frenulum breve (short and tight frenulum).

Phimosis can make it difficult to keep the penis properly clean and free of smegma. More critically, it can interfere with sex. During the thrusting of sex the tight foreskin can get painfully forced over the rim of the glans. It may rip (very bloody!) and/or tighten up behind the glans cutting off the blood supply. This is a medical emergency called paraphimosis and needs rapid resolution to avoid death of the glans (gangrene).

If you have either phimosis or paraphimosis you should consult a doctor. It is unlikely that creams and stretching exercises will work for an adult, but they might with a lot of dilligence. The alternative is to get circumcised and ensure that the problem is immediately and permanently resolved. Your doctor will advise you.

[Pauluslittlewoidgnom in reply to roddythescot]

Yes I have phimosis my dear lady doctor gave me hydrocortisone 1% seems to be getting better.

[roddythescot in reply to Pauluslittlewoidgnom]

Glad to hear that your phimosis seems to be getting better. Steroid creams often don't work once the foreskin has toughened up following puberty.

You will need to be consistent and conscientious in daily application and stretching exercises over several months.

[pussnamedsam]

I had phimosis for the year in 2021 - and during that time I'd tried the creams twice daily for many months. Sadly they made no difference. 5 weeks ago I had a circumcision (via the NHS) and today all is well. I did not experience any discomfort and did not require pain-killers or dressings. I am 72.

[Bond875 in reply to pussnamedsam]

Hi ! I'm glad to read your comment as I'm due to have circumcision in a couple of months (after our holiday!) for similar reasons. But especially as your age is 72. I'm 74. 😅

[jimfromcalif]

Ideally, it should go over the head. Just stretch the opening with your fingers and you’ll be fine.

[BexyBoy]

You don't mention the Frenulum or 'Banjo string' so I think it would be worth researching normal anatomy a bit more. I believe the function of the string of skin is to help the foreskin go back over the glans to protect it, which is the foreskin's function other than providing us with exquisite pleasure! As long as no damage or bleeding occurs during masturbation or intercourse, and you can clean readily under the foreskin, it's worth keeping your foreskin rather than considering circumcision, by daily stretching and regular masturbation. Using coconut oil is good for the foreskin.

[Rood_A]

The best remedy is so-called "Stretching" ... putting tension on the skin to encourage the growth of new skin cells, which over time will permit retraction without pain or expense. The worst thing you can do is see a doctor, because they will want to amputate the most sensitive skin on your body ... usually because it pays well for five minutes of work. For several simple "stretcing" exercises ... See:

wikihow.fitness/Do-Phimosis...

Also ... if the foreskin should ever get stuck behind the glans ... please don't panic and please don't bother a doctor. Simply push down on your glans with both thumbs, while simultaneously pulling up on the foreskin with your fingers. That simple act will free your foreskin in a matter of seconds.

[jaglad in reply to Rood_A]

Some good advice rood, but there are occasions when your foreskin could get stuck behind the head and medical intervention is required.

[Rood_A in reply to jaglad]

Sorry, but I don't believe it ....

[jaglad in reply to Rood_A]

No proof myself but the NHS website has a section dedicated to the issue so I would say it does happen. If someone is worried, best go and have it checked don't you think ?

[Rood_A in reply to jaglad]

So how many NHS doctors have ever suggested the possibility that a man suffering from phimosis might successfully and fairly quickly solve the problem by partaking of simple "stretching" exercises .... rather than almost automatically setting up an appointment to have the most sensitive tissue on his body amputated ... forcing the fellow to live the rest of his life with a mutilated penis, which also and inevitably negatively affects the sexual life of his wife/partner. See:

sexasnatureintendedit.com

I dare say every man in the UK suffering from phimosis is usually and typically given only one choice...

[jaglad in reply to Rood_A]

I think we are discussing different problems. I was directly replying to your advice regarding paraphimosis.

[Rood_A in reply to jaglad]

OK so what solution do you recommend for paraphimosis?

[jaglad in reply to Rood_A]

I would suggest reading the information on the NHS website.When it happened to me I used a cold compress, then slowly and carefully pulled the skin up. At the time there was no way I could even touch the exposed head never mind press down with my thumbs !

[Rood_A in reply to jaglad]

OK, but the ultimate solution is to stretch the opening so that paraphimosis doesn't happen ... and the first thing is to never allow the foreskin to slide back that far,. So what did your doctor say when you told him about your bout with paraphimosis ... what did he recommend? That you run to him, or to a hospital?

