As public health awareness increases, more and more people are inquiring about foreskin, and some parents are even bringing their children in early to request circumcision. What exactly is the purpose of this thin layer of skin and what circumstances warrant surgery?
The foreskin is the skin of the penis that is folded into a double layer at the head of the penis. It is not a “redundant” part of the body, but has been proven to have important physiological functions.
1, protection function: just like the eyelids protect the eyes, the foreskin can protect the penis head, so that it remains soft, moist and sensitive, but also allows the penis head to maintain a certain temperature, adjust the pH balance and a certain role in cleaning.
2, immune function: the glands of the foreskin and the plasma cells of the foreskin mucosa can secrete some anti-bacterial and viral components, such as lysozyme, Langham’s cells, immunoglobulins, etc., thus preventing infection.
Many people have a long foreskin during infancy and childhood, and cannot reveal the glans and the external urethral opening, which is called “physiological prepuce”. With the development of puberty, the penis grows longer, the foreskin will naturally recede backwards, and the head of the penis and urethral opening will be exposed. Therefore, most children do not need to be circumcised in a hurry. If in adulthood, the foreskin opening is still narrow, or if the foreskin and the penis head are attached, and the foreskin cannot be turned up to reveal the urethral opening or the penis head, then it can be diagnosed as “prepuce”. Although the foreskin can be turned up to reveal the glans, but the foreskin mouth is very small, covering the urethral opening, it is called “prepuce”.
Generally speaking, circumcision needs to be treated surgically, while circumcision may depend on the situation. If bacteria often breed and cause glansitis, or if secretions and deposits accumulate and form a serious foreskin scale, you should actively seek medical attention and, if necessary, surgical treatment to avoid long-term chronic inflammation and foreskin scale stimulation, which can induce serious lesions. For married men, circumcision may also cause Candida infection in the partner, resulting in vaginitis, cervicitis and other gynecological diseases, which should also be treated as soon as possible.