Page 1 - Foreskin Care for Boys
P. 1
Urological Health
Foreskin care for boys
The foreskin is the sheath of thin skin that normally covers and protects the head of the penis.
he foreskin (or prepuce) is the sheath of thin skin The age at which the foreskin becomes completely
Tnormally covering the head of the penis (glans). retractable is quite variable. By three years, most boys
The inner foreskin is attached to the penile shaft just can retract their foreskin at least partially. Only 1-2%
beyond the glans, with a small band (the frenulum) of boys are still not able to retract their foreskin by the
approaching the opening of the urinary passage age of seventeen.
(urethral meatus) on the undersurface. Its function
and natural development must be understood to Circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin.
ensure proper care. Some parents chose to have their sons circumcised
for social, cosmetic or ritual reasons. In others this
operation is necessary due to problems with the
foreskin. Routine circumcision of newborn boys, once
very popular, is now much less common. Several
medical organizations have discouraged routine
circumcision after considering the risks and benefits
of this surgery.
Roula Drossis Care of the normal foreskin
The uncircumcised penis requires no special care.
It can be kept clean with a gentle soap and warm
Unretracted foreskin Retracted foreskin
water wash daily. No attempt should be made to
retract the foreskin until it can be pulled back with
ease. Then, your son should be taught to pull his
foreskin back gently to clean its inner surface and the
The foreskin protects the glans and urethral meatus glans with soap and water. It should be thoroughly
in the diapered baby, preventing irritation from rinsed with water before being dried with a towel.
contact with urine. In older boys and men, the foreskin After retraction, the foreskin must always be brought
continues to protect the sensitive glans. The foreskin back to its usual position covering the glans.
may also have specific functions related to sensation
and immunity. It is important not to retract the foreskin forcefully for
any reason. Some parents feel the need to pull the
At birth, the inner foreskin is often fused to the glans foreskin back to “clean under it”. Since the young
and the opening at the tip of the foreskin may be boy’s inner foreskin and the glans are initially fused,
narrow. This prevents it from being pulled back or there is no space to clean.
retracted to uncover the glans. Normal urination
should not be affected. As your child matures, the Forceful retraction also may lead to cracking and
inner foreskin will gradually separate from the glans bleeding of the tip of the foreskin. Over time, this
and the narrow tip will widen, allowing progressive may cause scarring of the skin making retraction
retraction. The foreskin should never be retracted impossible. Circumcision may then be necessary.
forcefully.
Continued on next page