Uncomfortable Member Injury: Frenulum Breve

by John Dugan Owner

There aren’t a lot of different male organ health issues between intact men and cut men, other than basics like needing to clean beneath the prepuce if a guy is intact. However, there is one member injury that an intact male might have – it’s known as frenulum breve.

The frenulum

Often referred to colloquially as the banjo string, the frenulum is (to paraphrase Wikipedia) “an elastic band of tissue under the head of the member that connects the prepuce to the vernal mucosa, and helps contract the prepuce over the head.” The frenulum is typically long and helps allow for full retraction of the prepuce when the manhood is in its tumescent state. All men are born with one; however, if a male is cut, most or all of the frenulum is removed during the cutting procedure.

Many men find the frenulum to be especially sensitive to touch and therefore one of their favorite sensitive zones.

Sometimes, however, an intact male may find that his frenulum is too short, a condition estimated to occur in about 5% of all intact men. This is what is meant by the term “frenulum breve.”

Member injury

If the frenulum is too short, it can cause issues when the member becomes firm. The prepuce may retract, but not all the way. Or it may fully retract, but the shortness of the frenulum may cause the head to bend, so that it pulls forward in a manner which can cause pain.

But the real member injury comes from small tears and cuts that occur when the shortened frenulum tries to stretch too far. Despite the fact that these are small, they can create a significant amount of pain. Think how painful paper cuts are, despite the fact that they are small. Now put that pain on one of the most sensitive areas of the body and imagine what it must feel like.

Sometimes the cuts can heal on their own, although this requires abstaining from sensual activity for a while – and not all cuts do heal spontaneously. If the member injury does not heal by itself, it’s important to seek out a urologist for assistance.

Treatment

In some cases, the urologist may suggest continued rest. At other times, however, some form of surgery may be necessary.

Often a urologist will suggest removal of the prepuce as the best way to handle frenulum breve. Removal of the prepuce can indeed remove the problem; however, many men who are intact have very strong feelings about maintaining their prepuce and do not wish to consider removal.

Another option is something called a frenuloplasty. It’s a short procedure, usually lasting about half an hour and generally conducted under local anesthesia. The doctor will take the frenulum and make a cut in it, then re-sew the two flaps in such a way that the frenulum has greater length and movement. The stitches usually stay in for a few weeks.

Freedom from pain is not immediate; it usually takes several months for the procedure to totally heal. However, most men then report that their tumescence does not have the pain they once had and find a greater freedom of prepuce movement.

Men with frenulum breve should consult a urologist, especially if the condition has already resulted in a member injury. In the meantime, to keep the manhood in as good a health as possible, men need to daily rub in a superior male organ health crème (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin). The best crème will have a combination of moisturizing agents, such as Shea butter and vitamin E; by keeping the skin smooth and moisturized, the prepuce is kept more pliable. The crème should also include vitamin C, which adds tone and elasticity to member skin.

Visit http://www.menshealthfirst.com for additional information on most common male organ health issues, tips on improving manhood sensitivity and what to do to maintain a healthy member. John Dugan is a professional writer who specializes in men's health issues and is an ongoing contributing writer to numerous websites.