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

[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