Phimosis means the foreskin is too tight to pull back over the head of the penis. It is normal in young boys, but in older children and men it can cause pain, infection and problems with urination or sex.
What is normal in children
Most baby boys cannot retract the foreskin; it separates naturally over years, often by the teenage years. Forcing it back can cause scarring. Treatment is needed only if there are problems such as ballooning with pain, infections or difficulty passing urine.
Symptoms in adults
- Unable to pull the foreskin back, or pain when you try
- Redness, soreness or repeated infections (balanitis)
- Splitting or cracking of the foreskin
- Ballooning of the foreskin when passing urine
- Pain during erections or intercourse
Causes
- Repeated infections and inflammation
- Diabetes, which makes infections and scarring more likely
- Lichen sclerosus, a skin condition that causes white scarring
- Poor hygiene or injury
Treatment options
- Steroid cream applied for several weeks with gentle stretching often loosens a mildly tight foreskin.
- Treating infection and controlling blood sugar when relevant.
- Circumcision when phimosis is severe, scarred, or keeps returning. Modern ZSR stapler circumcision offers a quick procedure with a neat result.
Emergency: paraphimosis
If a tight foreskin is pulled back and gets stuck behind the head of the penis, causing swelling, seek urgent medical help. This needs prompt reduction.
See also stapler circumcision side effects and recovery and men’s sexual health in Jaipur.