Frenulum breve is a penile condition in which the piece of skin that connects the foreskin to the glans is shorter than normal. This can cause a lot of tension when pulling the foreskin back or during an erection, and lead to tearing of the foreskin and bleeding during more vigorous activities like sex.
Men with frenulum breve will experience symptoms like pain or discomfort around the foreskin, especially during an erection.
A short frenulum does not improve or resolve over time, and therefore you are advised to see a urologist if you feel you have a tight foreskin or short foreskin. If necessary, the doctor may advise a frenuloplasty, which is a procedure that involves an incision on the frenulum to release the skin and reduce tension during erection.
What it looks like
In most cases, it's easy to identify whether the frenulum is shorter than normal, as it's not possible to pull the foreskin completely without feeling a slight pressure on the frenulum.
However, other signs that may indicate this problem include:
- Pain or discomfort that makes sexual contact unpleasant;
- The head of the penis folds down when the foreskin is pulled back;
- The skin of the glans cannot be completely pulled back.
This problem can often be confused with phimosis, however, with phimosis, the frenulum is usually not seen at all. However, if there is a suspicion of either a short frenulum or phimosis, a consult with a urologist is recommended to start the appropriate treatment. Ideally, treatment should be done before becoming sexually active to prevent any future discomfort.
Read more about treatment for phimosis.
Treatment options
The treatment for a short frenulum should always be guided by a urologist, because, depending on the tightness of the frenulum, different techniques, such as ointments with betamethasone or skin stretching exercises, can be advised.
However, surgery is recommended in almost all cases, as decreasing the frenulum tightness can prevent future frenulum tears.
How surgery is done
Surgery for a short frenulum, also known as frenuloplasty, is a very simple and quick treatment that can be done in the office of the urologist. The surgery usually takes about 30 minutes, using only local anesthesia, and the patient can return home shortly after.
Complete healing takes about 2 weeks after surgery and sex should be avoided for the same period. Swimming and hot tubs should also be avoided to speed up healing and prevent infection.