Options Used To Relieve Tight Foreskin Without Surgery

By Barbara Watson


A tight foreskin is also termed phimosis. It is a situation where an individual is unable to retract the foreskin. This leads to numerous complications which include, among others, urinary tract infections and pain. The main form of intervention is circumcision but this may not always be possible due to one reason or the other. There are a number of options used to relieve tight foreskin without surgery.

Phimosis of various degrees can be noted in a majority of infants and toddlers. Fortunately, in most cases, it is transient and lasts just a few days before resolving on its own. This transient type is also referred to as physiological phimosis and is due to the presence of naturally occurring adhesions. It should be contrasted from pathological phimosis caused by infections and trauma.

To deal with the condition one needs to have a proper diagnosis undertaken. Most cases are diagnosed clinically. What this implies is that laboratory and radiological investigations hardly play any role. Such tests may only be necessary when there is a need to assess the extent of complications in patients that have had the problem for a long period of time. It is during the process of diagnosis that a distinction between the pathological and physiological types is made.

Circumcision may not be an option in a number of instances. One of the reasons is when parents feel that the practice, in spite having numerous benefits, goes against cultural practices of parents. The other major reason is when the foreskin needs to be preserved for use in preparing some malformations of the urethra and penis such as epispadias and hypospadias.

Instead of doing a complete surgical removal of the foreskin, a surgeon can perform what is referred to as conservative surgery. This form of surgery is performed by making small incisions in one part of the skin (either the upper part or the side). The incision made makes it possible to retract the skin. The main disadvantage of this approach is that phimosis may recur.

Dilatation and stretching is a commonly used non surgical option. As the name suggests, this method involves dilatation and stretching of the foreskin to make is easier to retract. Advantages include relative ease of performance, less pain and less cost compared to conventional circumcision. This method may not be appropriate if infections have already set in.

Topical steroids are another non surgical option that may be considered. They are believed to be effective in managing this problem due to their anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. It is also possible that They also have some anti immunity effects as well. The disadvantage with using steroids is that phimosis is likely to recur because the foreskin is left in place. Thinning of the foreskin as a side effect is also a common observation.

Circumcision has been the mainstay of management for phimosis for many years. However, the risks that come with the procedure necessitate alternative options. A number of these alternatives exist. The choice is largely dependent on the advantages and disadvantages of the specific method.




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