| Revision as of 00:06, 31 October 2008 editPip2andahalf (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users, Rollbackers6,245 editsm Reverted edits by 86.31.158.149 to last version by Sionus (HG)← Previous edit | Revision as of 13:45, 5 November 2008 edit undo193.164.126.35 (talk) →MalesNext edit → | ||
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| Both males and females produce smegma. In males, smegma is produced and accumulates under the ]; in females, it collects around the ] and in the folds of the ]. | Both males and females produce smegma. In males, smegma is produced and accumulates under the ]; in females, it collects around the ] and in the folds of the ]. | ||
| josh woods enjoys smegg and crackers | |||
| ====Males==== | |||
| <!--Please note that Misplaced Pages is not censored for the benefit of minors or religious or social mores. Removal of this image without prior discussion and consensus will be reverted.--> | |||
| ] | |||
| Smegma was originally thought to be produced by ] near the ] called ], however subsequent studies have failed to find these glands.<ref name = "Parkashsmegma">{{cite journal | |||
| | last = Parkash | |||
| | first = Satya | |||
| | coauthors = K. Jeyakumar, K. Subramanya, S. Chaudhuri | |||
| | year = 1973 | |||
| | month = August | |||
| | title = Human subpreputial collection: its nature and formation | |||
| | journal = Journal of urology | |||
| | volume = 110 | |||
| | issue = 2 | |||
| | pages = 211-212 | |||
| | url = http://www.cirp.org/library/anatomy/parkash/ | |||
| | pmid = 4722614 | |||
| }}</ref> Wright states that smegma is produced from minute microscopic protrusions of the mucosal surface of the foreskin and that living cells constantly grow towards the surface, undergo fatty degeneration, separate off, and form smegma.<ref name = "Wright1970"/> Parkash ''et al.'' found that smegma contains 26.6% fats and 13.3% proteins, which they judged to be consistent with necrotic epithelial debris.<ref name = "Parkashsmegma"/> Newly produced smegma has a smooth, moist texture. It is thought to be rich in ]<ref>{{cite journal |last=O'Neill |first=H.J. |authorlink= |coauthors=L.L. Gershbein |year=1976 |month= |title=Lipids of human and equine smegma |journal=Oncology |volume=33 |issue=4 |pages=161-166 |pmid=1018879 |url= |accessdate= |quote= }}</ref> and contain prostatic and seminal secretions, desquamated ], and the mucin content of the ].<ref name = "Fleiss"/> Some state that it contains anti-bacterial enzymes such as ] and ] such as ],<ref name = "Fleiss"/><ref name = "VanHowesmegma"/> others dispute this.<ref name=waskettmorris>{{cite journal |author=Waskett JH, Morris BJ |title=Re: 'RS Van Howe, FM Hodges. The carcinogenicity of smegma: debunking a myth.' An example of myth and mythchief making? |journal=J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol |volume=22 |issue=1 |pages=131; author reply 131–2 |year=2008 |month=January |pmid=18182000 |doi=10.1111/j.1468-3083.2007.02439.x |url=http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/119407987/PDFSTART | format = pdf}}</ref> | |||
| According to Wright, little smegma is produced during childhood, although the foreskin may contain sebaceous glands. She also says that production of smegma increases from adolescence until sexual maturity when the function of smegma for lubrication assumes its full value, and from middle-age production starts to decline and in old age virtually no smegma is produced.<ref name = "Wright1970"/> Oster reported that the incidence of smegma increased from 1% among 6-7 year olds to 8% among 16-17 year olds (an overall incidence of 5%).<ref>{{cite journal |author=Oster J |title=Further fate of the foreskin. Incidence of preputial adhesions, phimosis, and smegma among Danish schoolboys |journal=Arch. Dis. Child. |volume=43 |issue=228 |pages=200–3 |year=1968 |month=April |pmid=5689532 |pmc=2019851 |doi= |url=}}</ref> | |||
| One study indicated that infrequent washing may allow colonization of the preputal space by pathogenic bacteria.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Günscedilara |first=C. |authorlink= |coauthors=S. Kurutepeb, O. Alparslana, Ö. Yilmaza, Z. Dagbrevelara, A. Scedilencana, A. Gença, C. Tanelia and E. Mira |year=2004 |month= |title=The Effect of Circumcision Status on Periurethral and Glanular Bacterial Flora |journal=Urol Int |volume=72 |issue=3 |pages=212-215 |pmid=15084764 |url= |accessdate= |quote= }}</ref> Another study found that subjects who retracted the foreskin when bathing were less likely to have smegma accumulation, ], ], or adhesions than those who did not.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Krueger |first=H. |authorlink= |coauthors=L. Osborn |year=1986 |month= |title=Effects of hygiene among the uncircumcised |journal=J Fam Pract |volume=22 |issue=4 |pages=353-355 |pmid=3958682 |url= |accessdate= |quote= }}</ref> | |||
| An early study by Plaut and Kohn-Speyer (1947)<ref name="plaut">{{cite journal |author=Plaut A, Kohn-Speyer AC |title=The Carcinogenic Action of Smegma |journal=Science (journal) |volume=105 |issue=2728 |pages=391–392 |year=1947 |month=April |pmid=17841584 |doi=10.1126/science.105.2728.391-a |url=}}</ref> found that horse smegma had a carcinogenic effect on mice. Heins ''et al.''(1958)<ref name = "Heinssmegma">{{cite conference | |||
| | first = Henry C. | |||
| | last = Heins | |||
| | coauthors = E. J. Dennis, H. R. Pratt-Thomas | |||
| | title = The possible role of smegma in carcinoma of the cervix | |||
