Hello, I am a virgin and I noticed on a part of your site that it stated that the foreskin of the penis must be slipped past the head in order for a condom to work. The foreskin of my penis does not slip past the head of my penis when erect and is taut over the head of my penis when fully erect. Will this make it complicated to engage in sexual intercourse? Can I still use condoms? I've been concerned over this for some time now, and it would be helpful to hear from an expert wether or not this is normal. I wouldn't feel comfortable to visit my family physician about this, so I don't know who to seek out about it.

Thank You.

Dear Don,

I'd like to preface this by saying I'm not a physician. So if you have concerns or questions after reading my answer, please consult a physician. (I know, kind of tough when you don't feel comfortable asking your family physician!)

In most cases, having a foreskin that doesn't retract should not cause any problems during intercourse. As for using condoms, no problem. Retracting your foreskin before rolling on a condom is mostly to allow the foreskin to slide back and forth over the head of your penis more easily during intercourse, as it would if it were the retractable kind. Do be sure to leave a half-inch of condom material with the air squeezed out of it before you roll it down your penis--but that's true for any guy, foreskin or not.

As for the issue of a foreskin that doesn't retract, keep in mind that it isn't until the age of 10 years and five months that even half of all uncircumcised boys can retract their foreskins. Among boys who are 16, somewhere between 8% and 20% still can't retract their foreskins.

You might find the following from Doctors Opposing Circumcision to be reassuring: "Occasionally a male reaches adulthood with a non-retractile foreskin. Some men with a non-retractile foreskin happily go through life and father children. Other men, however, may want to make their foreskin retractile. The foreskin can be made retractable by: manual stretching, and/or application of topical steroid ointment. Male circumcision is outmoded as a treatment for non-retractile foreskin, but it is still recommended by many urologists because of lack of adequate information, and perhaps because of the fees associated with circumcision."

If you are interested in being able to retract your foreskin, search through the sites I list below on the subject of phimosis and see if any of their recommendations make sense for you. The first article, published in the British Journal of Sexual Medicine, describes ways of masturbating that might be of help in coaxing your foreskin to retract:

http://www.cirp.org/library/treatment/phimosis/beauge2/
http://www.doctorsopposingcircumcision.org/
http://www.cirp.org/
http://www.nocirc.org/
http://www.noharmm.org/home.htm
http://www.circumstitions.com/

Best wishes,

Paul
author of "Guide To Getting It On!"
if you are interested in Paul's book:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1885535694/goofyfootpres