Some boys can retract their foreskin as early as age 5, but some may not be able to do this until their teenage years. Retraction of the foreskin should not be forced. This may cause pain and bleeding and can lead to scarring and adhesions (where skin is stuck to skin).
If your son's foreskin separates before he reaches puberty, an occasional retraction with cleansing beneath will do. Once your son starts puberty, he should clean beneath his foreskin as part of his daily routine, just like washing his hair and brushing his teeth.
Phimosis is when a foreskin can't be pulled down (retracted) from the tip of the penis. This is a common problem in young boys. Paraphimosis is when the foreskin is retracted but can't move back up. This can prevent normal blood flow in the penis, and may cause serious problems.
Foreskin retraction may happen right after birth. Or it may take several years. Most foreskins can be fully retracted by the time a young man is 18 years old. Retracting or pulling back the foreskin from the tip of the penis should not be forced.
Always put the foreskin back to its normal position if it has been pulled back. This may happen during sex. Or you may pull it back before sex, before you urinate, or while you clean it.
It sounds like you are suffering from a phimosis, where the foreskin cannot be pulled back to expose the head (glans) of the penis. This can be caused by a few conditions but most commonly, a skin condition known as BXO (otherwise called lichen sclerosis) is responsible.
Normally, by the time a boy reaches 16 years of age, he should be able to easily retract his foreskin. This is true in 1% to 5% of men. If they cannot retract the foreskin by this age, they may possibly have phimosis.
To be sure, we recommend you contact your health care provider. They can also prescribe a cream that you can apply to your foreskin to help it retract, or pull back. To help prevent this in the future it's important to gently retract your foreskin every time you shower and clean with lukewarm water.
That is normal, frankly— you are only 14 and the average age of detachment and being able to retract it is 15. And it might even be longer. Your foreskin is still developing, and once it is fully developed it generally can be retracted with ease.
Phimosis is caused by a tightening of the opening of the foreskin. This is normal in a newborn baby. Over time the foreskin loosens and can be pulled down more easily. By age 17, most boys will be able to fully retract their foreskin.
Smegma in children
This change requires skin cells to be shed. These skin cells may form smegma. This change can occur at various ages; however, it tends to occur before the age of 5. The change may, however, occur earlier – even before birth or shortly after – or later – around the teenage years.
In most guys, the foreskin stays attached until puberty. The growth of the glans during puberty, and other changes causes the adhesions to dissolve over time. Jumping to circumcision is pretty drastic… at 13 it is not abnormal that you may still have an attached foreskin.
As your son begins to toilet train, teach him how to retract his foreskin, this will get him used to this necessary step during urination. Eventually, the foreskin should be retracted far enough during urination to see the meatus (the hole where the urine comes from).
There is no need to clean inside the foreskin in young children. Trying to force the foreskin may cause scarring and problems in the future. Once the foreskin is easily retracted, your child should learn to do this as part of normal washing in the bath or shower.
It Is Your Decision
The American Academy of Pediatrics considers circumcision a choice for parents to make. Some parents choose circumcision for religious or cultural reasons. It is important to consider the pros and cons, how the surgery is performed and the potential complications.
Circumcision may be done at any age. If you were not circumcised as a baby, you may choose to have it done later for personal or medical reasons.
There are a few ways to go about self-circumcision, but it is generally not recommended. The most common method involves using a sharp object to remove the foreskin, but this can be extremely dangerous and result in serious injury. Even if done correctly, there is a risk of infection and scarring.
Circumcision can be done at any age.
Current incidence of phimosis is about 1% in 7th grade boys. Physiologic phimosis: Children are born with tight foreskin at birth and separation occurs naturally over time. Phimosis is normal for the uncircumcised infant/child and usually resolves around 5-7 years of age, however the child may be older.
Yes. People who were not circumcised as babies may choose to undergo circumcision as an adult. Generally, the procedure is the same for older boys and adults as it is for babies. You'll likely have the procedure in the hospital, using anesthesia.
Not able to retract the foreskin back easily can be a symptom of a condition known as Phemosis. It is due to tight foreskin. It is completely curable problem. With minor procedure, it can be cured.
In men, circumcision is most commonly carried out when the foreskin is tight and won't pull back (retract), which is known as phimosis. But alternative treatments, such as topical steroids, are sometimes preferred.
If your foreskin is very tight, it's advisable to speak to your GP. There are creams available on prescription, but if these don't work you might need a circumcision (don't worry, it's harmless, in America almost everyone is circumcised).
Sometimes there's a medical need for circumcision, such as when the foreskin is too tight to be pulled back (retracted) over the glans. In other cases, particularly in parts of Africa, circumcision is recommended for older boys or men to reduce the risk of certain sexually transmitted infections.