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Original poster

At what age should the child's foreskin be retractable? Smegma pearls.

31 replies

Vale · 21/03/2009 19:18

Hi,

My son just turned 3 and his foreskin is still completely closed.

The right side of his penis has what almost looks like a sort of large blister under the skin near the base of his head. I have been told by the doctor that is called smegma pearls. He is not bothered by it at all and he is peeing just fine.

His doctor was concerned about the fact that his foreskin is still completely closed and she advised me to buy a cortisone cream to put on his penis to help the foreskin to open and if after a week this doesn't work, we should consider seeing a surgeon.

P.S. I forgot to say I am Italian and my husband is English and we live in Italy and I was hoping this is more of a cultural thing than a real problem and the doctor is wrong.

Has anyone had a similar experience?

Thanks,
Vale

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Babbity · 21/03/2009 19:25

this is interesting

Original poster
Vale · 21/03/2009 19:41

Thank you Babbity.

The article you posted was very interesting, helpful and reassuring.

OP posts:
SarahL2 · 21/03/2009 19:47

I would love some advice on this kind of thing.

My nephew and my brother have both had issues with thier foreskin and testicles and while it's entirely likely that DS (currently 2yo) will be fine, I have no idea what I should be looking out for.

I stick to keeping it clean and making sure nothing looks out of the ordinary for now but I'm worried I might miss something if it does go wrong.

I read your link Babbity, Thanks. Very interesting. Wondering if my nephews circumcison was really necessary now...

iwontbite · 21/03/2009 19:55

they should mostly be left alone as far as I know.
I have no idea if my 4 yr olds can be retracted as I've never tried.
I would imagine there are hundreds of little boys out there whose can't retract but they just don't know it!

Original poster
Vale · 21/03/2009 20:10

I try to explain what it looks like.

An adult man has a retractable double-layered fold of skin that covers the glans penis.

So if you pull down the first layer you find the penis underneath.

If the foreskin is closed doesn't allow the penis to come out.

Here there is a picture: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreskin

OP posts:
Original poster
Vale · 21/03/2009 20:14

Sorry when I say you find penis underneath I meant the glans.

OP posts:
Original poster
Vale · 21/03/2009 20:39

I have found a better description with picture of what I was trying to explain: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preputioplasty

OP posts:
Original poster
Vale · 21/03/2009 20:51

Any surgical intervention makes me slightly worried even if just a Preputio plasty and I apparently they peforme it on 3 years old.

I wonder when it is necessary on 3 years old!
My son neve had infections.

I cut and paste the article: here

For 50 boys aged three to 12 who underwent preputial plasty at Addenbrooke's, early post-operative complications were negligible, whereas three of a comparison 50 who were circumcised needed another operation for haemorrhage. Only three of the first group felt any discomfort afterwards, compared with just under half of the circumcised boys. Most of the parents thought their son's penis looked normal after preputial plasty and did not notice the slight scarring caused by the surgery.

==========================================

OP posts:
Original poster
Vale · 21/03/2009 20:55

Any surgical intervention makes me slightly worried even if it is just a Preputio plasty and apparently they peforme it on 3 years old.

I wonder when it is really necessary on 3 years old!
My son neve had infections.

I cut and paste the article below

For 50 boys aged three to 12 who underwent preputial plasty at Addenbrooke's, early post-operative complications were negligible, whereas three of a comparison 50 who were circumcised needed another operation for haemorrhage. Only three of the first group felt any discomfort afterwards, compared with just under half of the circumcised boys. Most of the parents thought their son's penis looked normal after preputial plasty and did not notice the slight scarring caused by the surgery.

==========================================

OP posts:
Nontoxic · 21/03/2009 21:03

There was a thread on this a few months ago and someone linked to a great website called something like 'what to do about a tight foreskin,' and the answer was basically JUST LEAVE IT ALONE!
Will try and find it.

seeker · 21/03/2009 21:14

I have no idea - how would I know? My ds is 8 - and I have never looked that closely at his penis. Not since the first amazed realization that he had one. Big shock to my system, that was!

Nontoxic · 21/03/2009 21:16

This is the website: www.circumstitions.com/Care.HTML.

Nontoxic · 21/03/2009 21:18

Try again:: www.circumstitions.com/html.

pooka · 21/03/2009 21:19

www.circumstitions.com

iwontbite · 21/03/2009 21:21

Vale, you don't have to consent to any surgery, even if they suggest it.
it sounds like it's very, very common for the foreskin to be "closed" or non-retractable at that age, so I honestly wouldn't worry, especially as he hasn't had any infections or anytyhing like that,

Flocci · 21/03/2009 21:32

I think this may be a bit of a cultural thing perhaps. My mum is Greek and is forever on at me to fiddle with his willy and pull the foreskin back and clean it thoroughly etc etc

My policy is to just leave it alone. If he is dunked in the bath regularly it will be clean. Otherwise I will leave it be unless he complains about anything.

Heated · 21/03/2009 21:41

Ds saw a urologist at 2 who advised circumcision because he has an extremely narrow opening but having done extensive reading we withdrew him from the waiting list. The problem will in all likelihood resolve itself by his teenage years.

herbietea · 21/03/2009 21:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Nontoxic · 21/03/2009 22:07

If this doesn't work I'll hide mty head under a cushion: www.circumstitions.com/Care.html.
In case it doesn't, go to circumstitions.com and search for 'care of the intact penis.'

Slambang · 21/03/2009 22:14

very helpful thread
ds1 now 12 and forskin still very very tight. (Has been seen by consultant who told us it will all sort itself out by adolesence).

Just not sure how long to leave it before a) its clearly not going to loosen on its own and b) ds will no longer allow me to discuss his private parts and I will have no way of knowing if its ok or not!

CherryChoc · 21/03/2009 22:44

Flocci you are correct - it doesn't need to be retracted or cleaned under and doing so can in fact cause infections.

seeker · 21/03/2009 22:52
seeker · 21/03/2009 22:53

< and even more inadequate as she contemplates the typos in her last post>

CherryChoc · 21/03/2009 23:51

seeker don't feel inadequate. I don't know. Why would you need to know, really, unless there was a problem?