Q. I have been told circumcision is necessary to cure my tight foreskin..Is this true? No. Most tight foreskins can be cured or lessened by non-surgical means.
Q. I've torn my frenulum (banjo-string). Will I have to be circumcised? No. A simple operation called a frenuloplasty (q.v.) under local anaesthesia will cure you.
Q. My son's foreskin is ballooning when he passes water. Should he be circumcised? No. This is a normal phase for some boys as their foreskin develops
Q. Should I talk to my young son about his foreskin? Yes. He needs to know that his foreskin will be able to reveal his glans when it becomes loose enough. At bath-time he should be encouraged to attempt to retract it very gently. The glans should be washed daily with warm water. Avoid using soap on the glans. Perfumed fabric softeners can cause inflammation of the foreskin, as can bubble bath.
Q. What does phimosis mean ? A tight foreskin. Some foreskins can be tight throughout childhood and may not loosen until puberty is fully established.
Q. What is a frenuloplasty? A small operation to lengthen a short or torn frenulum. It can usually be performed under a local anaesthetic.
Q. What is a preputioplasty ? A surgical alternative to circumcision in persistant phimosis. In one technique the tight band is cut through and sewn up at a right-angle to the cut. It leaves a notch in the end of the foreskin noticable during the initial stage of foreskin retraction.
Q. What is the frenulum ( or frenum)? It is the fleshy fold on the underside of the penis that gathers up the foreskin to a point behind the glans and very close to the urinary meatus ( pee-hole). It is one of the most erogenous parts of the penis.
Q. What other surgical options for phimosis exist other than circumcision? Plastic Surgeons have a variety of ingenious techniques involving muliple incisions to remodel the foreskin and relieve the phimosis. These are unlikely to be avallable on the N.H.S.
