Foreskin

Medical Topic of the Day:  Continuing my series of unloved parts of your body we are talking about foreskin today.  What is it for, why does it exist and why do we usually cut it off?

Off the Top of My Head:  Foreskin is a retractable sheath of skin over the tip of the penis that is often removed though a process of circumcision near birth for hygienic or cultural reasons.  King David collected 200 Philistine foreskins as a dowry for his first wife.  Why anyone would want 200 Philistine foreskins is beyond me but it would make a great name for a death metal band.

Ready to ROCK Detroit!

My Research Today:  The definition of foreskin is the loose fold of skin that covers the glans of the penis.  It is also called a prepuce.  The foreskin is a highly elastic with an inner mucus membrane that acts as a "rolling bearing" for the tip of your penis and is also very sensitive in some males.  It also acts as a covering for your urethra which may be less beneficial than helpful.  The actual function of the foreskin is debatable.

She doesn't know what to do with it either.

The World Health Organization is not entirely sure what the purpose of the foreskin is but has several theories.  One is that it keeps the head of your wiener moist , two is it protects the developing penis in utero, and three is that it enhances sexual pleasure.  Either way the subject is hotly debated to the point of absurdity.  It appears to be a subject that preys on male insecurities as we are eager to blame anything other than ourselves.

One thing is for sure is that the foreskin is veritable minefield of health hazards during life.  For one there is phimosis and paraphimosis which is the foreskin getting stuck over the glans or getting stuck while retracted. Getting stuck while retracted can cause restriction of blood flow to the penis and tissue death.

Don't Google phimosis.

Also since the foreskin covers the urethra at birth circumcision reduces the incidence of urinary tract infections in males to virtually zero.  It also greatly reduces the chances of a penile head yeast infection called ballanitis.  Later in life circumcised males have much lower incidences of sexually transmitted disease with a whopping 30% less likelihood of contracting HIV compared to a man with foreskin.

Most of the issues caused by foreskin exist because the fold of skin traps debris and bacteria and your genitals are slightly warmer than the rest of your body.  That combined with the mucosal inner lining of the foreskin make it a fantastic bacterial and viral culture plate.  That fold of skin is also well protected from damage and usually covered and out of the light most of the time.  It's pretty gross when you think about it.

I guess most genitals are pretty gross though.  Uncircumcised wieners don't have any character anyways.  It just sort of hangs there and doesn't inspire any recognition.  Foreskin is like the Dabney Coleman of body parts.  He looks the same in everything you've seen him in but you couldn't remember his name if someone put a gun to your head.

Even he can't remember his name half the time.

Have a good night everyone!

Quest To 180:
10K steps today.  Biking tomorrow.


The MAN:
Meh