Patient's question:
Medical history: Detected phimosis in the child during enrollment examination.Detailed condition and consultation purpose:
Can phimosis in children be treated? Does it require surgery? What is the most appropriate time for treatment? Thank you
Doctor's answer:
Hello: Congenital phimosis in infancy can be cleaned and cared for at home. First, the foreskin should be repeatedly retracted to enlarge the foreskin opening. The technique should be gentle, and it should be stopped appropriately each time to avoid causing pain to the child. After the glans is exposed, clean the smegma, then restore the foreskin. Otherwise, it may lead to paraphimosis. If the foreskin opening is very tight and cannot be retracted or if it is acquired phimosis, circumcision should be performed. The surgery should be done at the age of 5-6 years, as this is when it can be determined whether the foreskin can retract on its own.Additionally, there is the issue of schooling. After starting school, the surgery can usually only be performed during holidays, and time constraints may sometimes delay the condition. It is generally not recommended to perform the surgery too early because the child may not cooperate at a very young age, and there is also the possibility of spontaneous retraction. However, if there are recurrent infections, scar formation, or paraphimosis, age is not a limiting factor.