How to tell if you have been worked on

[sunsettingsun]

Alright this is a completely serious post. I was inspecting my ball sac earlier today. Specifically I was looking at this line I have known about for some time. This line is like a mountain; my skin is two tectonic plates, and from the base of my penis all the way to nearly my anus a mountain was created between the two sides of my body meeting. Or so I thought. Examining my ball sac closer gave me the impression that there were stitches once there going along this line and this is not a mountain, but a scar. I don't know how stitches could have gotten there. Is this a sign that I was worked on? Is this line actually normal and I am just paranoid about these things? Anyone have links explaining in detail the types of surgery intersexed people receive?

[Meadow]

Dear sunsettingsun,

Yes, there normally is a line down the center of the scrotal sac. This is often called the "median raphe". Or, straight out of Dorland's Medical Dictonary under "raphe of scrotum": A ridge along the surface of the scrotum in the median line, dividing it into nearly equal lateral parts.

So, while this does not mean that you have NOT been worked on (castrations often use this landmark for the skin incision), that structure is a normal feature of the scrotum.

I hope this helps.

Meadow

[sunsettingsun]

is it normal for this line to continue all the way past the sac to nearly one's anal opening? Thanks for the information.

[Sofie]

is it normal for this line to continue all the way past the sac to nearly one's anal opening?
Yes it is.
Scars usually look like white lines, sometimes they are like grooves with a red or purple border. Some scars are only visible because the pigmentation is different or because the skin looks wrinkled. Scars that didn't heal properly, scars from botched surgeries and keloids are more visible.

You can read more about the scrotum and penile anatomy on http://www.the-penis.com/anatomy-circumcision.html and on http://www.hypospadias.org/

[Lauren Meri]

What if the scar separates half way down the scrotum and forms a scar (where no hair will grow) in the shape of a vaginal opening? I also have numerous scars on both sides of my scrotum. I have just about given up trying to find answers. Any thoughts??

[Peter]

I recommend having your doctor look at your genitals. While your doctor might not be able to give you an immediate diagnosis as to what specific intersex condition you have, he or she should be able to determine if your situation is the result of what my general practitioner called a "developmental problem". Also, many intersex people have intersex experiences when growing up, such as my brother pulling down my pants when I was six to show a neighborhood kid my unusual anatomy. Your life history, when combined with a medical examination, can be helpful in discovering what is happening with your body. Parents are another possible source of information. My father has described to me in general terms, some of the genital surgery that I underwent as a child. Childhood medical records are another good source of information, so you might want to contact the hospital where you were born. I have not been able to get my medical records, but some people are able to retrieve them. Good luck.

Peter

[Lauren Meri]

Thanks for your input Peter, I have contacted the hospital where I was born and all medical recordy for my year are gone. Visit to a Uroligist is next. Thanks again