Physical Problems in Females

Clitoral Adhesions

Smegma can cause irritatation and pain, and even the adhesion of the clitoral hood to the glans: 1 Accumulated smegma 2 clitoral hood  3 clitoral glans 4 minor lips

The clitoris, like the penis, has a hood or foreskin that produces a oily, lubricating fluid. This fluid allows the foreskin to move back and forth over the smooth and healthy glans. However, if the sex organs are not properly cleaned, i.e. if the fluid is not washed away regularly, it will accumulate and turn into a cheese-like substance called smegma. This smegma can dry out and irritate the clitoris. The irritation can be relatively mild or lead to a persistent inflammaton and cause severe pain. Indeed, over time, an accumulation of smegma may cause the foreskin to adhere to the glans and body of the clitoris. Because of these adhesions, the foreskin can no longer be moved back and forth over the glans, and this, in turn, can make sexual activity painful. The condition may also be responsible for a lack of orgasm in some women.

Treatment
Clitoral adhesions can usually be avoided by good personal hygiene, i.e. regular careful washing of the vulva, including the glans and foreskin of the clitoris. Young girls should therefore become familiar with their sex organs and be able to locate the clitoris and its foreskin in order to clean them thoroughly. If, for some reason, this should not prove to be sufficient and the irritation persists, a gynecologist may have to be consulted. A careful examination may show that the opening of the foreskin is too narrow and needs to be stretched. The accumulated smegma may have to be removed by a doctor, and the adhesions may have to be released under local anesthesia. On the other hand, some women never become aware of their clitoral adhesions and are sexually fully responsive in spite of them.