Hyderabad: “Just work your way in like a screw driver,” smirked George, in all his wisdom, to his friend Dick, at his bachelor party.
Eager to learn from the experienced friend, Dick tried to empower himself with the new analogy.
“Just ram your way in and show what a stud you are. Trust me buddy, your wife will squeal in ecstasy and pleasure.” goaded George condescendingly.
By George! Yes, there was the squeal. Yelp actually! But not of pleasure but of pain. Dick’s pain!
He did make a sorry sight holding his penis and scampering around the bedroom, howling in pain.
The penis has a foreskin that covers the penis head. It consists of an outer and an inner layer.
A band of tissue called the Frenulum holds it in place and connects it with penis head.
During intercourse, the frenulum slides back and forth.
Sometimes, due to a birth anomaly or infections, the foreskin and the frenulum cannot be fully retracted to reveal the head of penis.
Hence, they can tear and may cause pain and bleeding during sexual intercourse.
The inability to pull back the foreskin is called phimosis.
This requires a minor surgery known as circumcision.
Ideally, a man should be able to pull the foreskin back and expose the penis head.
A white waxy secretion called ‘smegma’ is produced from the under surface of the foreskin.
This has to be washed regularly. Otherwise, it develops an unpleasant smell and can be a good breeding ground for germs.
In certain religious groups like Muslims and Jews circumcision is done on religious grounds irrespective of whether a man has phimosis or not.
Ideally, every male child should be examined by the family/school/college doctor to rule out phimosis.
This simple preventive check will makes the first night memorable — for the right reasons.
The writer is a sexologist.
Mail him at dr.narayana@deccanmail.com
