Sex may permeate our popular culture, but conversations about it are still associated with stigma and shame in Indian households. As a result, most individuals dealing with sexual health issues or trying to find information about sex often resort to unverified online sources or follow the unscientific advice of their friends.
To address the widespread misinformation about sex, News18.com is running this weekly sex column, titled ‘Let’s Talk Sex’. We hope to initiate conversations about sex through this column and address sexual health issues with scientific insight and nuance.
The column is written by sexologist Prof (Dr) Saransh Jain. In today’s column, he will talk about tight frenulum, its symptoms and available treatment options.
A frenulum is the V-shaped skin connecting your foreskin to the head of the penis. It is sensitive to stimulation, offering sexual pleasure. It allows contraction of the foreskin over your penis glans. It is the fold of elastic tissues that connects the glans (head of the penis) to the rest of the penis. This band of tissues is present at the bottom side of the glans penis. The frenulum is sensitive to touch and hence imparts to the sexual pleasure of the male.
Sometimes, this band of tissues is tight or short which is a troublesome condition. In other words, such a frenulum is called frenulum breve. The severity of the tightness of frenulum can differ in every case. Tight frenulum restricts the back-and-forth movement of the foreskin. Therefore, this condition needs medical attention otherwise it can cause complications.
How do you know if you have tight frenulum?
Difficulty in retracting the foreskin over the glans penis is the major symptom of the tight frenulum. It even causes pain and discomfort if you try hard to pull back the foreskin.
Another major trouble with the tight frenulum is the painful sex. There are high risks of getting a tear and bleeding from the penis during or after sex. You can obviously imagine the pain it will cause. The most common signs and symptoms of tight frenulum are:
- Discomfort or pain in the penis, especially during an erection
- Premature ejaculation
- Tearing and bleeding underneath the head of the penis
- Trouble pulling back the foreskin
These are the symptoms that a person with a tight frenulum has to face. Well, you won’t have to endure this pain forever. A tight frenulum is totally treatable.
What are the treatments available for tight frenulum?
There are treatments available to cure the problem of the tight frenulum. There are numerous ointments and steroid creams that help in relieving the tightness of the frenulum. Even gentle stretching of the foreskin or massage can help in retracting the foreskin. Some of the available treatment options are:
- Circumcision: Circumcision is most common among baby boys, but teenagers and adult men can have the procedure done, too. For tight frenulum, circumcision completely removes the foreskin and frenulum to prevent painful tightening.
- Frenuloplasty: Frenuloplasty is the most effective treatment for tight frenulum. It is a procedure in which the band of tissue is divided and stitches put. It is a specialized technique that treats solely the condition while preserving the foreskin. Circumcision can also help in treating the tight frenulum. But, not only the frenulum, it removes the entire foreskin of the penis. Since frenuloplasty is an outpatient procedure, you usually go home the same day. You may have slight discomfort in the incision area for two to three days, but over-the-counter pain relievers can help.
- Ayurvedic and homeopathic treatments Ayurveda and Homoeopathy prescribe certain medicines that can help in providing relief from the pain, itching, soreness and redness caused due to frenulum breve. As these medicines are of natural origin, it is completely safe to use them and they can prove to be quite effective. Ayurvedic treatment involves capsules made from herbs or ayurvedic oils to cure the problem of the tight frenulum.
- Stretching exercises to loosen up the tight frenulum Some physicians may suggest stretching exercises to facilitate the loosening of the frenulum. Such exercises should be performed cautiously under medical guidance. Also, remember that you should only gently try to stretch the frenulum. If you tend to forcefully stretch the entire foreskin, it may lead to worsening of the condition.
- Steroid Creams and Ointments Some doctors may prescribe certain topical ointments or creams to get rid of the tightness of the frenulum. You need to gently massage the ointment on the affected area. Usually, the steroid creams or ointments take about 6 weeks to show effective results. These ointments help in loosening of the foreskin and the frenulum and thus can be very effective. Gradual stretching of the foreskin should be tried after around 2 weeks of continuous use.
How can you prevent tight frenulum?
You can’t prevent congenital cases of tight frenulum. Circumcision at birth eliminates the tightening of frenulum. You can do your best to avoid penile disorders that lead to tight frenulum:
- Keep your penis clean and wash it regularly, especially under the foreskin
- Use a condom to practice safe sex and avoid STDs
Tight Frenulum is a condition when the skin connecting the head of the penis to the foreskin is too tight. That tightness can cause painful erections and make sexual intercourse unpleasant. Several treatments can fix frenulum breve. Consult your healthcare provider to see which treatment is best for you.
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