How to Clean Smegma

[gettingusedtoit.livejournal.com]

Hey, kind of a gross question regarding smegma, but it says nothing is tmi so here goes...



Just a bit of background: I'm 26 and have never masturbated or had anything to do with my vagina. About six years ago I realized that it wasn't that I just had a super-low sex drive, but that I was transgendered. I've never felt comfortable or okay with my body parts and have a real disconnect from what I think should be there verses what actually is. So, for the most part I have utterly ignored it.

I've recently started hormone therapy to begin the transition into a man, and this has definitely ramped up my sex drive. As a result, I decided to do something I'd never done before--poke and prod at my clit. Now, I'm an avocate for foreskins and totally against circumcision, and as such, I was aware of smegma. I was also aware that women got it too, but I somehow failed to connect the two. Anyway, twenty-six years old and never pulled the clitorial hood back... you can imagine.

I read up on how to clean smegma online (and checked the community tags). I took myself into the shower with some warm water and tried to get it come off to no avail. I tried a little gentle soap and still nothing. Too much direct prodding at it is far too unpleasant to continue, so I'm a bit at a loss. The top web search for "how to clean smegma clit" is this community, so I thought I'd try here. I apologize for coming in with my vagina-woes to a vagina-loving community, but I figure everyone here can help me better than anywhere else.

So. Should I just keep at it despite the discomfort? Should I ignore it for now and try the warm water again next shower and so on to see if that helps? I know that cleaning the penis of a horse of smegma sometimes requires a special dissolvant--is there anything like that for humans?

It doesn't bother me and I've never had any problems with my equipment (besides, you know, being born with the wrong set), but now that I realize I have this problem I definitely want to fix it and take care of it in the future. So, any help is much appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

ETA: Okay, I attempted to tackle the issue again, this time sitting on the toilet with a mirror, a warm, wet washcloth and a little attention. I was finally able to loosen the smegma enough to peel it off in chunks. Seriously nasty, folks. It took three or four good peels. I should have taken a photo of it... hell, there are chunks in the trash I could photo. *gag* Anyway, there are still a few little tiny dust sized bits left, but I figure those'll come off in the shower next time.

As for now though, asdfdg26hj ertseryu457y35r weri36hyi1erh, it feels so weird and sensitive, aaaaugh. Weird. Anyway. I thought about deleting the post but figure I'll leave it up incase anyone else ever has this problem. >_>

Comments

[sand-woman.livejournal.com]

It might be worth going to a doctor about it. It sounds like it has got pretty bad for you - if it's hurting to prod at it. You could try at home though a hot compress perhaps after a bath containing baby oil to soften everything up a bit before attempting removal again(I would add a couple of drops of tea tree oil to the water as a natural antiseptic). I usually use a damp cotton pad (the kind you get for facial cleansing) folded so that there is a slightly "sharp" end to clean with.

[gettingusedtoit.livejournal.com]

I went back and attacked it with a warm wet wash cloth and my fingernail and managed to peel the crud off. Ugggh, so nasty. Everything feels super sensitive down there right now, but I'm much happier knowing it's cleaned off. Thanks though, I definitely would have asked my doctor about it if no one here could help and I couldn't figure it out myself.

[gemfyre.livejournal.com]

I've never really looked that close but I've never noticed anything inconveniently icky hanging around my clit. When I'm in the shower I sort of just run my fingers around the folds and get out any muck (often bits of toilet paper). This has worked fine for me - never had any unusual smells or infections. I have had mild yeasties - but they were caused by anti-biotic use, not by over or under cleaning the area.

Unless it's causing you problems, I wouldn't worry about it.

And good luck with becoming a bloke. :)

[gettingusedtoit.livejournal.com]

Oh, it was seriously nasty. I imagine that for women who masturbate or have sex regularlly is probably less of an issue... I dunno. I consider myself very clean and always wash up good "down there" so I was really surprised to see just how built up and nasty it was, aaaugh.

Anyway, I took a warm wet washcloth and managed to peel all the offending smegma off. Ugh, not letting THAT happen again, hhaahaha.


And, thanks!

[fourwordsapart.livejournal.com]

ew, that does sound sort of yucky but oddly satisfying. i love removing gross things from my body, it's so freeing! i'm disgusting i guess...

glad you took care of it and hope it stops feeling so sensitive soon!

[gettingusedtoit.livejournal.com]

Yes, exactly!! It was totally gross, but also totally satisfying to get it gone. Once I realized it was there it was like, I couldn't just SIT HERE anymore and let it be. I had to get rid of it, aaaugh. I don't think it's disgusting to want to get rid of gross things from your body! I only wish I felt as repulsed by my extra fat as I did that, 'cause I'd be an excercise MACHINE if I did, hahaha.

