Patient's question:
Patient Gender: Child, 14 years old, when is a good time to have the foreskin removed?Doctor's answer:
Hypospadias, at what age is it suitable to circumcise a child? With the popularization of health knowledge, people know that phimosis can cause great harm and needs to be removed in a timely manner. However, phimosis is mostly caused by congenital reasons, and boys may have phimosis from birth, making it difficult for parents to distinguish and determine the timing of removal. So, at what age is it appropriate to circumcise a child with phimosis? Experts from Dongguan Chang'an Urology Hospital said: Parents should not worry too much. Although boys are born with phimosis, as the child grows, the penis will gradually grow, and the foreskin will also gradually retract. If by the time the child is 8 years old, the foreskin no longer retracts with the growth of the penis, it can then be surgically removed. Removing the excessive foreskin before the child stops developing is beneficial in avoiding the harm of a short penis. Of course, if the child has good self-control, it can also be surgically removed at the age of 6 or 7. The best time for surgery is at the age of 8, and it is best not to exceed 16 years old, because at 16, the penis enters a period of rapid development. If phimosis is not removed, it will obstruct and hinder the growth and thickening of the penis, leading to a small penis in men. Some men have also said that they have missed the best surgical window and that even timely surgical treatment cannot promote the penis to grow again, causing them to become frustrated and give up surgical treatment. Experts say: This idea is completely wrong. Removing excessive foreskin is not only for the purpose of increasing the penis size, but also for preventing the occurrence of other urological diseases, because phimosis can cause various inflammations, such as balanitis, urethritis, cystitis, and prostatitis. If the foreskin is not removed, these diseases cannot be treated, and the harm will be greater, affecting male sexual function, leading to premature ejaculation, erectile dysfunction, and even infertility. It may also induce penile cancer, threatening life safety. If the patient hopes to promote the penis to grow again after treating phimosis, penile lengthening surgery can be performed.