| | booktitle = Twentieth annual meeting of the South Atlantic Association of Obstetrictans and Gynecologists | |||
| | place = Hollywood, Florida | |||
| | date = Feb. 1 to 5, 1958 | |||
| | url = http://www.circs.org/library/heins/index.html | |||
| | pmid = 13583012 | |||
| }}</ref> used human smegma on mice and found a carcinogenic effect, but Reddy and Baruah (1963) were unable to reproduce this effect, concluding that if a carcinogenic effect did exist, it must be weak. In other more recent studies, smegma was found to be a risk factor among penile cancer patients.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Brinton LA, Li JY, Rong SD, ''et al'' |title=Risk factors for penile cancer: results from a case-control study in China |journal=International journal of cancer. Journal international du cancer |volume=47 |issue=4 |pages=504–9 |year=1991 |month=February |pmid=1995481 |doi= |url=}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Maden C, Sherman KJ, Beckmann AM, ''et al'' |title=History of circumcision, medical conditions, and sexual activity and risk of penile cancer |journal=Journal of the National Cancer Institute |volume=85 |issue=1 |pages=19–24 |year=1993 |month=January |pmid=8380060 |doi= |url=http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=8380060}}</ref> However, the ] says that smegma itself is probably not carcinogenic,<ref name=riskfactors>{{cite web |url=http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_2X_What_are_the_risk_factors_for_penile_cancer_35.asp |title=Risk Factors for Penile Cancer |publisher=American Cancer Society |date=July 2008 |accessdate=2008-09-22 |quote=Although it hasn't been proven, some experts are concerned that smegma may also contain compounds that can cause cancer. Also, some older studies have suggested a link between smegma and penile cancer. Although, smegma probably doesn't cause penile cancer by itself, it can cause the penis to become irritated and inflamed, and may make it harder to see very early cancers. Men can prevent smegma from building up simply by washing the penis with the foreskin retracted.}}</ref> and a recent review concluded that "the evidence does not support the theory that smegma is a cause of genital cancer."<ref name = "VanHowesmegma"/> | |||
| ====Females==== | ====Females==== | ||
Revision as of 13:45, 5 November 2008
- This article is about smegma, a secretion of mammalian genitals. See Vernix caseosa for the substance that covers the skin of a baby at birth. See Smegma (band) for the experimental noise band.
Smegma, from the Greek smēchein (to clean), is a combination of exfoliated (shed) epithelial cells, transudated skin oils, and moisture. In males, smegma helps keep the glans moist and facilitates sexual intercourse by acting as a lubricant.
Human smegma
Both males and females produce smegma. In males, smegma is produced and accumulates under the foreskin; in females, it collects around the clitoris and in the folds of the labia minora.
josh woods enjoys smegg and crackers
Females
Glands that are located around the clitoris and the vulva secrete sebum. The accumulation of sebum combined with dead skin cells forms smegma.
In both sexes, preventing accumulation is best done by rinsing the area with warm water. In females, the hood of the clitoris can be gently pulled back to wash away accumulated smegma. Some argue that soap is best avoided because it depletes natural skin oils and may cause non-specific dermatitis.
Non-human smegma
In healthy animals, smegma helps clean and lubricate the genitals. In veterinary medicine, analysis of this smegma is sometimes used for detection of urogenital tract pathogens, such as Tritrichomonas foetus. Accumulation of smegma in the equine preputial folds and the urethral fossa and urethral diverticulum can promote the carriage of Taylorella equigenitalis, the causative agent of contagious equine metritis. Some veterinarians have recommended periodic cleaning of male genitals to improve the health of the animal.
References
- "Websters dictionary definition for smegma". Mirriam-Webster. Retrieved 2008-08-26.
- Wright, Joyce (1970). "How smegma serves the penis: Nature's assurance that the uncircumcised glans penis will function smoothly is provided by smegma". Sexology (New York). 37 (2): 50–53.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - Van Howe, RS (2006). "The carcinogenicity of smegma: debunking a myth". Journal of the European academy of dermatology and venereology. 20 (9): 1046–1054. PMID 16987256.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - Fleiss, P.M. (1998). "Immunological functions of the human prepuce" (PDF). Sexually transmitted infections. 74 (5): 364–367. PMID 10195034.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - Birley: Management of Recurrent Balanitis
- Chen, X.G. (2001). "Increasing the sensitivity of PCR detection in bovine preputial smegma spiked with Tritrichomonas foetus by the addition of agar and resin". Parasitol Res. 87 (7): 556–558. PMID 11484853.
{{cite journal}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|month=(help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Primary Industries Ministerial Council of Australia and New Zealand (2002). Disease strategy: Contagious equine metritis (Version 1.0). In: Australian Veterinary Emergency Plan (AUSVETPLAN), Edition 3, PIMCANZ, Canberra, ACT.
- Michael Lowder (September 1, 2001). "A Clean Sheath Is A Healthy Sheath". Horse City. Retrieved on September 4, 2008.