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Children's health

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Original poster

Tight foreskin in 7-year old....will steroid cream actually work?

16 replies

JellyBelly10 · 05/03/2012 21:16

My 7 year old has had a tight foreskin since he was a newborn, we noticed it (and brought it to HV's attention) right from the first few weeks/months as his penis 'ballooned' whenever he did a wee. We were told it would right itself as he got older. To cut a long story short, he had various health problems and had to attend physiotherapy and speech therapy on and off throughout Reception and Year 1 and now in Y2. So we've been reluctant to make a big deal out of the tight foreskin as he had so much else to deal with that was more serious. But now he's 7 and it clearly isn't going to just go away we decided to go back to GP. She has given us some steroid cream to put on the foreskin to try to stretch it, but she was honest and said she didn't really think it would work, so it would probably end up with him needing a circumcision. He's already had two major operations (for a hip problem) and I would rather not put him through another general anaesthetic and another op (I know it's not at all major, but it still carries risks). We've been putting the cream on and stretching it slightly for about the past weeka nd so far it's made no diffrence. Has anyone done this and actually made a difference and avoided the circumcision?

OP posts:

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Housewifefromheaven · 05/03/2012 21:22

Hi. No personal advice, however was listening to dr Sarah Jarvis on Jeremy vine radio 2 today about circumcision. She said that by age 13 tight foreskins usually rectify themselves, however if there is 'ballooning' and trouble weeing then this almost always requires circumcision. I'm glad I listened now! Hth x

4madboys · 05/03/2012 21:27

YES we had this with our ds1, he was 12 in the end when the drs finally agreed to do something about it 8 wks of the steroid cream and LOTS of fiddling by him in the bath and shower and it was sorted, he then had to continue fiddling with a bit of vaseline for another month as sometimes they can re tighten! but this didnt happen and we were hugely relieved that ds1 avoided the cicumsision. :) it may not work but i think its worht a try before having the op :)

Jellykat · 05/03/2012 21:27

My DS2 had this but it did correct itself in time. However a friend of mine had a DS in the same situation, she was told circumcision by the NHS consultant, took him for a second opinion privately, and the steroid cream he gave them definitely worked.. I don't know what the name of the cream was, but maybe give yours a bit of time before you give up hope - fingers crossed.

4madboys · 05/03/2012 21:28

oh and it wont make a difference in a week! it takes longer than that and do encourage him to fiddle as much as possible in the bath is best :)

Original poster

JellyBelly10 · 05/03/2012 21:55

That's encouraging to hear that it can work. 4madboys can you remember what the cream was? It's just that my GP has given us 1% hydrocortisone cream, which is the sort of stuff you can just buy over the counter in Boots! I must admit I was expecting somethinga it stronger. Is that what your som used 4madboys?

OP posts:

4madboys · 05/03/2012 21:58

we didnt get it from the gp, the gp said circumsision and referred us to the hospital, but the consulstant we saw had a good look and thought there was a 90% chance the cream would work, so we were more than happy to give that a go, it was only a hyrocortisone cream, we may still have it upstairs, i shall have a look if i do. if you google they recomnd which cream to use and it is just a topical hydrocortisone cream, it basically works by thinning the skin and as that skin is thing anyway and sensitive i guess they wouldnt want a really strong one?

4madboys · 05/03/2012 22:08

ok that is the right steroid, they recomend 0.05%-1% steroid and i also found this

"Ballooning of the foreskin while urinating can be a normal phase of development during childhood. It is not an indication for circumcision. Ballooning is a temporary phenomenon that arises when the foreskin begins to separate from the glans. It speeds the process of separation and disappears when the process is complete."

another option that was mentioned to us is that they can 'stretch' the foreskin under a general aneasthetic, but in most cases the cream works :)

Original poster

JellyBelly10 · 05/03/2012 22:16

Thanks 4madboys that's given me renewed hope! We'll keep up the fiddling and stretching and hope for the best!

OP posts:

4madboys · 05/03/2012 22:17

good luck :)

GossipMonger · 05/03/2012 22:19

Will listen to the Radio 2 prog tomorrow.

purpleroses · 05/03/2012 22:28

It worked for my DS. GP thought he'd need circumcision (pee going everywhere, numerous infections under it) but referred to a specialist who said to try the cream first. It is just ordinary steroid cream - it works by thinning the skin slightly which makes it easier to stretch so along with encouraging fiddling (reminding him whenever he was in the bath!) it definitely got a bit better.

Original poster

JellyBelly10 · 25/03/2012 13:25

Just thought I'd update....we have been using the cream since the beginning of March, coupled with much fiddling and stretching whilst in the bath etc and it's worked! He proudly showed me that he can now pull the foreskin right back for the first time the other day and now does it rather regularly!
Sooooo pleased that he doesn't have to have an operation!

OP posts:

JennyJoJack · 08/05/2012 19:03

Good news JellyBelly10! - I know this thread is a bit old, but wanted to add that we recently did this with my 9 year old. His foreskin has not retracted since birth but luckily he's had no problems or infections because of it. As he was fast approaching 10 I wanted to see if we could sort it without an op. After 6 weeks of nightly cream and gentle coaxing it worked - and has stayed working! I would highly recommend this option. I was so worried about him having the op. Now he doesn't have to.

5madthings · 08/05/2012 19:16

YAY great news jellybelly10 thrilled for your ds and his now retractable foreskin! and thats a sentence i never thought i would type!

btw i am 4madboys, but have name changed!

glad it worked for your son as well jennyjojack :)

fapl · 15/05/2012 23:06

Can I ask how many boys with this problem have also had a tongue tie diagnosed? (or maybe not diagnosed, but mums had trouble if they attempted breastfeeding). Somebody mentioned on a thread on the breastfeeding forum about boys with tongue tie often have some problem with the foreskin till it splits, usually when vigorously exploring shall we say, and can cause a small bleed. Something to do with it all being a midline anomaly.

JennyTan · 15/03/2019 13:12

Hi all .. i am actually on this website coz looking for ideas on how to TREAT steroid atrophy of the penis ... so b4 yu get carried away with steroid cream it is worth doing some research.

There are a variety of "stretching" tools / rings available taht will help and even "minor surgery" to make the forskin a bit bigger .. instead of a complete circumcision, which could be devastating for an almost adult child.

Anyone with experience with treating long term skin damage due to hydrocortisone / steroids or anti fungal cream (containing steroids) please let me know.

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