Hi! Appreciate this site, lots of information! I´am 25 and never really had a problem with my short frenulum and havent really known that there was something wrong, although i´ve thought sometimes that it might not be supposed to be like this. I can retract my foreskin but the glans "bends" - frenulum breve it seems to me. So why I´m on this site is because it tore a little some time ago when I had sex and now it has torn (small cuts) at several different spots along the frenulum - so now the frenulum is not really connecting the shaft to the glans (don´t really know how to explain..) - it´s more like the skin "under/around" the frenulum is taking it´s place. The frenulum was made longer by the small cuts, the frenulum is now more a part of the skin sort of... The skin is also a little bit too short, still bending the glans. The frenulum was I guess quite thin and has (as I wrote) already been torn a few times (hmm 4 I think) and I guess the frenulum is not really needed, but I want to ask you if there is something I should think of/do about the cuts in frenulum? (nothing that bothers me...) But can the cuts (scars?) be harmful in any way? And the last question - I am about to start stretching the skin "under/around" what was the frenulum and would like to know if I should use the instructions found on this site for stretching the frenulum, or is there a difference when it comes to the skin just behind the glans, instead of the frenulum? Is that skin also possible to stretch?

Hope you understood my explanations..
Thanks a lot! Really appreciate it

I think I understand.

Is the glans still being pulled down by erections? If so, then some stretching would be in order. I see no harm coming from stretching in any manner that you choose, so long as you are gentle and not causing tears. You'll know if it starts hurting, so if you feel pain, back off.

The glans and the entire inner cavity of the foreskin is different from the skin on the outside of your penis. The inner surfaces are actually called mucosa, and it is similar to that inside your mouth and your nose. It will stretch in the manner that the skin does. Keep in mind that you grew from your size at birth, and you still have the capacity for growth.

If there is indeed some scarring from the cuts, it is probably a good idea to gently stretch the area to keep any potential constrictions from forming. Paul is better able to advise on possible consequences of the tears.

I'm curious where you are in the world.

thats a quick answer! Yes I thought it was a good idea to explain it all at once.. easier for you I hope

No, there is no bending when erect unless I retract the foreskin and then pull the skin of the shaft, which I understand is done during intercourse by itself- which has made the frenulum tear...

Ok, there is a risk that the cuts/scars get stiff somehow and make it shorter again...? If there is nothing else that can cause trouble then I will start stretch the skin (and "rest of" frenulum), and I hope it fixes the problem in time.

Thanx!

I´m from Scandinavia

It occurs to me that you may have come across a particularly mendacious (that is, deliberately misleading) claim as follows: that attempting to stretch the skin, and the foreskin or frænulum in particular, will result in "micro-tears" that result in scarring and make the structure tighter, even tighter than it may have been in the first place.

This proposal, like many others, is based on a "germ" of truth but is in actuality, nonsense.

It is the nature of scar tissue formed to close an injury, to contract as it "matures"; this enables it to close gaps without requiring excessive growth, and with the "intent" to restore the original dimensions of the injured part.

On the other hand, the effect is moderated by the tension experienced by the part over time, and in an almost hyperbolic fashion. That is to say, that either a strong tension over short periods, a weak tension over longer periods, or relatively gentle tension continuously. will restrict this contraction and even stretch scar tissue.

While it may (literally) be difficult for you to observe it, an excellent example of this is where you (or someone you know) might have had a mole or cyst cut out of the skin on your back. The skin is sutured back together and heals in a week or two; however over time, the resulting scar almost invariably stretches to the size of the piece of skin removed. This is because the skin on your back is so tight, and removal of even a small piece results in continuous tension.

Precisely whether the purveyors of this fallacious claim - that scars will not stretch - are simply ignorant of medical principles and believe it to be truthful or whether they are deliberately lying, is open to question, but where they claim medical expertise, you would be inclined to presume the latter.

You should perhaps also understand that there are skin diseases (such as one called Lichen Sclerosis) that cause spontaneous scarring of actual areas of skin, and indeed most commonly on the genitals (and rather more often in women than in men). This condition is not particularly common and quite unlikely to cause primary phimosis - that is a foreskin that has never retracted easily - but requires proper treatment in order to halt the disease process and permit the damaged area to be stretched.

You will see from Jim's answer to the fellow ("Anonymous") on the thread immediately before (below) this, that we do not advise deliberately cutting or tearing of the frænulum. I haven't added to that as I can't think of anything major to add. If it's short, you stretch it, and since the frænulum is necessarily part of the "ridged band" mechanism that closes the foreskin, one almost always needs to stretch both the length of the frænulum, and the diameter of the foreskin opening.

On the other hand, I refuse to see anything "magical" about the frænulum. Some people become so passionately against genital mutilation (circumcision) that they wax lyrical about the "special nerves" and blood vessels in the frænulum, and blame cutting it for the development of meatal stenosis (damage to the urinary opening) which is a common complication of circumcision, particularly in young children. (This is of course, directly due to having the relatively delicate meatus exposed on the very tip of the penis, which then rubs against nappies, clothing, bedclothes etc.)

The fact is, being a midline structure, the frænulum has no special nerves; it is only the terminus for no more nerves than any other part of the skin - no doubt it hurts when you tear it!

It would appear to have two interesting functions; one being to "flip" the foreskin forward again when you've finished "using" your penis - in other words, when your erection subsides. The other is in a sense, what you have described; pulling back firmly n the foreskin pulls on the frænulum, and pulls on the particularly sensitive area of the meatus and that is why the area of the frænulum is noted to be particularly sensitive.

I am sure that pulling the foreskin back firmly does pull the glans downward, but of course, that is not a necessary part of sex - you either choose to do this or not as part of manual stimulation, depending on how pleasurable you do or do not find it to do so. In intercourse, if the foreskin gets pulled back with excessive force, that would indicate a problem with insufficient lubrication that you would do well to attend to, as it is almost certainly causing the lady some discomfort (afterward, if not immediately).

As I have said that there is nothing special about the skin of the frænulum, there is nothing special to do in respect of the cuts. Do not try and treat them with "antiseptic", as this will delay healing. As to stretching, you need to do this sensibly but persistently, whatever part of the skin it is.

Thanks for the answers! Your explanations are very helpful and I think I´ve understood how it works, about the scars and the skin I mean. I will try to start stretching and see if it gets better. I guess i don´t need to worry much about the "cuts", just keep it easy when stretching and be careful when having sex. Since the first rip it has sort of ripped more easily next time, so it´s not that it hasn´t been lubricated enough, more like it´s been to quick... Ok I suppose I shouldn´t take your time now with my extensive explanations anymore Maybe I return for more advice, thankyou again very much!
/Rickard