how do i stop my sons foreskin from fusing to his penis - Infant Care (up to 18 months old) Message Board

domsmom2007 · 04-02-2009, 07:20 PM

if the foreskin is partially fused am I able to pull it back or does a doctor need to do this

newbmom · 04-03-2009, 07:43 PM

How old is your son? I have read that we should not pull the foreskin back since it could tear or hurt them. Both my sons are uncircumcised and I just pull the tip back a tiny amount to clean the very tip. But ask your pediatrician. I have also read that the foreskin will loosen up on its own and can take a long time to do so.
Is your son having problems going to the bathroom? If so definitely talk to your Dr. asap.
Good luck

WhiskersOnKittens · 04-03-2009, 11:24 PM

I assume your son is uncircumsized?
The pp is right--do not pull it back! It will NOT be loose from the penis for a long time yet. I've read somewhere that it's around the age of 10 when it can be pulled back. I have 2 ds's (23mo, and 8 weeks) who are uncircumsized, and I've never pulled either of theirs back. We've never had any infections or problems of any kind, so don't worry about it. Just clean the penis normally as it is, and don't worry about pulling it back at all.

Whiskers

Ol'Line Rebel · 04-04-2009, 07:48 AM

Hi, as mentioned, it's good to ask your doctor.

Also, is he circumcised or not?

Because my circumcised son had a small problem when what there is of his foreskin (and there IS foreskin, albeit not much) fused to the rim of the head. No-one had told me (and I'd not read) to "exercise" his penis foreskin so it wouldn't happen. His wasn't bad, so the urologist told me to apply hydrocortisone around the rim a few days, then attempt to push back the skin there with a cotton swab. This worked - hurt him at the moment, but he got over it, and we were just careful as the rim healed. And kept exercising it. It's long healed, but I now push it back every day once just to keep it from doing that again (it has a bit because I didn't do as much, but doc says it isn't bad).

Geoff B · 04-09-2009, 11:23 PM

The penis forms as one organ and at birth the foreskin is usually fused to the glans like a fingernail to its finger. So there is no cavity for germs and dirt to collect in until it separates naturally later, at an average age of 10. Only the boy himself should retract it and then he can be taught to skin back and rinse with plain water regularly.
Misguided attempts to retract too early, often by doctors and nurses, are the main cause of damage to boys’ foreskins.
If you are talking about a circumcised boy. You need to know why adhesions sometimes form. To perform a neo-natal circumcision the circumciser has to rip the foreskin away from the glans with forceps. Then the foreskin is either cut away or clamped until it falls off. It's quite common for the raw edges of the cut foreskin to fuse to the raw glans during the healing process, forming skin bridges or tags. Doctors don't seem to warn parents of this possibility. It's necessary to pull back the remains of the foreskin and smear vaseline on the glans to prevent adhesions. The vaseline also helps prevent stinging from urine on the raw wound and glans.
An uncircumcised infant penis requires no special care except external washing. Even ballooning during urination is perfectly normal, as those natural attachments gradually break down. Infections are not usually a problem except when premature attemps to retract are made,
Hope this helps,
Geoff