Encyclopedia > Smegma

  Article Content

Smegma

Smegma is a 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. It is whitish-yellow in appearance and emits a pungent odor. There are numerous university studies that demonstrate that HPV (Human Papiloma Virus), a causitive agent in cervical cancer grows well in smegma. It is also found on the skin of newborn infants.

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



All Wikipedia text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License

 
  Search Encyclopedia

Search over one million articles, find something about almost anything!
 
 
  
  Featured Article
Westhampton Beach, New York

... West (40.808995, -72.646009)1. According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 7.7 km² (3.0 mi²). 7.5 km² (2.9 mi²) ...

 
 
 
This page was created in 31.4 ms