circumcision the ONLY cure of phimosis??

Question

I was told by my doctor that my 3 yr old son has phimosis and the only cure is circumcision, is this true? if he doesn't have the operation could there be severe side effects? and apparently circumcisions only hurt if it gets infected is this true? will he be in pain and for how long?

Answer 1

Phimosis is a normal condition in many 3-year-old boys. The penis forms as one organ with the foreskin fused to the glans like a finger to a fingernail. There is no cavity at this stage and no attempt should be made to retract and wash as there is nowhere for dirt to collect. Attempts at retraction are the commonest cause of foreskin problems in an infant or young boy. The boy as he grows tends to pull on his foreskin and this helps break down the natural adhesions. Some boys can retract at 3 but many take longer, even up to puberty, and this is quite normal.
In infant circumcision the foreskin is ripped away from the glans with forceps before it can be cut off, all without anaesthetic in the US. This is the reason many circumcised men have skin bridges where the raw glans has fused to the cut edge of the foreskin during healing. Even at three if the glans is still adhered to the foreskin before circumcision he will have a raw glans as well as the cut edges and will be very sore for a while.
Don't listen to this doctor. Many US doctors want to use circumcision as a first option treatment for any small foreskin problem, real or imagined. Foreskins are not even in many of their textbooks. In other western countries this would not be suggested. The only possible reason for circumcision would be repeated infections, probably due to somebody damaging the foreskin trying to retract it too early.
I suggest you contact NOCIRC and ask for a referral to a foreskin-friendly doctor.

Answer 2

Circumcision isn't a cure for anything. Circumcision is vascular and neural damage to the penis that always diminishes sexual sensitivity and function, as well as the size of the penis. There are several treatments for phimosis that don't involve the radical mutilation of circumcision. Type in phimosis on your browser. You will see a lot of info, and one site called CIRP, which has info about some of these treatments. They range from stretching the foreskin opening wider using manual techniques, and also using a steroid cream in conjunction with the stretching for moderately severe cases, to a small operation called a preputioplasty, for severe cases. There is even a tool called a "glansie" to help with the stretching. Circumcision is never necessary nor desirable. If a doctor tries to talk you into circumcision without offering you any alternatives, then he's biased, and may be a member of one of the religions that try to impose the mutilation of circumcision on all males. Circumcision is the worst hoax ever perpetrated on the male sex. A foreskin is not a birth defect; it is a birthright. ERIC

Answer 3

Nope, circumcision is not the only cure for phimosis. His doctor might have misdiagnosed phimosis in his foreskin. The foreskin doesn't retract and is actually tightly stuck to the glans (penis head) until sometime after age 3 in most boys. At his age, his foreskin shouldn't be retracted yet anyway. If he doesn't have a circumcision, there probably won't be any side effects because it's probably normal.

At his age, the only real medical reason for a circumcision is if he's suffering from recurrent and frequent irritations/infections, that makes the end of his foreskin very red and tender/painful. Even this has many causes and non-surgical treatment.

If you think about it, a circumcision would hurt, a lot. It's one of the most sensitive tissues being removed. While the penis might get an anesthetic injection during the operation so after the actual injection the operation is mostly painless, his penis will be sore afterwards during the healing process. For a 3-year-old, healing would probably take about 2 weeks, but even afterwards, his penis will be annoyingly sensitive for a while.

In any case, circumcision is not in his best interest. Look at the links for more info, they're really helpful.

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
circumcision the ONLY cure of phimosis??
I was told by my doctor that my 3 yr old son has phimosis and the only cure is circumcision, is this true? if he doesn't have the operation could there be severe side effects? and apparently circumcisions only hurt if it gets infected is this true? will he be in pain and for how long?

Answer 5

Talking as a recently circumcised male with phymosis, I am a little dismayed at the fact that your doctor would come to such a quick conclusion on your son's condition. The responses here are truthful when they say that the foreskin may not fully retract until puberty or slightly later. Get a second opinion on this one.
My condition is not unlike your situation. Although my GP and mom at the time recognized the issue for me, there was no followup with me when I was a teen. What I had I thought was normal. Into my 30s, I recognized that something was not right. I did some research and consulted with my GP. We tried alternative treatments for the phymosis but to no avail. I got refered to a great Urologist and we discussed circumcision as being the best option. I still retain much of my foreskin and it has made a difference.
I only wish that someone would have been concerned with my condition when I was a preteen and as I went into puberty. Something could have been done then to solve the problem.
Follow up with your son as he grows up to make sure this isn't a problem for him as he heads into adulthood. Trust me!! I wish someone had with me!

Answer 6

What your son needs is a competent doctor!
Not one that is trying to sell a surgery!

A three year old's foreskin most likely is not even free from his glans yet. It is still fused like your finger nails are to your finger tips. Around age 4 it MAY separate and become retractable, it may not be fully retractable until puberty, this doesn't mean he needs circumcision. If it still is not retractable after puberty there are stretching excercises and creams to deal with it then.

Answer 7

Yes, this is true, your son definitely should have a circumcision. Phimosis is a condition that can be cured by circumcison and have bad consequences if not done. Get it done ASAP.
Circumcision should be done by a doctor qualified under anaesthetic, so it will not be painful.

Answer 8

no not true.he may not even have true phimoses at this age most boys have what looks like phimoses until about 6 years old and up to 18.when he gets a little older you can gently stretch his foreskin using your fingers or a glansie in combination with topical steroids.

Answer 9

http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic2873.htm