Phimosis usually goes away on its own within the first few years of a child's life. If it causes problems – for instance, when urinating (peeing) – it may need to be treated. Using a special cream is often enough. Surgery is only rarely needed.
The foreskin can be pulled back behind the glans in about 50 percent of 1-year-old boys, and almost 90 percent of 3-year-olds. Phimosis will occur in less than 1 percent of teenagers between 16 and 18. It is most likely to occur in older boys with: repeated urinary tract infections.
Phimosis is normal for the uncircumcised infant/child and usually resolves around 5-7 years of age, however the child may be older.
By age 17, most boys will be able to fully retract their foreskin. Phimosis can also occur if the foreskin is forced back before it is ready. This can cause a fibrous scar to form. This can stop the foreskin from retracting in the future.
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.
A tight foreskin is not usually a problem, unless there are symptoms such as: swelling and tenderness. pain when peeing or a weak flow of pee. blood in urine.
Phimosis is normal and present in almost all newborn babies. As boys age, their foreskin becomes progressively easier to retract over the glans. By adulthood, physiological phimosis affects between 1 in 200 and just over 1 in 8 men1.
In adults, phimosis will not go away unless surgery is performed or an infection is treated.
If the phimosis is symptomatic, management is either medical or surgical. If asymptomatic, it can be left alone.
The condition you have is phimosis which is tightness of foreskin prevent easy retraction. It is not usually interfering with penile growth.
Phimosis usually goes away on its own within the first few years of a child's life. If it causes problems – for instance, when urinating (peeing) – it may need to be treated. Using a special cream is often enough. Surgery is only rarely needed.
Moreover, phimosis causes the situation that the prepuce traps the penis. For this reason, after surgery, patients evaluate their penile as much bigger than before.
If you have phimosis, you are more likely to get penile cancer. If left untreated, it can lead to increased swelling, and in extreme cases, gangrene, and eventually the loss of your penis.
Up to 10% of males will have physiologic phimosis at 3 years of age, and a larger percentage of children will have only partially retractible foreskins. One to five percent of males will have nonretractible foreskins by age 16 years.
By age 17, most boys will be able to fully retract their foreskin. Phimosis can also occur if the foreskin is forced back before it is ready. This can cause a fibrous scar to form. This can stop the foreskin from retracting in the future.
At birth, the foreskin is attached to the head of the penis (glans). It is attached by a layer of cells. Over time, the foreskin will separate from the head of the penis. This is a natural process and occurs over 5 to 10 years.
When the foreskin separates from the glans of the penis it can be pulled back (retracted) to expose the glans. Foreskin retraction may happen immediately after birth, or it may take several years. Some boys can retract their foreskin as early as age 5, but some may not be able to do this until their teenage years.
Gently retracting the foreskin over time can help resolve phimosis and steroid creams can also be effective1 in softening the skin and making it easier to move back and forth.
Phimosis can cause you to experience severe pain when you have an erection or during sexual intercourse. It can also cause injury to the foreskin, leading to minor bleeding and infection. In these situations, you might need to be circumcised.
If you are suffering from phimosis, regular exercise may be recommended by the doctor to help manage your symptoms. The doctor will suggest a few light exercises after examining your condition. Phimosis stretching exercises are helpful and may ease your pain to some extent.
As the child grows older the foreskin naturally separates from the penis and can then be retracted (pulled away). It is estimated that for the majority of boys phimosis usually resolves on its own by the age of 7 and for most others by the age of 10.
Adult phimosis may be caused by repeated episodes of balanitis or balanoposthitis. Such infections are commonly due to poor personal hygiene (failure to regularly clean under the foreskin). Phimosis may be a presenting symptom of early diabetes mellitus.