Smegma is the natural secretion of the sebaceous glands composed primarily of desquamated (shed) epithelial cells which typically collect under the prepuce (foreskin of the penis) or around the clitoris.

Daily rinsing with warm water (without soap) removes smegma. Some people, doctors included, erroneously recommend circumcision to deal with smegma. Hygiene, not surgery, is the best practice.

As suggested by its etymological roots in the Latin word for "detergent" (ie, soap), smegma provides both cleaning and lubrication functions.

External links

Wright J. How smegma serves the penis: Nature's Assurance That the Uncircumcised Glans Penis Will Function Smoothly is Provided by Smegma. Sexology (New York) 1970;37(2):50-53. URL: http://www.cirp.org/library/normal/wright1/