What a short frenulum is
The frenulum is the thin fold of tissue on the underside of the penis that joins the foreskin to the glans. When it is too short or not elastic enough (also called a short frenulum, in medical terms frenulum breve), during an erection it pulls the glans downwards and can cause:
- pain or burning during intercourse or masturbation (in medical terms male dyspareunia);
- small tears that bleed and recur over time, leaving scars that shorten the frenulum even further;
- difficulty in fully retracting the foreskin to uncover the glans.
It is a common problem in young adults and those affected often find it embarrassing. At the consultation a physical examination is enough to establish whether the problem is the frenulum, the foreskin or both.
When surgery is needed
In mild cases, without tears, you can first try local treatment, usually a cortisone cream combined with gentle stretching exercises for a few weeks. If the pain persists, or if the frenulum has already torn, the solution is surgical.
If in addition to the short frenulum there is also a tight foreskin (phimosis), frenuloplasty alone may not be enough: in that case we consider together preputioplasty or circumcision, with which the frenulum is corrected in the same operation.
How the short frenulum operation is performed
- Anaesthesia: local anaesthesia only. You are awake, but feel no pain.
- Transverse incision: with the CO₂ laser I cut the frenulum transversely, that is, across the axis of the penis. The laser allows a precise cut and controls bleeding (haemostasis), in a highly vascular area through which the frenular artery passes, which must be respected.
- Longitudinal suture: I close the wound lengthwise. This step is what “gains” length: the frenulum is lengthened and the glans is no longer pulled during an erection.
- Stitches: I use absorbable stitches, which do not need to be removed and fall out on their own in about 10 days.
The procedure takes about 30 minutes and you go home straight afterwards, with a small dressing and written instructions for the following days. I perform the procedure at Aesthetic Clinic in Turin; consultations can also take place in Asti and Alessandria.
Recovery: realistic timings
| Activity | When you resume |
|---|---|
| Driving | Straight away: the procedure is performed under local anaesthesia alone, without sedation |
| Work | Straight away |
| Stitches falling out | On their own, in about 10 days |
| Sport | After 3 weeks |
| Sexual intercourse and masturbation | After 4 weeks |
| Swimming pool and sea | After 6 weeks |
In the first days slight swelling and discomfort that can be controlled with common painkillers are normal. Spontaneous night-time erections can give a feeling of tension on the suture: this is common and does not damage the wound.
What the studies say
- The literature describes several techniques: simple incision, plasty with suture (the one I use), suture-free methods and the use of the laser. A 2022 review concludes that both diathermy and laser give good functional and aesthetic results, but that studies are still few and small.
- An English study of 12 years of procedures reports good overall satisfaction, but also that about 11% of patients later needed a circumcision, for foreskin problems not resolved by frenuloplasty alone. This is why at the consultation I always assess the foreskin as well.
- A 2024 Italian study on the CO₂ laser observed satisfactory healing within two weeks, with reduced bleeding, although in a small number of patients.
Frenuloplasty resolves the pain and tears caused by a short frenulum. It is not a treatment for premature ejaculation, and I do not offer it as one.
Risks and possible complications
It is a minor procedure, but no procedure is free of risk: in surgery 1 + 1 does not always equal 2.
- bleeding or a small haematoma, especially if a stitch is stressed too early;
- wound infection, uncommon;
- swelling or altered sensitivity in the area for a few weeks;
- a thickened scar or residual tension, which rarely requires a touch-up;
- rarely, narrowing of the urethral opening (meatal stenosis), which is avoided by respecting the glans during the procedure;
- persistence of symptoms if there is also a foreskin problem, which may later require preputioplasty or circumcision.
Related pages
- Circumcision in adults: when the problem also involves the foreskin
- Preputioplasty and phimosis: the conservative alternative to circumcision
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if I have a short frenulum?
Typical signs are pain or burning under the glans during an erection or intercourse, small tears that bleed and recur, or the glans being pulled downwards during an erection. At the consultation a physical examination is enough to confirm it.
Is there a treatment without surgery?
In mild cases, without tears, you can try a cortisone cream and gentle stretching exercises for a few weeks. If the problem persists or the frenulum has already torn, the solution is surgical.
Is the procedure painful?
No: it is performed under local anaesthesia alone and takes about 30 minutes. In the following days discomfort is usually mild and is controlled with common painkillers.
