The foreskin (prepuce) is a retractable double-layered fold of skin and mucous membrane that is supported by, and covers, the head of the penis (glans) and protects the urinary opening (meatus).
The outside of the foreskin is like the skin on the shaft of the penis, but the inner foreskin is mucous membrane, like the inside of the eyelid or the mouth. Like the eyelid, the foreskin is free to move. Small muscle fibers keep it closed over the glans, but make it highly elastic. The foreskin is attached to the glans with a skin web (frenulum), which helps return the foreskin to its normal position, covering the glans. At the opening of the inner foreskin is a ring of tissue called the ridged band, which is rich in nerve endings (Meissner’s corpuscles). The most sensitive portions of the penis are on the foreskin.
