As an answer to: Painful Glans written by D at 30 Oct 2005 10:09:37:
Hi D,
Am I to assume that you have self-diagnosed yourself with phimosis and a short frenulum or is this the opinion of the doctor? If the latter is true I am very surprised he or she has not introduced the idea of a circumcision.
It seems from what you say that you have a partial phimosis which is congenital i.e. has been present from birth. Firstly I should say that you are not alone, in fact maybe as many as 1 in 10 men suffer with some form of foreskin condition. A partial phimosis can be eased with the use of a steroid cream although I have yet to come across Pimafucort for this use. A quick google search for this cream tells me it has probably been prescribed to treat the soreness of the glans, probably a completely inappropriate prescription. This indicates that the doctor has put your pain down to an inflammation of the skin or a bacterial infection.
Most likely this pain is caused by hypersensitivity; I myself suffered exactly the same so I can entirely relate to the sensation. This sensitivity is present because the skin on the glans has seldom been exposed to the environment as it is in reality new skin yet to harden and desensitize. This process can take some time but the sensation gradually improves moving from a painful feeling to a sensitive and yet pleasurable feeling. Two years since my circumcision my glans is fine with the exception of when I receive oral sex, this can be pleasurable if done correctly but too much pressure can be uncomfortable. Unfortunately there is no quick fix for this hypersensitivity, time just has to take its course to harden up the skin but of course the glans needs to be exposed for this to happen, a catch 22 situation if you will.
The doctor did prescribe me some anesthetic gel post-op which I was supposed to rub on my penis to relieve the sensitivity but I didn’t find it made much difference and applying it was quite painful. I should also say that because you have already retracted your foreskin the hardening process will have already begun for your glans, mine was never exposed until my operation; I had pinhole phimosis which is the most severe form of phimosis.
Your main concern seems to be the hypersensitivity rather than your phimosis which is unusual since the sensitivity is normally only a problem once the phimosis has been sorted. Are you happy with the extent to which your foreskin retracts? You don’t talk of a desire to have this sorted. I would recommend you start by regularly stretching with a steroid cream such as Betamethasone. The frenulum breve is something entirely separate which will require surgical attention. I am assuming you have been diagnosed accurately, does your foreskin spring forwards when you try to retract it? Is there pain and/or pressure in the area of the frenulum when you retract? A frenulplasty is the best treatment for the frenulum.
Now back to your main concern, the hypersensitivity of your glans. I believe the extent to which individuals experience this varies greatly and it would appear that you are experiencing it to a severe degree. The problem is that it will only get better with time and if the glans are constantly exposed, since I had a full circumcision my glans are always exposed so my hypersensitivity is likely to have improved quicker than someone with a partial circumcision. The problem for yourself as a sufferer with a partial phimosis is that if you retract your foreskin behind the glans it may place pressure on the glans and result in a dangerous condition called paraphimosis. I must strongly advise against forcing your foreskin to retract any more than it wants to.
Ultimately you need to have the phimosis and frenulum sorted or at least the phimosis eased with the use of steroid cream to allow regular retraction of your foreskin and hardening of your ever so sensitive glans.
I hope this helps, if you need any more advice please ask.
