Although the majority of men worldwide are intact - that is, have a member with a prepuce - in some parts of the world, such as the United States, most men are snipped. In such areas, women rarely come into contact with a prepuce and so could benefit from a short guide to this body part. Although there is ongoing (and sometimes fierce) debate as to whether being cut or intact is "better" or has a positive impact on male organ health, most intact men are quite satisfied with having a prepuce. What is it?
The prepuce (sometimes called a "hood" or "cap") is a flap of skin that covers the glans of the manhood when it is in its resting state. When the member becomes firm, the prepuce retracts to allow the glans to protrude. All boys are born with a prepuce; some receive surgery on it, meaning that the prepuce is removed. The prepuce can provide an extra layer of protection for the glans, which can be quite sensitive otherwise. Studies also indicate that the prepuce contains highly sensitive nerve endings which can play a role in sensual stimulation. In addition, prepuce tends to be self-lubricating, which many intact men find to be a plus.

What to know

So what are some of the things that a woman may need to know about the prepuce? Well…

• It does retract. Although on boys the prepuce may be tight and require loosening in order to appropriately retract, in adult males the prepuce does "roll back" during the tumescence process.

• But sometimes it doesn't retract. However, there are cases where the prepuce is too tight, often due to the glans becoming swollen. (The condition in which the prepuce is too tight for easy retraction is called phimosis.) If this is an issue, a man needs to see a doctor, who may recommend treatment such as application of a steroid cream or manual stretching techniques.

• Men are individual; so are their prepuces. Every guy is slightly different – and so is his prepuce. Some men have hoods that are very flexible and loose; they may enjoy having a partner gently stretch on them or roll them back. Other men's prepuces are tighter and more sensitive, and a more cautious approach may be necessary. When being introduced to a man's prepuce, a woman may want to do some exploring – with the owner's permission, of course. She can ask a man how he likes his prepuce handled or she can begin touching it and asking if what she is doing feels good, or if there is something else she should try.

• Men can be particular about their protective fittings. Some intact men prefer to slip a rubber on with the prepuce covering the glans; others prefer to roll back the prepuce and expose the glans before fitting the rubber on. It’s generally recommended that a man be retracted. If a woman is helping apply the protection, she should ask a man for guidance so as not to go too fast or rough.

• Hygiene is important. For all men, good manhood hygiene is crucial. For intact men, washing "under the hood" is essential – and can sometimes be a little difficult. This is especially true if the prepuce is tight; rolling it back to wash under the prepuce can be challenging. On the other hand, sometimes a guy can over-wash under the skin, which can cause the glans and surrounding area to dry up.
Using a first-rate male organ health crème (health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil) can help with these prepuce cleaning challenges – and a woman can guide her man to this option. A crème with a combination of a high-end emollient (such as Shea butter) and a natural hydrator (such as vitamin E) can help to keep the skin moisturized. All men are prone to member odor problems; when cleaning under the prepuce is challenging, this can be pronounced. Fortunately, a crème with vitamin A, which has potent anti-bacterial properties, can help to kill the bacteria that contribute to persistent male organ odor conditions. Women may want to recommend Man1 Man Oil to their intact partners to help maintain precious manhood health.

Visit http://www.menshealthfirst.com for additional information on most common manhood health issues, tips on improving member sensitivity and what to do to maintain a healthy male organ. John Dugan is a professional writer who specializes in men's health issues and is an ongoing contributing writer to numerous websites.