Reproductive system · Pelvis · Male
Skin of penis !
The skin of the penis is thin and loose, sliding over the erectile bodies so the penis can lengthen; at the tip it folds over the glans as the foreskin.
Official name: Skin of penis; prepuce of penis
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What it is
Thin, loose, almost hairless skin over the shaft of the penis, folded forward over the glans as the foreskin (prepuce).
What it does
Slides freely over the erectile bodies so the penis can lengthen; its lymph drains to the groin nodes.
Key facts
- Where
- Thin, loose, almost hairless skin over the shaft, on a fat-free dartos layer; folds over the glans as the prepuce, tethered below by the frenulum
- Attaches
- Slides on the superficial (dartos) fascia over Buck (deep) fascia; firmly attached only at the neck of the glans; continuous with the scrotal skin
- Function
- Lets the penis lengthen in erection; sensation by the dorsal nerve (pudendal) and, at the base, the ilioinguinal nerve; lymph to superficial inguinal nodes
Relations
- Deep
- Dartos (superficial) fascia with the superficial dorsal vein, then Buck (deep) fascia around the erectile bodies
- Behind
- At the base, continuous with the skin of the pubic region and the scrotum
- In front
- Folds over the glans penis as the prepuce, attached at the coronal sulcus and by the frenulum
How to find it
The shaft and foreskin are inspected; the foreskin is retracted to see the glans and then returned. Tightness, scarring (such as a white ring of lichen sclerosus), ulcers and warts are noted.
On imaging
Assessed by examination rather than imaging. Ultrasound shows the skin and the loose dartos layer as thin superficial lines over Buck fascia. Imaging helps place a swelling: edema, hematoma or cellulitis lies superficial to Buck fascia, while a penile fracture tears the tunica albuginea deep to it. In Fournier gangrene, ultrasound or CT shows gas in the soft tissues, CT best showing its extent.
Common problems
- Phimosis (a foreskin too tight to pull back).
- Infections and skin conditions.
How it is diagnosed
Examination; Doppler ultrasound when needed.
Treatment
- Creams; circumcision when needed.
Clinical notes
- Lichen sclerosus scars the foreskin and meatus and is a cause of acquired phimosis and meatal stenosis
- Genital ulcers and warts (syphilis, herpes, HPV) appear here; its lymph drains to the superficial inguinal nodes, which are checked
- Preputial and shaft skin flaps are used to rebuild the urethra in hypospadias repair
Development
Ectoderm over the genital tubercle; the prepuce grows forward over the glans as a fold in fetal life and stays stuck to it at first.
Related conditions
Test yourself
Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.
What is paraphimosis, and why is it an emergency?
A tight foreskin left retracted forms a constricting ring behind the glans, which swells; it must be reduced urgently.
Is a non-retractable foreskin abnormal in an infant?
No; physiological phimosis is normal and usually loosens during childhood.
Why can swelling of the penile skin be dramatic?
The skin is thin and loose on a fat-free dartos layer, so fluid and blood spread easily.
Which skin condition is a cause of acquired phimosis and meatal stenosis?
Lichen sclerosus, which scars the foreskin and meatus (a white ring).
Educational information, not medical advice. For any symptom, see a health professional.
Its names
- Official Latin (TA2)
- cutis penis; preputium penis
- Official Spanish (DeCS)
- Piel del pene; prepucio del pene
- English (TA2)
- Skin of penis; prepuce of penis
- Also called
- foreskin
Related
- Glans penis
- Scrotum
- Superficial inguinal nodes
- Pudendal nerve
- Dorsal nerve of penis
- Dorsal artery of penis
Sources: Anatomy, Abdomen and Pelvis, Penis.
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Representative model, for educational purposes only.
