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EPITHELIAL ADHESIONS
If the adhesive bond (or epithelium) is still intact between the glans and foreskin it is always noticeable at the beginning of puberty. For most boys the layer is only lightly stuck, and peeling the foreskin off the glans is interesting rather than painful. Sometimes however, the foreskin is so firmly bonded that it does not release, and then, when the boy attempts to move his foreskin this causes extreme pain.

Bettelheim records a boy under his care whose "painful adhesions interfered with full functioning of the penis.". One man reported gently stroking his erection, which while it may sound erotic, was limiting and frustrating enough for him to get circumcised as soon as he was 18.

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PIN HOLE PHIMOSIS
Here we should mention the very confusing and contradictory cases of contented phimotic infibulation: where the foreskin is held forward causing no pain and even allowing penetration. Though one may imagine that these men are missing out on something, they are aware of their condition and wish to remain as they are.

On the other hand there are many others who on discovering that they have an infibulating phimosis, get operated and say they wish they`d have had it done ages ago. One case of extreme phimosis told me that he had never masturbated or had any interest in sex previous to his operation at the age of 22 yrs. Beauge M.D. reported "Some boys never masturbate! We may doubt their assertions, but the tightness of their phimosis suggests their statements are correct." There are further examples of extreme phimosis in the following passages.

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GENERAL
During puberty the experience of pain, difficulty or the proximity of pain is a common one. In most cases it can take several years, sometimes until adulthood, before a youth feels confident or aware enough to be able to confront this embarrassing obstacle.

When it is left to the boy alone to discover the problem by the conscious pain and difficulty of his first active erections, it means that a considerable percentage of boys are going to have a fully distorted first impression of sex and manhood. An absurdly mismanaged and senseless puberty ritual.

	The Passages to Manhood - 5 of 12