Phimosis is a narrowing of the foreskin of the penis. The head with phimosis opens difficult and painful or does not open at all. Phimosis can be physiological or acquired. With physiological phimosis, a natural narrowing is observed (without cicatricial changes) in the place where the mucous leaf passes into the skin. The skin is supple, elastic, easily stretches.
Symptoms of phimosis:
- inability of the foreskin to complete opening;
- difficulty urinating, a thin stream of urine;
- frequent urinary infections are possible.
Physiological phimosis
In almost every male infant, the foreskin is not removed at birth. This is physiological phimosis. What could this entail? Phimosis is not a problem if it does not cause inflammatory processes and difficulty urinating. Only in half of one-year-old boys the foreskin is able to move above the neck of the penis. By the end of the third year, the foreskin can be removed in 90% of boys. In children aged 6–7 years, phimosis occurs in 8% of cases, by 17 years, 1% remains. There are no clear age limits defining physiological phimosis.
If a child is diagnosed with phimosis, what does this mean and how should parents act? Treatment of this form of phimosis is carried out individually, in some cases, surgery can be avoided. It is necessary to very carefully and delicately stretch the foreskin. The procedure should be carried out after the child takes a bath so that the tissues are more elastic and stretchable. The use of Akriderm cream will help to improve the result. Each time, the tension of the tissues should be slightly increased, in no case allowing a sharp removal of the head. Sudden movements can cause injury to the narrowed part, scarring and psychological trauma to the child.
If the opening for opening the foreskin is very narrow, the child has problems with urination, phimosis of the penis is removed surgically.
Boys with this physiological peculiarity should pay great attention to hygiene. Before opening the head of the penis, it is advisable to treat the penis with antiseptic drugs every day.
Hypertrophic phimosis - what is it?
Proboscis (hypertrophic) phimosis is a pathology in which the foreskin grows so much that it completely covers the head of the penis, even in an erect state. The excess foreskin creates a favorable environment on the penis for the development of pathogenic bacteria. An unpleasant odor appears, the likelihood of developing inflammatory diseases is high. In addition, boys may be ridiculed by peers; adult men may have problems in sexuality.
There are two ways to cure hypertrophic phimosis - circumcision and conservative treatment. When circumcised, the foreskin is excised under local anesthesia. Seams dissolve in a week, sexual life can be resumed in a month.
Cicatricial phimosis
What is the danger of cicatricial phimosis, what kind of disease is it, in what is it expressed? The impetus for the development of acquired phimosis can be a genetic predisposition, a member injury, and balanoposthitis (simultaneous inflammation of the head of the penis and foreskin). Often, cicatricial phimosis develops in diabetics and men who ignore the rules of hygiene. The disease progresses rapidly and can lead to the development of urethritis, impaired urination and head gangrene. Conservative treatment is ineffective. For a quick final recovery, circumcision is recommended - circumcision of the foreskin.