Autocircumcision

Autocircumcision is the practice by a small number of foreskinned men of permanently keeping and wearing their intact foreskin in a retracted position so that the glans penis is permanently exposed. The practice preserves the intactness of the penis. Some men who practice autocircumcision find it necessary to wear a plastic ring behind their corona to keep their foreskin retracted.

The practice of autocircumcision may be a reaction to the experience of living with a foreskin in a circumcised society.

IntactiWiki does not recommend the practice of autocircumcision. The foreskin evolved over about 1,000,000 years to provide protection against trauma and infection. Those functions cannot work when the foreskin is not in its intended position.

Claimed benefit

"This will make the penis appear like being circumcised, without the drawbacks." It is claimed as a benefit that the popular foreskin fragrance is no longer present.

Loss of immunological and protective function

Fleiss, Hodges & Van Howe (1998) and other medical scientists have identified numerous immunological and protective functions of the foreskin and its enclosed preputial sac. These functions would largely cease to operate when the foreskin is kept in a retracted position that deactivates the preputial sac.

Keratinization

Keratinization and loss of sensation will occur. Sensation may be regained over time by dekeratinization if the practice of autocircumcision is stopped.

Risks

If the retracted foreskin is tight and constricts the shaft of the penis, compression of the blood vessels and interference with blood circulation may occur. This may cause lymphoedema. If the tight foreskin becomes stuck behind the glans penis, then paraphimosis may be the result.

Returning to normal practice

Some reports indicate that a foreskin permanently kept retracted may shorten and may no longer stay in its normal position where it covers and protects the glans penis.

Retraining of a long retracted foreskin

Some stretching to lengthen the shortened foreskin may be necessary to repair the damage and encourage the foreskin to stay in place.

See also

• Adolescent and adult circumcision
• Paraphimosis
• Keratin

External links

• Anonymous (2013). Pull it back — living with a bare head. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
• Anonymous (2021). Keeping your foreskin back: auto circumcision explained — My Adult Circumcision. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
• Anonymous (2023). Has anyone done what is called “Auto-Circumcision” for a long period of time?, REDDIT. Retrieved 24 December 2025.