How to take care of an uncircumcised child's penis

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Phan Ngoc Hai - Pediatrician - Neonatologist - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatal - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.
When a child's penis is not circumcised, there is a fold of skin (foreskin) that covers the tip of the penis. Therefore, parents only need to wash the penis with mild soap and clean water at each bath. Note, there is no need to use cotton swabs or special detergents to clean the baby's private area.

1. Overview of the foreskin in children

The penis of a young child is an external reproductive organ, consisting of two parts, the body and the head. All boys are born with a foreskin, which is a layer of skin that covers the body and head. Some boys are circumcised but others are not circumcised, leaving the skin over the tip of the penis.
If the baby is not circumcised, over time the foreskin will gradually separate from the glans of the penis. When this happens, you may notice a milky white material called gonads (containing skin cells shed over a lifetime) being released between the layers of the skin. You may also see cysts growing under the foreskin and foreskin, but this is not a sign of an infection or cyst.
When the foreskin separates from the glans of the penis, it can be pulled back (retracted) to expose the glans. A retraction of the foreskin can occur soon after birth, but it can also take several years. Some boys are able to retract the foreskin before age 5, but some may not be able to do this until adolescence.
Parents or children should not remove the foreskin. This can cause pain and bleeding and can lead to scarring and adhesions.
When your son starts going to the toilet, teach him how to remove the foreskin, this will help him get used to this necessary step while urinating. The foreskin should be retracted far enough during urination to see the opening through which urine exits. This prevents urine from accumulating underneath the foreskin and possibly causing an infection.
Even if the foreskin does not come off easily, parents or children only need to clean the outside. If the foreskin is only slightly pulled out, simply clean the exposed glans area with water. Do not use soap on this area, as it can irritate the skin. After cleaning, gently pull the foreskin back over the glans of the penis.
When your baby is older and the foreskin is completely separate and comes down easily, you can start teaching him how to clean his private area in the shower. During puberty, you should educate your child about the importance of circumcision and foreskin as part of a daily hygiene routine.
See more: Signs of narrowing of the foreskin in children

2. Instructions for penis hygiene by age

2.1. How to clean your baby's penis During the first few years of a boy's life, the foreskin may not yet come off the glans, so you can simply clean the outside of the uncircumcised penis with soap and water at bath time, or with a washcloth when you change your baby's diaper.
Some experienced parents raising and caring for babies give new parents advice on how to clean the foreskin of a baby boy as follows: Clean the baby's penis with your fingers and only clean what you see. In other words, parents should not try to pull out the foreskin and clean the area under the foreskin.
In uncircumcised boys, the entire foreskin is attached to the tip of the penis and cannot be retracted. This symptom usually persists for many years before the foreskin can separate from the glans naturally.
See also: 4 methods of treating foreskin stenosis in children
2.2. When does the foreskin come down? When the foreskin separates from the head of the penis, only the base of the head remains. At this point, parents can pull out the foreskin to be able to clean the baby.
When examining a child, the pediatrician can check for the condition of the foreskin by gently pulling the foreskin down or asking the child to do it himself, when the baby is old enough and ready. You can do a self-exam during a diaper change or ask your child to do a self-exam in the bath.

2.3. Cleaning the penis when the foreskin begins to come off When the foreskin begins to separate from the head of the penis, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents occasionally remove the foreskin and clean the area below the foreskin.
When your baby boy is young, you can be the one to clean the baby's penis in the bath: Gently pull the foreskin out as far as possible and wash the tip of the penis and the inside of the foreskin with soap and warm water. . Boys often enjoy playing with their penises in the tub and are usually happy to perform this task on their own.
Rinse and then gently pull the foreskin back to the tip of the penis (or check if your son has done so). This step is very important, if the foreskin does not return to the tip of the penis, it can become stuck at the base of the penis and require medical attention.
Proper care and hygiene of the foreskin will help the baby avoid injury or infection, safe and clean. If you find it difficult to take care of your uncircumcised penis, you can seek help and advice from specialists.
See more: Instructions on how to clean the foreskin for boys

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Reference source: babycenter.com