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[[Image:Glans side.jpg|right|thumb|Human penis with its foreskin retracted to expose the glans.]]
The glans penis, or simply the glans, refers to the ''head of the penis''. Nature treated the glans penis as an internal organ, so the epithelium is mucosa and provided the foreskin for protection against [[infection]] and [[trauma]]. The glans is normally covered by a hood of folded [[skin]] called the [[foreskin]]. The foreskin moisturizes the glans penis by [[transudation]]. The surface of the glans is mucosal tissue that, under normal conditions in the [[preputial sac]], is moist and supple. If left uncovered for long periods of time, the surface of the glans becomes desiccated. In the [[circumcised]] penis, the glans is permanently exposed; the surface of the glans dries out and develops layers of [[keratinization|keratin]] and loses sensation.
The glans penis receives much of its blood supply through the [[frenular artery]]. If the frenular artery is damaged by circumcision, the glans penis of some men may not get full [[erection]].