Comments on: Cleaning the Penis with Intact Foreskin

By: maggie

maggie — Mon, 23 Sep 2013 20:10:00 +0000

Thank you this helped alot I have 2 boys and the oldest is 3 his skin retracts easily because I would retract it every now and then since my mother in law told me it was important. But now my 1 yr old I have totally neglected his penis since I assumed it wasnt nessecary but lately I remembered because the tip was a bit red amd when I tried retracting it, it became painful and I was afraid that this was abnormal. My mother in law had told me her nephew had to get circumcised at the age of 5 or 6 because his skin would not retract so I have been paranoid.

By: Brother K

Brother K — Fri, 23 Aug 2013 11:52:00 +0000

WHAT IS THE MOST DANGEROUS EVENT FACING AN ‘INTACT’ (NOT CIRCUMCISED) BOY?

Aside from circumcision? … a well-baby visit. Our physicians’ international non-profit intervenes in over 100 cases each year of intact boys who
were injured by a primary care provider. The injury is called ‘PFFR,’ or Premature Forcible Foreskin Retraction. We conservatively estimate the
annual incidence in the U.S. at more than 100,000 cases. Ironically, many occur when a parent takes the child to a well-baby visit, at 6, 12, or 24 months; but this injury might occur at any age. The children we have helped range in age from one week to 12 years.

By: Nik

Nik — Wed, 21 Aug 2013 17:42:00 +0000

My DS has an infection. His foreskin isn’t discolored, but his penis is red and swollen and has been for over 24 hours. He went to the emergency room and they retracted his foreskin! His father took him so I had no control and could not protect my son. The doctors there informed my husband that the foreskin needs to be retracted and cleaned. So far, we had been cleaning it on the outside only, almost as you would a finger. They did nothing for him, and simply said to take him to a urologist. Possibly to discuss circumcision.

I am 110% against that. Seriously. Last night I gave him a salt bath and it seemed to ease the issue a little, enough where it doesn’t cause as much pain. I noticed that pus (not smegma) started to practically leak from his foreskin following. The more it leaked though, the less his penis was swollen. But the issue still remains.

Please advise.

By: David Chambers

David Chambers — Tue, 20 Aug 2013 00:30:00 +0000

I have a 9 month old little boy. He is uncircumcised (as am I). My well-meaning sister retracted the foreskin from the glans as early as a few months ago (age 6 months). I was not aware of this until a few days ago. Now that the seal between the glans and the foreskin is broken, would it be better to occasional retract the foreskin and wash with warm soapy water? Or should we continue to only clean the outside for now, as we have been.

Thanks,
David

By: Alan Greene

Alan Greene — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 19:44:00 +0000

Amanda – that’s a very important question. When the foreskin is pulled back forcibly all at once, sometime adhesions or even scarring can form, making it harder to retract for awhile. Often this will soften back up on its own over time – but not always.

The redness at the tip could be a little irritation – or a little infection. Repeated infections, pain, urine problems, the tip feeling hard, or having a white ring scar at the tip are all good reasons to get his difficulty retracting the foreskin checked out.

When the tip is red, sometimes Sitz baths 2-3 times a day will help, and/or gently cleaning with a cotton swab. Sometimes an antibiotic ointment is needed. Once the redness is cleared up, it’s wise to avoid irritants and to avoid forcibly retracting the foreskin (which you are already doing well, from what you say).

By: Alan Greene

Alan Greene — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 19:44:00 +0000

Does that make sense to you, Nicole?

By: Nicole

Nicole — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 03:31:00 +0000

I to am having the same problem with my 4 old boy as Amanda has written below so am very curious to hear the answer.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 17:37:00 +0000

I HAVE A QUESTION… My son is 4 years and 5 months old and I did not have him circumcised. I don’t remember exactly but when he was between ages 2-4 I remember he pulled back his own foreskin to the point that I had to try to gently pull it forward but I don’t remember him crying. Now at his current age when I try to pull it back just a little to clean the tip when he has a bowl movement in his pull up he whines and tells me it hurts a little and the tip of the skin is a little red. My question is, how could he have pulled it back that far years ago without crying but now it bothers him just to pull it back to clean the tip?