Phimosis

What is Phimosis

Phimosis is the inability to retract the foreskin, the skin of the penis that covers the glans, so the loss of elasticity makes it challenging to bring the skin back from the foreskin and expose the glans.

Who can suffer from phimosis

Kids and men with foreskin. There are two types of phimosis: Primary phimosis can typically appear in childhood and persist into adulthood or secondary to aging, resulting in progressive changes in the foreskin due to chronic infection or inflammation (chronic balanoposthitis, balanitis xerotic obliterans, or lichen sclerosis). And men with any predisposing condition, such as balanitis or diabetes. 

Phimosis causes multiple problems: lack of hygiene of the glans, accumulation of semen and urine remains, chronic infections, tension, discomfort during erection, or even penile cancer.

What are the consequences of having phimosis?

Phimosis causes multiple problems: lack of hygiene of the glans, accumulation of semen and urine remains, chronic infections, tension, discomfort during erection, or even penile cancer.

What are the solutions?

Phimosis is a common reason for andrological evaluation: treatments consist of locally applied anti-inflammatory creams or circumcision. Circumcision is the surgical removal of the skin that covers the tip of the penis. You may have also heard that many men are circumcised without having phimosis. It is often performed for nonmedical reasons in newborns and adults. Medical indications include phimosis, paraphimosis, recurrent balanitis, and posthitis. Nonmedical reasons may be social, cultural, personal, or religious.