Care of an Uncircumcised Penis

It usually takes years for the foreskin of an uncircumcised boy to loosen and become fully retractile. There is no need to accelerate the process by vigorous retraction. We suggest gentle retraction to clean the area. Retract the foreskin as far as it goes comfortably, without causing your son any discomfort. Then clean the area by washing with soap and water. Return the foreskin to its original position when the cleaning is finished. At the age of 5, young boys can be taught to gently retract the foreskin and do the cleaning themselves.

Care of a Circumcised Penis

After the circumcision, you should expect several days to a week of soreness and redness around the site. During this time, clean the area several times a day at times of diaper changing. Gentle cleansing with warm water is all that is necessary. Apply a lubricant, such as A&D Ointment or Polysporin ointment, in generous amounts after each cleaning. As part of the healing process, you can expect to see a yellowish-gray film develop at the site of circumcision. This is the scab; do not try to remove it. The two major complications of circumcision are bleeding and infection. Contact our office if your baby develops a fever or if the end of the penis looks very red and is sore to the touch or the urinary stream becomes weak or dribbles.