# Twist, silly question



## seraf (Feb 1, 2002)

My 5 month old has a quarter twist to the seam under his penis. So it is midline at the base but on the left side at the tip.

Is this normal? Or is his frenulum and glans sideways? Will it straighten out when he grows up?

I haven't asked the doc about it yet, I was just wondering if anyone else had seen this.

If this is the wrong forum, please let me know.


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## MCatLvrMom2A&X (Nov 18, 2004)

My ds's is the same way. I never gave it any thought since dh's is that way as well though he is circed. I think it would be unusual for it to be perfectly straight.


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## seraf (Feb 1, 2002)

Cool, I wondered if the attachment would be on the side when he got older. My oldest's is straighter.

Thank you.


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## WaitingForKiddos (Nov 30, 2006)

My DS has the same.


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## hakunangovi (Feb 15, 2002)

I think this is fairly common, but I can't answer your original question about the alignment of the frenulum. The 'seam' is called a "raphe" or probably a "penile raphe". You might find some info by googling that.


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## seraf (Feb 1, 2002)

Thanks so much, I will! My biggest question is when will his pee go straight? Right now it goes at a 90 degree angle to where I would expect it to go. He will get used to aiming it, whatever it does, but will his stream straighten out when his foreskin loosens up?


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## mama24-7 (Aug 11, 2004)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *seraf*
> 
> Thanks so much, I will! My biggest question is when will his pee go straight? Right now it goes at a 90 degree angle to where I would expect it to go. He will get used to aiming it, whatever it does, but will his stream straighten out when his foreskin loosens up?


My ds2, who was EC'd since three days old, would pee at about a 90 angle too. Now that his foreskin is retractable, he pees more at a 10 degree angle. Once he gets the hang of it, I have no doubt he'll get it all into the toilet when he pays attention!

Best wishes,

Sus


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## seraf (Feb 1, 2002)

Haha, thanks Mama24-7.

Hakunangovi, thanks for the technical words, it helped me find what I was looking for. It says 10% of babies have torsion of the foreskin and 2% have torsion of the meatus.

http://books.google.com/books?id=2chdTE4SHE8C&pg=PA375&lpg=PA375&dq=neonatal+penile+foreskin+torsion&source=bl&ots=E6nFaD1mGg&sig=SOjt7ab2wBjiau9jKr5BLuXiHQQ&hl=en&sa=X&ei=g--NT_r4K82ltwflzOWzCw&ved=0CEQQ6AEwBQ


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## hakunangovi (Feb 15, 2002)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *seraf*
> 
> My biggest question is when will his pee go straight? Right now it goes at a 90 degree angle to where I would expect it to go. He will get used to aiming it, whatever it does, but will his stream straighten out when his foreskin loosens up?


I would guess that once his foreskin separates from the glans then his stream should straighten out. There has been some debate about whether intact males, once they are retractable, retract to pee. Some do, some don't. One BIL sometimes does, sometimes doesn't. The other one says he has to or it creates a big mess. With DS and his intact cousins, as children they all seemed to have a fairly straight stream so long as they pointed it the right way without touching the foreskin at all.


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## seraf (Feb 1, 2002)

My older son doesn't retract to pee, he has a straight stream, tho.

The baby has a bit of ballooning, but it's still very tight at the tip. I'm thinking once the tightness loosens it may straighten out.


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## ursaminor (Mar 28, 2009)

I am sure he is fine. Both my DS and DH have a raphe that is a little off centet. DS' actually sort of splits in two midway up and rejoins. He doesnt retract, but he pees straight. We have had not issues. I hope that helps.


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## Frankly Speaking (May 24, 2002)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *seraf*
> 
> My 5 month old has a quarter twist to the seam under his penis. So it is midline at the base but on the left side at the tip.
> Is this normal? Or is his frenulum and glans sideways? Will it straighten out when he grows up?
> ...


Let me explain what you are seeing. Pardon me if I get too detailed, it's my nature.

At 8 weeks gestation, the genital tubercle forms. The genital tubercle will eventually form either the clitoris or the penis depending on the sex.

In girls, it stays almost the same but in boys, it grows, eventually emerging from what would be the vulva at the front/top. The sides of the vulva, the labia fold over and join around the shaft of the penis. The ventral raphe is where the two sides of the vulva/labia join. It is essentially a scar from this formation. It leads from the anal cleft to the tip of the penis/foreskin.

For some reason, your son's has a slight flaw called "torsion." This just means that it is slightly twisted and probably doesn't mean anything and won't affect him except cosmetically.

It may straighten or it may remain twisted. Only time will tell.

Frank


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