[ ARC forum 2 ]
Written by Paul B. at 03 Jan 2003 11:45:41: Worrying about phimosis = illness
As an answer to: phimosis=disease? written by worriedteen at 02 Jan 2003 06:40:36:
> I'm worried that because of my phimosis, the following below coul happen. Are there any speical ways I can clean the penis glans etc when I cannot retract? Any help would be great. Thanks.
Context, friend, context! You just can't go around quoting random scraps of text found on the internet as if they had meaning. Similarly, you need to be extremely careful how you research the thing that concerns you in the first place, because you can, as you appear to have here, easily pick up extremely bizarre ideas - and there's a lesson there - the Internet contains more perverse information, by and large, than fact.
The reference you cite exists on the site you found it as nothing more than an example of interesting, but incomplete medical research in the 1970s. Not of course, that all medical research at that time was poor, but rather that certain topics, not seen to be of great public concern, were less carefully investigated than they have since (and remember also that an article published in 1970, may well reflect observations over the previous ten years). So if you do read the article in question, you will note the section you quote has been offset by editorial comment reflecting a more informed viewpoint.
In fact, this piece is offered merely as incidental background to the primary reference on that site, and I cannot quite follow why you should pick on it in the first place - it is the exception more than the rule.
>"Without correct treatment, ill health of the foreskin is liable to worsen - formation of smegma continues and, without outlet or access for cleaning, deposits collect and harden within the foreskin cavity. Such compact masses of smegma can lead to chronic disease, and even prepare the way for cancerous changes. http://www.cirp.org/library/normal/wright1/
The most important thing that you must consider in reading this paragraph, is that it does not apply to you! You have excluded it by describing yourself as a "teen", whereas the concern regarding accumulation of smegma relates specifically to older men who are not sexually active. It is particularly illuminating that the article refers to smegma build-up in horses, since a little veterinary knowledge will reveal that this problem specifically affects horses which are denied sexual activity, either because they are not permitted to stand at stud (them's the breaks!), or as you may consider more sadly, because they are geldings!
Significant build-up of smegma in teenage boys is relatively unlikely, because notwithstanding the availability or otherwise of intercourse, they masturbate - a most effective means of dislodging any smegma present, to then be flushed out by - urination (peeing)!
So, the simple matter is - forget about build-up of smegma - you are almost certainly managing that situation more than adequately and it will not affect you. Do concentrate on the matter of the tight foreskin - not by doing "research" on "phimosis", but by reading back here (and FatherMag if you will), into the archives, about stretching.
As it has been pointed out, Jake Booth is very close to your situation and has succeeded in sorting out his tight foreskin in a perfectly straightforward fashion despite, and in this similar to yourself, being prone to becoming side-tracked by the oddballs who post here.