Gently pull the skin on the shaft of the penis backward towards the stomach. This will make the foreskin open up. You will be able to see part of the glans. The glans is the tip of the penis.
Start stretching exercises on the foreskin, usually best by pulling the foreskin back until it feels tight (but not painful), and holding it back under tension for 10 minutes – usually after a bath or shower twice a day.
If the foreskin can be retracted when the penis is erect, the tightened ring can sometimes prevent the skin from moving forward again, which results in a painful condition known as paraphimosis. This requires emergency management to prevent the glans from swelling.
In this conservative (non-surgical) treatment approach, a steroid cream is applied to the tip of the foreskin twice a day over a period of four to eight weeks. The steroid cream makes it easier to stretch the skin. After two weeks, the child or his parents can start trying to gradually stretch the foreskin once a day.
What are the main treatments? A doctor can manually retract the foreskin under local or general anaesthesia. You may also be shown how to gradually retract the foreskin after a bath, using petroleum jelly (Vaseline) or some other form of lubrication. But if the problem persists, circumcision may be necessary.
What could have caused my tight foreskin? In children, a tight foreskin is usually congenital but, in adults, it is often due to a scarring disease known as balanitis xerotica obliterans (BXO, sometimes called lichen sclerosus).
Phimosis is normal for the uncircumcised infant/child and usually resolves around 5-7 years of age, however the child may be older.
It may take a few weeks, months, or years. Once this happens, the foreskin can be pulled back away from the tip of the penis. This is called foreskin retraction. Most boys will be able to retract their foreskins by the time they are 5 years old, yet others will not be able to until the teen years.
In most men, phimosis is not a serious problem and will not require treatment. However, it is not expected to improve on its own. As noted above, paraphimosis is sometimes a medical emergency, and the penis may become permanently damaged if you do not seek immediate medical attention.
The foreskin is extremely sensitive and only light pressure and gentle motions must be used while stretching. Stretching the foreskin too aggressively may worsen your condition. Try tensing and relaxing regularly for increased flexibility.
There is another classification of phimosis severity invented by Kikiros et al., which is as follows: Grade 0 is full retractability, Grade 1 is full retraction but tight behind glans, Grade 2 is partial exposure of glans, Grade 3 is partial retraction with meatus just visible, Grade 4 is slight retraction but neither ...
Phimosis is a condition of the male foreskin where the skin is tight and unable to retract back behind the head of the penis. This condition is completely normal and physiologic in most baby boys whose penis is otherwise without abnormalities.
Phimosis makes sexual intercourse uncomfortable, but does not interfere with a man's fertility. Therefore a man can definitely make a woman pregnant despite having phimosis.
During erection the head or the glans of the penis further expands in size and the current state of elasticity of your foreskin do not allow it to smoothly unfold. This gives you pain and discomfort.
Applying soft white paraffin ointment (Vaseline® ointment) under the foreskin helps to heal genital skin. Try to avoid contact with irritants of the genital skin.
You can use an aqueous cream (such as E45) to clean the area, but make sure it's completely rinsed off. After you have finished washing, dry the area thoroughly. Slide your foreskin back and carefully pat dry the head of the penis with a soft towel.
If you can't pull the foreskin back over the widest part of your penis you could have a condition called phimosis. A tight foreskin is a common complaint for men where the foreskin is excessively long, or if the skin has been torn and healing has led to the foreskin contracting.
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.
Phimosis is where the foreskin is too tight to be pulled back over the head of the penis (glans). Phimosis is normal in babies and toddlers. It isn't usually a problem unless it causes the symptoms described. Take your child to your GP if they have these symptoms.
Phimosis (Foreskin Problems) symptoms
Try not to force the foreskin back yourself, as this can lead to painful cracks on the inside of the foreskin. As these cracks heal, they will form scars, which could make your condition worse.