The condition in which one cannot pull the foreskin of the penis past the glans is known as Phimosis. While urinating, there may be a balloon-like swelling under the foreskin. It normally does not cause any pain in teenagers and adults except during an erection. A major risk of inflammation of the glans known as balanitis and other complications are there in those who are affected.
It is normally seen that in young children, it is not possible to pull back the foreskin. By the age of seven, it resolves in more than 90% of cases, and it resolves by the age of sixteen in 99% of cases. The reason for phimosis in occasional cases may be an underlying condition such as scarring due to balanitis or balanitis xerotica obliterans. The sexologists in Kolkata can typically diagnose this by seeing scarring of the opening of the foreskin. It normally does not need any treatment and resolves by the age of three. Paraphimosis is a potential complication of phimosis and in this case, the foreskin gets trapped behind the glans. This word comes from the Greek phimos, meaning ‘muzzle’.
Causes
Foreskin retraction becomes almost impossible when there are three mechanical conditions.
- In children and adolescents, this condition is normal. In it, the tip of the foreskin is too narrow to pass over the glans penis.
- In adolescents, this condition is abnormal, although it is normal in children and adolescents. In it, the inner surface of the foreskin is fused with the glans penis.
- The complete retraction of the foreskin is not possible as the frenulum is too short (a condition called frenulum breve).
The causes of pathological phimosis are varied and this condition is also rare (as opposed to the natural non-retractability of the foreskin in childhood). Balanitis (inflammation of the glans penis) and lichen sclerosus et atrophicus are some of the causes of this condition.
Treatment
The cases of physiologic phimosis are common in males 10 years of age and younger and do not require intervention. When puberty comes, non-retractile foreskin usually becomes retractable.
The best sexologist doctor in Kolkata may prefer nonsurgical measures if phimosis in older children or adults is not causing acute and severe problems. In nonsurgical measures, betamethasone, mometasone furoate and cortisone are effective in treating phimosis. These may provide an alternative to circumcision. The use of balloons or other tools proves helpful in the manual stretching of the foreskin.
The surgical procedures are varied and range from the complete removal of the foreskin to more minor operations to relieve foreskin tightness. Circumcision, dorsal slit, ventral slit and preputioplasty are used in different cases according to the situation.