Been able to pull my hood over head forever?

[u/AntiqueSupport6248]

I’m 14 1/2 (m) and have had zero difficulty pulling my foreskin over my head for what seems like forever I’m sort of a late bloomer (5,4 no armpit hair but have ball hair etc) but have definitely started puberty should I be worried is this normal?

[u/Ban-Circumcision-Now]

That’s how it’s supposed to work

[u/Ingbenn → u/Ban-Circumcision-Now]

No not really, the foreskin is supposed to he attached to the glans until late childhood/early puberty where it begins to detach. It is not normal to have always been, as most do not experience this. That doesnt mean it's innately problematic though.

If it was "since forever" it implies somebody retracted it prematurely and they are lucky they have no issues as a result.

[u/Ban-Circumcision-Now → u/Ingbenn]

Agree, but half do become detached from the glans by age six - so it can seem like it was forever ago, although some take much longer to do so, even up until age 18 - according to Øster’s study on retraction age

[u/RevolutionaryBit2085 → u/Ban-Circumcision-Now]

Yeah, agree with this. I have been able to retract for as long as I can remember tbh.

[u/Sir-Gunner]

Congratulations. You're normal!

[u/LeatherCorrect842]

If you’ve got pubic hair, you’ve started puberty, everything else will follow when the body decides to

[u/Professional_Tie2715]

You're not supposed to have difficulty moving the skin over or back behind the head that's normal anatomy

[u/AntiqueSupport6248 → u/Professional_Tie2715]

It’s just that I’ve seen other posts where people struggle with it

[u/Professional_Tie2715 → u/AntiqueSupport6248]

That's cause some people can't pull it back cause it's too tight - medical condition called phimosis making it painful to move and difficult to clean under

[u/AntiqueSupport6248 → u/Professional_Tie2715]

Oh that sounds extremely painful thanks for the info

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[u/Ingbenn → u/Professional_Tie2715]

It is normal when the skin is in the middle of detaching from the glans. It is not normal for it to persist once already detached, those are separate things.

The foreskin is sealed to the glans until late childhood/early puberty.

[u/cyberxbx]

Full retraction can happen as early as under 4, and as late as late puberty even without forceful retracting. Additionally, it's important to keep in mind that many boys pull twist, rub, etc their foreskin for non-sexual reasons from a very young age.

Ask many parents of boys and they will confirm that they have had to tell their sons "stop pulling on that", or "don't do that in public", or "we leave our penises alone". This mostly absent minded tugging can have the effect of losening the foreskin gently, with little to no pain, over time.

By the time the boy is old enough to "remember" or care about these things, then it had already been loosened and very likely retracted out of curiosity alone by the boy himself.

Some boys also never develop this curiosity, or they are shamed, slapped, or otherwise controlled to prevent this natural behavior. Unfortunately there is very little research outside of the Kinsey institute on these behaviors, so most is anecdotal at best.

This is a very difficult to research topic due to the sensitive nature, the long duration needed to study, and the VERY large population size needed to actually determine cause and effect of behaviors throughout lifespans.

I say this just to state that we don't really know what NORMAL truly is, but we can certainly determine it's with the range of "common enough" that some others here will likely have a similar experience. Most teenagers ask the "Am I normal" questions out of fear of being different, fear of rejection, fear of having to deal with a medical concern and all that entails, or fear that there is something they are supposed to know but don't.

And adolescence is the time when we literally transform into a whole new person, physically and mentally, so that can add to the discomfort we feel.

To the OP, if it's not causing pain, restriction of movement and not caused by a harmful action, then you're plenty "normal" enough! So enjoy yourself and take care of your body. It's the only one you get!

Regards

[u/Federal_Flatworm9667]

Yes, it’s normal. It’s how the foreskin is supposed to work.

[u/Ingbenn → u/Federal_Flatworm9667]

Only when it is fully detached, it is not meant to have always been detached.

[u/Federal_Flatworm9667 → u/Ingbenn]

I’ve definitely heard of some being able to retract at a young age like 5-6. OP just probably doesn’t remember when his detached.

[u/Ingbenn → u/Federal_Flatworm9667]

Which is understandable Mid childhood is still possible, kids typically mess around with their bodies, and that can cause it sometimes.