I hope it stops feeling sensitive soon too. /poerjhierh whole new feeling for the body, hahaha. Thanks for the comment. :D

[fourwordsapart.livejournal.com]

no prob. i second your wish to be as OCD about my extra chub as i am about scabs and pus etc. :)

[snowmentality.livejournal.com]

Heh, I know you're joking, but you really don't. I've been that OCD about extra fat (hello eating disorder). It is not cool, because you end up desperately wanting to be able to rip it out like you'd rip a scab or pop a pimple, but obviously you can't do that, and it drives you pretty nuts.

I'm completely not offended, and I'm sorry for taking it too seriously and this is absolutely not intended to be negative against you at all, but I guess it was just a little triggering for me and I wanted to say something.

[fourwordsapart.livejournal.com]

ooh. i see your point. my apologies.

[http://users.livejournal.com/__caroline__/]

i am totally with you on this

yay ocd!

[starship.livejournal.com]

Haha, I was thinking the same thing.

[xevv.livejournal.com]

Oh dear god!! That was seriously an awesome way for me to wake up; I love tmi in the morning and god DAMN you win a prize for this little bit.

Anyways. Smegma can be a very serious issue if you don't clean it off *every day*. Your clit actually has glands around it that produce this stuff, and in its fresh state is supposed to keep the hood lubricated enough to pull back and forth without too much friction. However, if you don't clean it every day eventually what'll happen is it'll form into these hard white little kernels and get lodged into the skin of your clitoris and up inside the hood. They're sort of like tonsoliths for the vag. Kept there long enough, they irritate the skin until it forms tiny wounds, and the skin heals around the kernel. This means that your hood will get sealed partially or even fully to your clit, and you wont be able to pull it back without intense pain. At this point a doctor is the best thing, of course. I'm really surprised, actually that you're not in more pain than you already are!

So, anyways, don't touch your clit too much until it's a little less sensitive---you don't want to irritate it further. Good luck!

[gettingusedtoit.livejournal.com]

Hahahahaha, yay I win an award for most TMI today! Hahaha, glad it was amusing. I'm definitely not poking the clitmeister for a while, trust me. I'm having a hard enough time just crossing my legs right now, hahahaha.

It is sort of surprising, given HOW MUCH THERE WAS that I've never had a problem with it before. I will definitely be sure to clean it everytime I shower now. Normally is anything more needed to be done than just to pull the hood back and let the water hit it? I have pretty bad eyesight and rarely wear contacts in the shower, so I doubt I would actually be able to SEE anything down there normally. I'm hoping just pulling back the hood will suffice after this.


Seriously. So, so, so nasty. I googled some pictures afterward and THEY DO NOT REMOTELY COMPARE.

[xevv.livejournal.com]

It might be a good idea to examine it while sitting on the toilet.

Btw, welcome to the world of having a sex drive; has your outlook on life changed at all?

[gettingusedtoit.livejournal.com]

I'll bear that in mind, thanks, hahahah.

Aaaand, a little. I dunno. I think I was happier with no sex drive, actually. I mean, I just didn't want anything to do with my parts. Now I kind of want to get off, and have to face the fact that I have the wrong equipment for it a lot more keenly. I'm sure if I had a fully functioning penis I would be all into masturbating and sex. As it is though, I'm just like... so broken. It's quite depressing, really.

[imnotyourstarx.livejournal.com]

Don't worry - you're on the right path towards fixing it! Good luck! :D

[totheleft.livejournal.com]

oh, my god, reading this comment made me shudder. lol

[http://users.livejournal.com/__caroline__/]

i have never heard of this smegma build-up cleaning thing. i wonder if i have any

*pauses to go check for smegma*

[shi-no-megami.livejournal.com]

I hadn't heard of this smegma build-up either and I've never had any problems with this kind of thing. I think that maybe people with smaller clits have less problems with it as there is less area for it to try and build up? But that's really just me guessing...

[http://users.livejournal.com/__caroline__/]

so, i checked my own self for this problem, found that i had a little one, which of course grossed me out, and then proceded to clean it with my fingertips and fingernail. ew! but now it hurts and is still sensitive from yesterday and then i cleaned it again today and now it really hurts.

what do i do???

[xevv.livejournal.com]

You might have scratched yourself imperceptibly with your fingernail; it happens to me all the time. If there's no blood, I'd say just leave it alone for a few more days and it should be fine. Just always make sure you can pull your hood back all the way.

[http://users.livejournal.com/__caroline__/]

i know this sounds kinda dumb... but how do i know if i can pull it back all the way or not?

[xevv.livejournal.com]

Well, only a doctor could tell you for sure if your hood has sealed partially over your clitoris, but if you can pull it back far enough to see the entire clitoris and where it joins with the hood without pain, then you've pulled it all the way back...at least as far as it will allow.

[http://users.livejournal.com/__caroline__/]

ok cool thank you!

i think i am in full-clitoral view ;D

[frenchiefry951.livejournal.com]

I use a qtip. I have long nails, so I cant use my fingers. Lol. btw, you guys are too funny! Except for the whole damage to the southern region. Lol