Long Foreskin

[dtott]

Hello,
My husband is uncircumsized. He has an extremely long foreskin. Even when fully hard it overhangs the head by at least 1/4 of an inch (maybe a bit more). It isn't tight, he can retract it, however it does not stay retracted.

My question is regarding cleanliness. He pulls it back to clean. I have even done this for him. When it is cleaned, as soon as the foreskin rolls back over the head it becomes unclean (little white specks etc. appear on the head of his penis). There is sometimes a smell. My question is - is it possible to fully clean his penis? We can't do anything without condoms. We tried oral sex once without condoms and he had to hold the foreskin the entire time as if he let it go, the white specks, etc. would appear on the head of his penis. He's 36 and says it has always been this way for him.

[Brandye]

The white specks are called "smegma" and they are composed of the general accumulation of crud that we have on our bodies. In an uncircumcised male, they accumulate, sometimes very rapidly, under the foreskin. If you really want to know more about it, try google. The wikipedia article is particularly readable with the facts in adult but not technical language.

It is generally agreed that hygiene is the primary reason for circumcision. Keeping it clean, especially with a long foreskin can be difficult. The cleaning must be not just the head but must also include all the interior folds of the foreskin. I am surprised that he has not experienced some inflammation from time to time with the smegma as prevalent as it must be.

He may want to talk to a doctor about cleaning agents. There is little to be done other than wash well or be circumcised.