Mums of UNcircumsized boys: my little guy is 5 and his foreskin doesn’t pull back. We took him to a DR when he was 3.5 years old because when he was peeing, some of the wee was going back down around the actual penis causing it to swell. We were given antibiotic cream that we applied twice a day. I’m just concerned that it still doesn’t pull back. He does the best he can to clean it but surely to properly clean it he would need to be able to pull the foreskin back? Anyone else experience this?
7 Replies
My sons was quite tight and didn’t pull back until last year when he was 8, they won’t do anything until they’re 9 I was told, creams at 9 then circumcision after that if they don’t work.
It's normal for them not to fully retract until puberty!
It sounds like the issue he had when he was 3 has resolved, I honestly wouldn't worry about it unless he's in pain or getting reoccurring infections.
Giving the penis a light scrub with a washcloth and water in the shower/bath is all the cleaning that's necessary at this point. When it pulls back a rinse with water, again that is all that's necessary.
What you are describing sounds like Phimosis. Request a referral to a paediatric urologist and seek their advice.
My son had an “incident” with his penis at 2 and my SIL called her paediatric urologist friend to come and see him at the hospital. In addition to fixing the injury he noted the hole in his penis (the actual urethra) was too narrow and would lead to complications as he got older. He fixed it with surgery with in the month. So they will operate sooner if the paed determines it necessary. Have to be honest - his Dad did not cope well.
Definitely worth getting it looked at. I was told it was normal to not retract before 10... What bullshit! My kid suffered with infection after infection, tearing, pain and misery until he was almost 16 before they deemed it necessary to circumcise him. (I had wanted it done straight off the bat when he was born but noone would help me) by the time it was done he couldn’t have even got the tip of a cotton tip in there for scar tissue. Years of not being able to pee properly (had to sit for the last 3 years or it would spray everywhere! Just go find someone who knows what in hell they’re on about. The childrens hospital in your city would be my best advice
My boy is 6 and he still can't pull his back either. But never any sign of infection or anything so I'm not worried yet.
Why are you pulling it back? You do not need to pull it back to clean it when they are kids. Just washing the area in general will do the job. It will pull back normally around puberty or when he starts playing with it. When you pull it back and wash it it strips the natural body fluids that do it for him.
My son's nearly 7, and can't really pull it back (even though he tries and I tell him not to worry, curious little thing he is). I tell him, as long as he can pinch and roll his foreskin, it'll be clean enough. My partners the same. But he couldn't pull it back at that age. Now 30 and all is fine.