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Can Phimosis Be Cured?
In phimosis, the foreskin of the penis becomes too tight and does not retract. It is a curable medical condition in men. The reason for Phimosis can be both physiological or pathological. In physiological phimosis, the child is born with a tight foreskin and full retraction of the foreskin is difficult.
Read moreIn most cases, physiological phimosis resolves on its own by the time of adolescence. (Also Read: How To Treat Phimosis in Children? ).
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Pathological phimosis, on the other hand, occurs due to infections, inflammation or scarring. Uncircumcised males are prone to pathological phimosis. It occurs due to the accumulation of sweat, dead skin cells, and bacteria under the foreskin. Skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, etc also contribute to the risk of phimosis.
How to cure phimosis?
Effective treatments are available for the problem of phimosis. Let’s now look at some of the treatments for providing relief from phimosis.
- Good hygiene: If the condition of your phimosis is not that serious, good hygiene practices can help in providing relief. Use lukewarm water to clean the penis daily and dry it gently. Try to avoid the use of soaps or scented body wash in the penile region.
- Antibiotics: If phimosis in your case is caused by bacteria or fungi, your specialist doctor will prescribe some antibiotics. These antibiotics can be oral or in the form of creams and ointments.
- Steroid Ointments: Your doctor may recommend a topical steroid ointment for your condition. The ointment needs to be massaged in the area around the head of the penis and foreskin twice a day for 4 to 6 weeks. Once you can easily retract the foreskin, discontinue the steroid ointment. The ointment can help in providing relief by reducing the irritation and softening the foreskin making it easier to retract. After two weeks of applying the ointment, you should try to gradually retract your foreskin. This retraction should be done in a cautious manner as forceful retraction could lead to small cuts on the foreskin.
However, in some cases, the steroid ointments may not bring permanent relief from phimosis.
If none of the aforementioned methods is effective in relieving you from phimosis, circumcision is necessary. Circumcision is the surgical procedure to partially or completely remove the foreskin of the penis. Do not fret if your doctor recommends you to undergo laser circumcision or stapler circumcision.
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Modern Laser Circumcision
The modern procedure of circumcision is quite simple and effective in comparison to the conventional circumcision method. In laser circumcision, the laser beam directly removes the foreskin.
Laser circumcision is a minimally invasive procedure that takes only 10-15 minutes. It is a daycare procedure that allows same-day discharge to the patient. Also, laser circumcision is a minimal pain procedure that involves minimal cuts or incisions.
Other advantages of laser circumcision are:
- No bleeding
- No wounds or scars
- Minimal swelling after the procedure
- No effect on fertility
- Faster healing time
- No risk of infections
- No side effects
Hence, it is the safest procedure to get permanent relief from phimosis and other foreskin issues.
You should treat phimosis as early as possible otherwise it may become the risk factor for many other serious problems. Untreated phimosis can even cause difficulty in erections and obstruct a healthy sex life. (Also Read: Tight foreskin problem in men: Causes, Treatment and Recovery )
Also Read: Paraphimosis Treatment
Other complications that may arise if you leave phimosis untreated are:
- Obstruction of the urinary stream: It may result in urinary tract infections.
- Balanitis: Swelling of the glans penis resulting in a lot of discomforts.
- Sexually Transmitted Infections- Phimosis increases the risk of transmission of STDs such as HIV AIDS, syphilis, etc.
- Paraphimosis: The retracted foreskin cannot be pulled back into its normal position to cover the head of the penis. Paraphimosis may result in the death of the tissues. Thus, paraphimosis is an emergency condition.
- Penile Cancer: In some cases, phimosis may lead to cancer on the skin of the penis or within the penis. (Also Read: Can Circumcision Prevent Penile Cancer? )
- In very rare cases, untreated phimosis may lead to permanent damage to the penis.
Thus, make sure that you receive proper treatment of phimosis to stay away from these complications.
Also Read:
- Circumcised or Uncircumcised? How does it feel to a woman?
- What to expect after 3 to 4 days of laser circumcision?
- Circumcision: Common Myths Vs Facts
- Frenuloplasty Surgery