Smegma

Smegma residues on the glans penis (glans)

Smegma ( Gr. Σμῆγμα smégma " soap ") is a white to light yellow substance on the sexual organ of a person or animal.

The man's smegma preputii , also called foreskin sebum , consists of the sebum of the foreskin glands, mixed with the cell detritus of the glans epithelium and bacteria . It may also contain urine and semen residues. In men, smegma forms between the foreskin and the glans of the penis .

Smegma between the inner and outer labia of a woman

The woman's smegma clitoridis consists of the sebum secretion from the inner labia , the cell detritus of the epithelium and bacteria. It forms in the folds of skin between the outer and inner labia and the clitoris .

The typical site germ is Mycobacterium smegmatis , also known as "smegmabacterium", which belongs to the mycobacteria .

Medical evaluation

Buildings of smegma that are visible to the naked eye can form, especially if there is poor intimate hygiene . Bacterial colonization of the smegma also often creates an intense odor. If the foreskin cannot be pulled back due to phimosis , cleaning is more difficult. This enables bacterial decomposition of the smegma, which can lead to the formation of degradation products that irritate the skin and increase the tendency towards inflammation or lead to chronic inflammatory conditions. The penile cancer is more common in men with years of insufficient hygiene. Some doctors therefore recommend circumcision for reasons of hygiene; however, this approach is controversial. However, circumcision is by no means a substitute for thorough genital hygiene.

Web links

Commons : Smegma - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

^ ^A ^b Smegma In: Roche Lexicon Medicine. 5th edition. Urban & Fischer, 2003 ( full text ).
^ ^A ^b Peter Reuter: Smegma In: Springer Lexikon Medizin. Springer, Berlin a. a. 2004, ISBN 3-540-20412-1 , p. 1989.
^ Mosby's Medical Dictionary. 8th edition. Elsevier, 2009: […] foul-smelling secretion […]
^ Edgar J. Schoen: Benefits of newborn circumcision: is Europe ignoring medical evidence? In: Arch Dis Child . Volume 77, 1997, pp. 258-260.
↑ M. Stehr, T. Schuster, H.-G. Dietz, I. Joppich: The circumcision - criticism of the routine. In: Clinical Pediatrics. Volume 213, 2001, pp. 50-55.

[Roche-1] A ^b Smegma In: Roche Lexicon Medicine. 5th edition. Urban & Fischer, 2003 ( full text ).

[Springer-2] A ^b Peter Reuter: Smegma In: Springer Lexikon Medizin. Springer, Berlin a. a. 2004, ISBN 3-540-20412-1 , p. 1989.

[3] Mosby's Medical Dictionary. 8th edition. Elsevier, 2009: […] foul-smelling secretion […]

[4] Edgar J. Schoen: Benefits of newborn circumcision: is Europe ignoring medical evidence? In: Arch Dis Child . Volume 77, 1997, pp. 258-260.

[5] M. Stehr, T. Schuster, H.-G. Dietz, I. Joppich: The circumcision - criticism of the routine. In: Clinical Pediatrics. Volume 213, 2001, pp. 50-55.