If a gauze was used and doesn't fall off on its own, remove it after 48 hours. Begin retracting (pulling back) the foreskin between 4 to 10 days after the circumcision (see instructions in next section).
Don't use soap on this area, as it can irritate the skin. After cleaning, always gently pull the foreskin back over the glans of the penis.
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. As a boy becomes more aware of his body, he will most likely discover how to retract his own foreskin. But foreskin retraction should never be forced.
Begin gentle partial retraction at 1 to 2 years of age. 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 foreskin is removed and stitched onto the remaining skin of the penis. Stitches that dissolve are used to close the wound. They will be absorbed by the body within 7 to 10 days. The wound may take up to 3 weeks to heal.
Normal Circumcision Healing
The incision starts off red and tender. The tenderness should be much less by day 3. The scab at the incision line comes off in 7 to 10 days. If a Plastibell (plastic ring) was used, it should fall off by 14 days.
As the circumcision heals, you will probably see a red "bloody" scab; more likely you will see a white to yellow to gray "wet scab" - this is not pus - it is a normal healing process. Do not mistakenly wipe it off - it will take the penis longer to heal if you remove it!
If you are not circumcised, you can still avoid paraphimosis by: Always pulling the foreskin back down to its natural position. This could be after having sex, going to the bathroom, or cleaning yourself. Never leaving the foreskin behind the head of your penis for any longer than you need to.
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.
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.
Phimosis is a condition of the penis that occurs in some adults and children who aren't circumcised. If you have phimosis, your foreskin can't be pulled back (retracted). It may look like your penis has rings around the tip. Having phimosis isn't necessarily a problem.
About one-third of males worldwide are circumcised, although the prevalence of circumcision varies significantly by country and culture.
Even after the dressing is no longer needed, put a dab of petroleum jelly on the penis or on the front of the diaper for 3 to 5 days. This can help your baby avoid pain from rubbing and sticking to the diaper. Most of the time it takes between 7 to 10 days for a penis to heal.
When a child is circumcised, sometimes the skin from the penis attaches to the head of the penis and forms adhesions. This usually occurs because too much skin was left behind during the original circumcision (incomplete circumcision/redundant foreskin).
At first, the incision (cut) will be red and the glans (head of the penis) will look like it has been scraped. The area may be tender, but this will lessen over the first couple of days. The penis may also have some redness and swelling and have some yellow pus on the head in particular for up to a couple of weeks.
The foreskin doesn't need any special care in childhood. After puberty, children should be able to pull back the foreskin. It's common for foreskin tips to get irritated.
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.
The foreskin and penis of a baby or child do not need any special care. A child's foreskin should never be pulled back (retracted) by force. During the first few years of life, the foreskin is stuck to the head of the penis by a membrane (called the synechia).
It's possible, the researchers write, that friction makes the head of the penis thicker, drier and ultimately less sensitive. The researchers also found circumcised men were more likely to report more pain and numbness during arousal than uncircumcised men, which Hoebeke said is likely due to scar tissue.
Smegma. If you do not wash your penis every day, a cheesy-looking substance called smegma can build up. Smegma is a natural lubricant that keeps the penis moist. It's found on the head of the penis and under the foreskin.
After the operation the penis will be swollen and look very bruised. This is a normal effect of both the injected anaesthetic and the handling it receives during the operation. These will gradually reduce over the next week or two.
Your child's glans may have off-white or yellowish patches in the first few days after surgery. These are a type of scab and are completely normal. Two or three days after the circumcision, the skin may look green and yellow. This is a sign of normal healing, not pus.