[jaglad in reply to Rood_A]

There are times when the foreskin sliding back is beyond 'user' control !His advice was, as the foreskin could pull back and return, all be-it with persuasion then medical intervention was not necessary at that time.

However if it pulled back and I was unable to return it to 'normal' then go to A&E.

Leaving it to long could result in permanent damage.

[Rood_A in reply to jaglad]

So ... to get to the point ... you have never attempted to stretch your foreskin so it wouldn't get stuck... Is that a fair assumption?

[jaglad in reply to Rood_A]

Erm, No that is incorrect.I did try stretching and the instance of getting stuck decreased markedly.

However the point is, if the foreskin is stuck to the point of causing severe pain then a trip to AnE may be your best option.

It would be foolish to continue in pain if you thought you would be 'bothering' medical staff.

[Rood_A in reply to jaglad]

God helps those who help themselves. If my foreskin were stuck ... I'd be far better off helping myself right away, rather than getting dressed, grabbing keys, and going to an emergency room 15 miles away, where you'd sit waiting for all the Covid cases to clear the deck. Now that would be stupid and self-defeating, especially when a stupid, ignorant doctor schedules you for Male Genital Mutilation

[jaglad in reply to Rood_A]

And God help those who ignore the warning signs and end up with something far worse !

[keithy007 in reply to Rood_A]

So don’t see a doctor, it gets worse and worse, but still don’t see a doctor! What kind of nonsense are you talking about ? Stretching and steroid creams for years and years doesn’t always work so it is best and most importantly wise to seek provisional help.

Just because someone has sought help doesn’t mean the professional career wants to amputate the most sensitive part of skin on your body (your words not mine), if you actually think that then there is no help for any of us. They will give the patient the best course of medication to remedy there problem.

It doesn’t help that you are using emotionally sensitive words. Men should not have to live with a problem they have because people have told them it is wrong to seek professional help, some men have no problems but the sad fact of the day is that many also grow up with the that problem and live in silence over it and that is wrong, because they see emotional words like the ones you have put down.

[Rood_A]

How many doctors ever ... EVER ... advise simple stretching exercises to solve the problem, which normally just takes weeks ... seldom months and never years ... unless, perhaps, the fellow thinks that some cream will do the job for him all by itself, without any effort on his part. Stretching always works, and it preserves the normal natural sensitive foreskin without which a man cannot ever sexually function normally.

[Hidden]

This is interesting. I have been a Naturist all my life, seen PLENTY of dicks and in Europe- really long 4skin overhangs. My father was one himself, and his overhang was so long as his penis, he was blessed! LOL!!!! So, I can imagine a 4skin being pulled back the full length of the penis but flaccid especially. Oh, and that "bridge of skin" under your glan is your frenulum and it is like the spring on your storm door, it is the skin that encourages your 4skin to come back over your head. IF that frenulum tightens all the way when you are pulling your hood back- that could be the issue, it is too short- that can be worked thru Skin Expansion, stretched regularly to promote new cells to be made tissue to relieve the tension and lengthen the frenulum. If you have a large wide knob, (thank your dad this Father's Day) the act of stretching your 4skin's opening is all you need to be able to have it move more freely. If not, there are procedures that can "release that connection and have your skin move back more. in the 1990s in Germany a German friend had a really tight 4skin, HUGE knob and restoration was not really known so they did a Dorsal Slit is what he called it and all the 4skin hung but was tractable and it looked kind of but not all that great- but they try to save the sexual feelings in Europe, so he was happy with it. Definitely was an eye catcher at the pools where nudity was allowed and no big deal. I am always one to save surgeries as the last choice but sometimes it is necessary. But you CAN grow more skin to relieve it if you have the drive to- probably 4-6 months of consistent massage-tensioning daily would help a lot.

foreskinrestoration.men/how... , this is for foreskin but it is the same factual information. You stretch skin and keep it tensioned consistently and the skin grows more cells to relieve that tension every 20-30 days. (your body sheds dead and dying cells, makes new ones to replace them, but it will make more cells if the skin is under tension thus growing more skin and if this sound crazy, well look into the ingredients of Smegma,..., and in 2009 I fully restored my 4skin to a half inch overhang, (C0 to a C8) and my doc changed my designation to "intact" in my records in 2012 so I know it is totally possible).

pages.suddenlink.net/manual... , tight 4skin work, you can see 3 examples of just how much skin you can grow from 3 Males that did manual restoration in one year. loosening a 4skin or lengthening a frenulum would be a cake walk compared to a complete 4skin restoration.

good luck-S