Patient's question:
Patient Gender: I have been married for 5 years, and my foreskin is quite normal. Our sexual life has been quite harmonious. Recently, I have noticed some pain during intercourse, and it is difficult for my penis to penetrate the vagina. After examining my penis, I found that my foreskin has suddenly become longer, making it hard to penetrate the vagina during sex. What could cause my foreskin to become longer and affect my sexual life? Should I consider a circumcision?First follow-up question: However, I don’t think it’s due to excessive foreskin. Because a few years ago, our sexual life was quite satisfying. Could it be that my foreskin and penis are slightly peeling, causing this issue?
Doctor's answer:
Hello, if the foreskin can be retracted to expose the glans but the foreskin opening is very small, covering the urethral meatus, it is referred to as phimosis.In China, 29% of adult males have phimosis.
Some people believe that phimosis and excessive foreskin do not hinder sexual activity or fertility, and therefore are not considered a genital disorder. In fact, this view is not scientific. Because, whether it is phimosis or excessive foreskin, both can cause certain harm to the body.
(1) Hinders penis development and affects sexual harmony: Phimosis can affect the growth and development of the penis. During puberty, when the glans is tightly covered by the foreskin and lacks the necessary external stimulation, the development of the glans is significantly restricted, leading to a noticeably smaller circumference of the glans circumference after sexual organs mature, which affects sexual pleasure. In adults, excessive foreskin or phimosis can impair normal sexual activity. Especially for men with very small foreskin openings, the foreskin cannot be retracted properly, becoming tightly stuck at the corona, forming a paraphimosis, which is extremely painful. In severe cases, the glans may swell due to poor blood circulation, and in extreme cases, it may even lead to glans necrosis.
(2) Causes inflammation of the penis: The foreskin contains abundant sebaceous glands that secrete a large amount of sebum. When phimosis or excessive foreskin is present, the sebum secretions cannot be expelled, mixing with urinary precipitates to form a cheesy, foul-smelling substance called "foreskin smegma." Foreskin smegma is conducive to bacterial growth, which can lead to inflammation of the glans and foreskin. Bacteria can also enter the urethra, causing urinary tract infections. Inflammation at the urethral opening, once healed, may result in a narrowed urethral meatus, causing difficulties in urination.