retraction? anatomy question...

[naturalthinker]

I have an intact 8 week old boy and i do not understand the 'retraction' issue (other than to not let it happen) because i do not understand the anatomy of an in-tact penis (i presume this is my problem). I do not understand what retracts from what where or how the baggy skin which my pediatrician referred to as the foreskin could ever be 'pulled up' to be cleaned underneath when he is a teenager. Is there some sort of diagram that depicts these changes?

I can see the urethra on my little boy (where the urine comes out) and what the pediatrician pointed to me as the foreskin hangs all around the outside of the penis. I thought i knew what an uncircumcised penis looked like, a flap of the skin over the head of the penis, but honestly when my boy was born i wondered if he even had a foreskin since I didn't recognize what it was in it's baby state.

Thanks for any clarification provided!

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

Here is a movable graphic (Video of the actual process in a adult) that will show you exactly how the foreskin comes back over the glans. http://www.noharmm.org/anatomy.htm

Is it the urethra on the glans or the opening in the foreskin that you can see?

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

There is definatly way more to it than just a flap of skin. It is a whole "sleeve" around the entire penis. Please make sure the read this sticky The Definition Of Retraction & Why it is BAD so that you will know exactly what to stop them from doing.

[tlh]

when a boy is born his foreskin is adhered to the glans or head of the penis.these adhesions will naturally separate by the time a boy is a teenager.if you retract or pull back the foreskin before the adhesions break you can cause scarring and this can cause paraphimosis in later life.people describe the adhesions as being simmilar to your finger nail being attached to your finger.the nail can be removed but of course this would be pretty painful and bloody.when a baby boy is circumcised the adhesions need to be prematurely broken which causes scarring to the remaining foreskin and damages the glans of the penis.

it sounds like your son's foreskin is already beginning to retract naturally or is a little shorter than some that cover the whole head of the penis.this isn't a problem or medical condition.foreskins come in many lengths from barely there to extra long just like people.

[naturalthinker]

Thank you! the 20 minute video linked at the bottom of the page really helped! I get it now.

[Ann-Marita]

The foreskin is more like a sleeve than a flap.