Do children with phimosis need to be circumcised?

Many boys are born with phimosis, which is very common. Phimosis affects the child's life and development. Many people want to know whether children with phimosis need to be circumcised. This type of problem is mainly related to the child's condition, and the best age for surgery should also be taken into consideration.

1. Whether phimosis requires surgery depends on the degree of stenosis. If the stenosis is mild, you can use your index finger and thumb to gently pinch the penis, slowly push the foreskin toward the base of the penis, turn up the foreskin, expose the glans, and then clean it to remove dirt. Surgery is not necessary.

2. The normal foreskin of a newborn baby covers the glans penis tightly, which is medically called "phimosis". If it is not covered, it will be a congenital malformation. As the child grows up, the foreskin and the glans penis will gradually separate. For most children, this process continues until they are five or six years old. This is a primitive protective function inherited from our ancestors, so parents don't need to worry. For some children, the separation process takes longer, lasting until they are eight or nine years old. If the foreskin and penis still cannot be separated smoothly after this, doctors will generally recommend a minor operation to help peel back the foreskin and allow the child to continue to develop naturally.

3. Although foreskin is not serious in itself, if it continues for a long time, it will cause penile infection and urethritis in children, and sexual dysfunction, infertility, and even penile tumors in adults. Unless there is recurrent penile infection, premature circumcision is not recommended. As for the problem of foreskin being too long and easily harboring dirt and filth, children should be taught to wash themselves properly every day from an early age. If inflammation occurs occasionally, it can usually be cured by applying ointment. However, if your child has special conditions such as difficulty urinating, crooked urine, repeated penis infections, etc., it is still necessary to seek medical attention as soon as possible.