When can I return to work, sport and intercourse?
Work straight away, sport after 3 weeks, sexual intercourse after 4 weeks, swimming pool or sea after 6 weeks.
Do the stitches need to be removed?
No: they are absorbable stitches, which fall out on their own in about 10 days.
What is the difference between frenulotomy and frenuloplasty?
Frenulotomy is simple incision of the frenulum, left to heal on its own. Frenuloplasty, after the incision, reconstructs the frenulum with a suture that lengthens it: it is the technique I use.
What is the difference between frenuloplasty and circumcision?
Frenuloplasty lengthens only the frenulum and preserves the foreskin. Circumcision removes the foreskin, wholly or partly, and if needed also corrects the frenulum. If the problem is only the frenulum, frenuloplasty is enough.
Where is the procedure performed?
At Aesthetic Clinic in Turin. Consultations can also take place at the Asti and Alessandria locations.
Does frenuloplasty cure premature ejaculation?
No. It resolves the pain and tears caused by a short frenulum, but it is not a treatment for premature ejaculation.
Scientific references
-
Pyrgidis N, Sokolakis I, Dimitriadis F, Hatzichristodoulou G – Frenuloplasty: from alpha to omega
Source: International Journal of Impotence Research, 2022 – Nature
What it covers: a review of techniques for correcting a short frenulum, from simple incision to plasty with suture and the use of the laser. Laser and diathermy give good functional and aesthetic results; the complications to avoid are injury to the frenular artery, damage to the glans and meatal stenosis.
Why it matters: it is the most up-to-date synthesis on the subject and makes clear the limits of the available evidence.
-
Rajan P, McNeill SA, Turner KJ – Is frenuloplasty worthwhile? A 12-year experience
Source: Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, 2006 – RCS England
What it covers: analysis of over 200 frenuloplasties performed over 12 years. Satisfaction is good, but 11% of patients later needed a circumcision, with an overall estimate of 15–20%.
Why it matters: it shows why, before operating on the frenulum, the foreskin must also be carefully assessed.
-
Gyftopoulos K – Male dyspareunia due to short frenulum: the suture-free, "pull and burn" method
Source: The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2009 – Wiley
What it covers: describes, in 127 young adults, a suture-free technique for a short frenulum, with good results and no cases of meatal stenosis at three months.
Why it matters: it documents pain during intercourse as a real and common problem, and shows that different techniques exist: the choice depends on the anatomy and on the surgeon's experience.
-
Amato S, Nisticò S, Bennardo L, Pellacani G, Cannarozzo G – CO2 Laser Frenuloplasty: Advancing Minimally Invasive Techniques for Rapid Healing and Improved Patient Outcomes
Source: Surgeries, 2024 – MDPI
What it covers: an Italian study of 15 patients treated with the CO₂ laser: satisfactory healing within two weeks, reduced bleeding and improved quality of life.
Why it matters: it concerns the instrument I use; the number of patients is small, as the authors themselves point out.
For a deeper look at the whole field of male intimate surgery:
Medically reviewed by Dr Giulio Maria Maggi, Plastic Surgeon — last review:
Article written by
Dr Giulio Maria Maggi
Aesthetic Plastic Surgeon — Turin, Asti and Alessandria
Medical Director — Aesthetic Clinic (Turin)
Registered with the Turin Medical Council (Ordine dei Medici di Torino) no. 20595
Full Member of AICPE — Italian Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (verify)
Expertise and areas of interest
Dr Maggi trained specifically in intimate medicine and surgery by working for 12 years alongside Prof. Renato Marten Perolino, urologist and plastic surgeon, at Villa Maria Pia Hospital and, privately, at Clinica Fornaca and Clinica Cellini in Turin. From him he learned male-to-female gender-affirming surgery, and he was first operator in breast augmentation procedures on Prof. Perolino's patients undergoing gender transition. He also trained internationally with Prof. José Guerrero Santos in Guadalajara and with Prof. Andrew A. Jacono in New York, in the Deep Plane facelift technique.
His particular areas of focus are:
- Functional and aesthetic intimate surgery, male and female
- Deep Plane facelift
- Blepharoplasty
- Liposculpture and fat grafting (lipofilling)
- Breast surgery
- Body contouring
Clinical approach: «Prima comprendere» ("Understand first"). No promises of results: indications, risks and limits explained frankly, so that every patient can make a truly informed choice.
