All You Need To Observe About Tight Foreskin

By Janet Butler


A baby boy or a grown up man can suffer from conditions that lead to a Tight Foreskin. This however, may be naturally occurring in babies and boys and may not be a cause for alarm. However, when the condition gets worse and leads to interference with the normal functioning of the penis such as urinating and the sex life of an adult, it requires to be treated.

This condition which is formally known as Phimosis is very natural amongst the uncircumcised boys and adults. It is a rare condition whereby the skin around the penis tightens due to various reasons requiring treatment. At times, the foreskin of young boys take time to separate from the glans causing this condition to occur.

The causes of tight sheath often varies with age. For young boys, it is mostly classified as physiological Phimosis since most of them are born with it. The other category is called pathological Phimosis which is caused due to reasons such as inflammation, infection and scarring of the skin. It also has some specific conditions that further lead to its occurring like Balanitis which is a skin irritation on the head of the penis.

Balanoposthitis is also a condition that affects the glans. This leads to inflammation on the foreskin and the glans all together making it to be tighter. Some specific bacterial infections such as yeast infection or may be candidiasis often leads to this occurring. The infection also leads to scaring contributing to further tightening.

For adults, sexually transmitted infections are also key causes to Phimosis. Genital herpes that brings about blisters on the penis and scrotum leads to tightening. Gonorrhoea contributes to swelling, redness, pain in testicles and frequent urination. Syphilis also is a contributor as it leads to redness and inflammation, mucus patches on the genitals, rashes and fever generally.

There are some long term skin conditions that further lead to Phimosis. For instance, a chronic condition known as psoriasis which cases a crusty and dry patch forming on the skin due to growth of abnormal sin cells. Eczema also is long-term and leads to dry patches forming on the skin. Lichen sclerosus causes white patches to form on the glans while lichen planus is itchy and leads to shiny bumps on the penis.

This condition can be treated if it gets worse. This is done through visiting a specialist who can prescribe medication depending on the main cause. You can be advised to take antibiotics or antifungal medications that will clear out infections. The doctor can also advice on exercises that will loosen the skin. The exercise will involve pulling back and moving the foreskin gently. This is however discouraged for babies.

Practising good hygiene habits can also prevent this condition. Washing the genitals and gently pulling back to wash underneath is advised. Avoid the pulling on a baby as this may be harmful and cause a lot of pain. This should be done with warm water and a mild or non-perfumed soap to reduce irritations. Avoiding things such as deodorants and talc powder on the penis also reduces irritation. Surgery could be a solution for worst case scenarios.




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