Foreskin care

Foreskin care

No Consensus

Doctors don’t always agree on how to wash a little boy’s penis. But they do agree that you should never pull back the foreskin by force. This can cause tears and even bleeding.

Infants and young children

  • A baby's foreskin does not pull back easily for about 6 months. Don't force it. Until you can pull the foreskin back, use warm water to wash the outside of the penis only. Pulling the foreskin back too early can damage it and cause scar tissue to form.
  • When you're able to pull the foreskin back, do so gently. Only pull it as far as it will go. Carefully wash the whole area with warm water. After washing, return the foreskin to its normal position.
  • Teach your child how to pull back the foreskin and wash their penis. A child as young as 3 can be taught to do this.
  • If your child's foreskin can't be pulled all the way back by the time they reach puberty, call your doctor for advice.

Should you stretch a child's foreskin when bathing?

At birth, the foreskin is stuck to the glans of a little boy. Therefore, you should not try to force the dilation of a baby's foreskin, as this could injure him and cause bleeding. In fact, if the foreskin is stuck to the glans, you should never force the dilation.

The detachment of the foreskin occurs naturally over time. A boy's foreskin generally becomes completely dilated between the ages of 3 and 6, meaning that this small piece of skin detaches easily to slide over the glans without resistance.

If this is not the case, there is no need to worry. As long as the child does not have an infection and does not feel pain, there is no problem. In some boys, complete dilation does not occur until adolescence.

Some Hygiene Measures:

If your boy's foreskin is still stuck to the glans, simply clean the foreskin with water and then dry it.

Soap, even if it is intended for toddlers, is not necessary for this area of ​​the body. You can gently slide the foreskin to dislodge secretions that are not visible, but without ever forcing it.
Wipe away the whitish secretions that come out of the tip of the foreskin without trying to remove those that are under the foreskin. This whitish substance, called smegma, is not pus or dirt. It is a natural secretion that facilitates the detachment of the foreskin.
You can try to dilate your boy's foreskin without forcing it during each bath to check if the glans has detached from the foreskin. When you are able to stretch your boy’s foreskin without forcing it, pull back the head of his penis to remove any secretions that have accumulated there. This is because the accumulation of secretions under the foreskin can cause inflammation and even narrowing of the foreskin. Then pull the foreskin back over the penis.
When your boy is 5 or 6 years old, teach him how to clean his penis himself. Encourage him to pull back the tip of his penis to wash the head under the foreskin every time he has a bath. He should never feel pain when doing it.
Remind him to always pull the foreskin back over the tip of his penis after washing it.

Circumcision

Circumcision is an operation that involves removing the skin of the foreskin. Some parents request it for religious or personal reasons. However, it is not recommended by doctors.


Common Foreskin Problems

Inflammation and Balanitis:
Inflammation of the foreskin can happen, and balanitis is an inflammation of the glans. Balanoposthitis occurs when both problems occur at the same time. These inflammations are manifested by redness, thickening of the skin, itching and sometimes a burning sensation when peeing. Inflammation or balanitis can be caused by a bacterial infection, a fungus or by irritation following the use of a perfumed soap, for example.
What to do? Apply an antibiotic ointment recommended by your pharmacist (e.g., Polysporin®) as soon as the inflammation appears. This often helps treat both problems.
Consult a doctor if the inflammation progresses despite the application of an antibiotic ointment, or if it does not completely disappear after 4 or 5 days of treatment.
The doctor will be able to prescribe an appropriate treatment (e.g., antibiotic or antifungal cream). Also consult a doctor if your child's urine stream is very reduced or if your child feels a lot of pain when peeing.
Phymosis:
Phymosis occurs when the opening of the foreskin remains narrow, which prevents it from moving back over the glans, even just a little bit. Some little boys are born with a very narrow foreskin that does not want to dilate.
Phymosis can also be caused by an infection or by tears caused by forced dilation of the foreskin. This problem manifests itself by redness at the tip of the penis.
What to do?
Talk to your doctor to see if a cortisone cream should be prescribed to soften the foreskin. As a last resort, if no treatment works, circumcision may be considered.
Paraphymosis This problem occurs when the foreskin gets stuck behind the glans and can no longer go up to cover it. The foreskin and the tip of the penis may be slightly swollen and painful if nothing is done.
What to do? Compress the glans and the foreskin with your fingers to put the foreskin back in place. If this does not work, seek emergency medical attention, otherwise the situation will be more difficult to correct.

Normal Male Genitalia

Normal male genitalia in a term infant. The amount of pigment in the scrotum can vary considerably, depending on the ethnicity of the parents and maternal hormone effects.  So the colour of the scrotum kid could be so black and dark that you could think of a disease, but it is normal for some baby ethnicity.

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