Q. I am a 20-year-old male and a virgin.For religious reasons, I have no intention to have sex before marriage.
However, I regret to admit I've watched pornographic videos. While watching them, I have found something that concerns me.
The men in these videos, if they are uncircumcised, appear to have foreskins that are able to retract quite comfortably. They seem very loose compared to mine.
My foreskin is really tight. It only retracts when I don't have an erection. In contrast, when I am hard, it won't go back properly.
Will my tight foreskin be bad for my sex life? Is there any way to loosen this skin, or to otherwise fix the problem?
A. The subject of the foreskin (also known as the prepuce) is one of perennial interest to young men. This is not surprising because the foreskin is actually quite an erogenous zone. It has a lot of nerve receptors in it, and that is why guys get a pleasant feeling if it is played with.
I believe you were wise in writing to me because the prepuce really should roll back when the penis is erect. So it should not be covering the head of the penis.
There are three reasons for saying this:
If the foreskin does not roll back and forward easily, it can sometimes get jammed around the base of the head of the male organ. This state of affairs is called paraphimosis, which is very painful!
When it does not roll back properly, that makes it difficult to wash it and keep clean. Admittedly, you have indicated to me, in the unpublished part of your email, that when you are not erect, you can get your foreskin to go back far enough to wash underneath it properly.
Lastly, some sexologists say sexual intercourse is uncomfortable if there is a layer of skin covering the head of the penis. It is difficult to say whether this is true or not. Admittedly, a lot of women would have no idea at all as to whether the penile head is covered by the foreskin during intercourse.
Foreskin problem
You are not alone in having a foreskin that won't roll back! You may be interested to know that the great United States sex expert, Dr Alfred Kinsey, found that about 17 per cent of uncircumcised men, which is roughly one in six, have exactly the same experience.
From what I have said, so far, you will gather that I believe you should get something done about this state of affairs. Other docs might take a different view, but I believe you should take action so you can achieve erections in which the head of your organ is not encumbered by a layer of skin.
So what can be done?
Recent research at Cambridge, England, has shown it is possible to get the foreskin to stretch a little bit by applying a minute amount of hydrocortisone cream three times per day for several months.
You should only do this under a doc's supervision. He will write you a prescription for the hydrocortisone.
Otherwise, the only solution is surgery. I would suggest you take a mini-circumcision operation. As I am sure you know, that means that the surgeon-specialist removes the foreskin altogether. Then you will have no foreskin at all, and will look just like the circumcised men you have seen in those 'blue movies'.
Alternatively, you might be able to find a urologist, a surgeon specialising in the penis and nearby areas, who would be willing to do a slightly milder operation. There are now ways in which the specialist can, for instance, cut a little diamond-shaped piece out of the prepuce. That leaves you with a good amount of foreskin - but it is not so tight.
I don't believe young men should ever rush into decisions about their foreskins. There is no hurry for you to make up your mind about what to do. I suggest you think it over for a few months, before seeing a doctor. He can assess how tight it is and tell you whether he believes the hydrocortisone treatment would work for you. Good luck.
Q. I had unprotected sex with two boys on the second day of my last menses. Could that make me pregnant?
A. Unlikely, at that time of the month, but please take more care of your body in the future. Having sex with two boys on the same day is asking for trouble. If you continue to have sex, please make it safe.
Q. Hey, Doc. I am very paranoid about getting HIV. So I even hate going to the lab to take blood tests. I fear they might accidentally reuse a needle and infect me with the HIV virus.
Also, I would like to know whether you could get HIV from a wasp sting, if an infected person kissed the sting and put their saliva on it?
A. I am sorry to tell you that I believe you are suffering from the condition called venerophobia, obsessed with the idea that he or she might catch sexual infection (in your case, HIV) through bizarre ways.
To catch the virus from someone kissing your wasp sting would be impossible. I don't believeanyone has ever caught HIV because a health worker accidentally employed a used needle. I cannot imagine such a thing happening in Jamaica.
Q. My boyfriend rubbed my clitoris very hard for several hours last night and now it is swollen and painful. Why?
Sounds like you have what is called a 'haematoma of the clitoris.' This is a swelling caused from blood accumulating inside the little organ.
Please have a doc check you out. But the odds are that the swelling will go down in a few days. Tell your boyfriend to take things easier.
Q. I am a guy of 16 and when I masturbate I usually think of beautiful girls. Occasionally, an image of some naked sportsman drifts into my brain.
Does this mean I am really homosexual, Doc?
A. No, it doesn't. Lots of male teenagers occasionally think about other guys but they stop doing so as they grow older. It is clear your sexual orientation is towards women.
Q. I am female, aged 20, and I have discovered that I can sometimes orgasm through having my nipples touched.
Is there something wrong with me?
A. No, this is an unusual ability, but you are lucky to have it. Throughout your life, you will probably find it easier to discharge that many other women do.
Want advice from Doc? Email questions to editor@gleanerjm.com or fax 922-6223, Attention: Doctor's Advice.
