THE PREPUCE.
The prepuce is a common anatomical structure of the male and female external genitalia of all human and non-human primates; it has been present in primates for at least 65 million years, and is likely to be over 100 million years old, based on its commonality as an anatomical feature in mammals.
Certain cultures have excised the prepuce from children to conform to societal standards, while other cultures accept the complete external genitalia as normal.
The motives for circumcision in preliterate cultures are difficult to define, but include rites of passage, blood sacrifices and cultural markings.
Ritualistic, childhood genital surgery has become popular in the last several thousand years, making the prepuce the most vilified normal anatomical structure of the human body.
Rather than acknowledging the prepuce as normal anatomy, some contemporary physicians consider the penile and clitoral prepuce (or clitoral hood) to be dangerous and unhealthy.
However, before theoretical justifications for circumcision can be considered, a complete understanding of the normal anatomy and function of the prepuce is required.
This paper reviews the embryology, anatomy and function of the prepuce.
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