Frenulum Removal Question...

[sanity rules]

Something puzzles me now that I think about it...

As I have read, roughly half (or more!) of circumcised men have their penile frenulums removed at the time of circumcision, yet oddly, I don't think I have ever seen a circ video that shows this being done: not the NOCIRC Toronto video, not the Stanford videos, not the assorted clips from You Tube or the like.

I realize the frenulum is reportedly often destroyed by the Gomco or by the removal of the foreskin itself during the surgery, and also that it can atrophy on its own on a circumcised male, leading to the assumption it was severed, even if left where nature intended it, but what's odd is honestly, for reports of at least half of circumcisions involving removal of the frenulum, I've never seen that happen. You'd think in at least some or one video you might see this being carried out, but (thankfully) no. Still, that's odd.

Anyone ever seen a video with this included, or know why it isn't?

[perspective]

I think many are unaware that the foreskin is more then just a "flap of skin" Yet that is not the same with the frenulum, there less uncertainty with this structure.
I think Frenulum removal is revealing to the general view of how the circumcision movement looks at the male body. Its removed for "cosmetic reasons" because its seen it would be better if everything was smooth. Even at the cost of rich nerves.

[phatchristy]

Originally Posted by perspective

I think Frenulum removal is revealing to the general view of how the circumcision movement looks at the male body. Its removed for "cosmetic reasons" because its seen it would be better if everything was smooth. Even at the cost of rich nerves.

Yep, it's generally removed to make the surface more smooth. Which must make us think as well that the doctors who are doing the circ obviously had theirs removed along with their circumcision as infants and DON'T really know about it.

It's the most fine touch nerve dense area on the penis...in fact I've heard the term used "male clitoris" to describe it. Apparently extrememly electric sensations are received there, and ONLY there....just another thing to make me feel sad about it for DH and other men who had no choice in the matter.

[Raelynn]

I have read that once a man has been circ'ed, the frenulum's nerve endings have been severed, so regardless of whether the frenulum was left, it is no longer a sensitive part of the penis. My DH has his (he is circ'ed) and has no more feeling there than anywhere else. Same with a couple other circ'ed partners I've had.

[eepster]

Isn't it mostly adult men with missing frenulums? The videos would mostly be of recent circs and they are doing them more loosely these days. DH seems to have no frenulum, but he was circ'd back in the early 1970s.

[Lauren82]

Originally Posted by Raelynn

I have read that once a man has been circ'ed, the frenulum's nerve endings have been severed, so regardless of whether the frenulum was left, it is no longer a sensitive part of the penis. My DH has his (he is circ'ed) and has no more feeling there than anywhere else. Same with a couple other circ'ed partners I've had.

My DH is loosely circ'd and has the most sensitivity in his frenulum. He's the only circ'd guy I have been with that has a frenulum though.

[Twinklefae]

I have no experience with a circ'd man, but will confirm that the frenumlum is very sensitive.... amazingly so.

[knucklehead]

Forgive my ignorance but how can you tell if a man still has his frenulum or not? What exactly does it look like?

[sanity rules]

So if the answer to my question of why the videos don't show the removal of the frenulum is that it's no longer being removed these days, then that's the best possible news I could have heard!!!!!

Hey, it might not be intactness, but at least it's something, huh?

[Greg B]

While I am not an expert in this area, my understanding is that the frenulum is where the forskin joins the glans on the underside of the penis. As such, it is not as easily defined as say the glans.

It is not removed as a seperate task, but as part of the circumcison. The skin, including the frenulum, is gathered into the clamp. How much frenulum is removed, whether it can be restored, and whether some types of circ have differing effects on frenulum removal are all unclear based upon the information I have seen.

Regards

[thixle]

I'm agreeing with GregB on this... The best way I can explain it is by using the example of the frenulum that holds your bottom lip to your gumline. Go check it out in a mirror... See the little piece of connective tissue in the center right under your 2 front bottom teeth? If someone were to clamp off or cut off your entire bottom lip, they could cut very close to your gums (or entirely to your gums) and that frenulum would be completely removed. Just a millimeter or so away could leave most of that frenulum intact, but severed so that it is no longer a connecting piece of skin. A few mm away from that and the entire frenulum is left in one piece and still functioning. It depends on the placement of the cut/crush and how big the frenulum is to begin with.

Now, the American "high and tight" circ was often done freehand with a scalpel-- so the doctor ( could and would sometimes scrape out the frenulum completely as a seperate step in the circ process.

All that being said, DH does not have a frenulum, or if it is there, it has been stretched to the point that it looks like it is not there (his was a freehand circ, complete with stitch marks)... but it is still the most sensitive part of his penis.

[hakunangovi]

The larger (longer) amount of inner foreskin that is left after a circumcision, then the most likely a larger piece of the frenulum will remain. A circ style that places the scar immediately below the sulcus will result in little, if any, frenulum remnant. A lot would depend on the style and equipment employed by the circumciser.

The remaining piece of frenulum and inner foreskin is usualy by far the most sensitive part on a circumcised penis.

[titania8]

Originally Posted by sanity rules

So if the answer to my question of why the videos don't show the removal of the frenulum is that it's no longer being removed these days, then that's the best possible news I could have heard!!!!!

Hey, it might not be intactness, but at least it's something, huh?

you all will love this...:

i have a friend who's son was circ'd at birth (loosely). at about 3 months he underwent (another) surgery on his penis for a supposed hypospadias (his urine split into 2 streams). well, when the dr was down there he noticed his frenulum was "tight" so he cut it.

when i found this out i was sick. i still am, actually.

[Nandi]

Such a disgusting attitude towards normal human anatomy. I'm sick of it as well :