Patient's question:
The baby's foreskin is completely covering the urethral opening. It is said that it can be pulled back to be washed during bathing, but I tried it and the foreskin opening is too small to be pulled back.Is this condition phimosis in the baby? What should we do?
Is it phimosis if a 2-year-old baby's foreskin cannot be pulled back?
Doctor's answer:
I am an online doctor. Thank you for your inquiry. Excessive prepuce, in fact, refers to the condition where, after a man reaches adulthood, the glans is completely covered by the foreskin when the penis is soft, and even when the penis is fully erect, the glans cannot be fully exposed. Phimosis, on the other hand, refers to the phenomenon where the foreskin is completely and tightly wrapped around the glans, and the glans cannot be exposed at any time. If phimosis in children does not show obvious symptoms, phimosis in most children under the age of 3 often disappears on its own as they grow older, and phimosis surgery is generally not necessary. However, for some symptomatic phimosis in children, the timing of phimosis surgery depends on the child's condition. Surgery for phimosis in children is generally most suitable at the age of 4 to 5.