Phimosis and Paraphimosis (Penis Disorders)

What are phimosis and paraphimosis?

Phimosis refers to the condition in which the foreskin in the head of the penis cannot be pulled back completely. Phimosis often occurs at birth and disappears during puberty when the skin has grown enough to be fully retractable.

Paraphimosis occurs when the foreskin is stuck behind the head of the penis, cutting off the blood supply.

While phimosis will go away with time (unless it happens after the skin has become retractable), paraphimosis requires immediate treatment.

Symptoms of phimosis and paraphimosis

Most of the time, phimosis is not painful. However, if the foreskin wraps too tight, it may interfere with urination and sexual activities. Also, a tight foreskin makes cleaning difficult, increasing the risk of infection.

A man with paraphimosis will experience a lot of pain, with swollen foreskin and head of the penis. Since the blood supply is cut off, the skin there may look deep purple, which asks for urgent medical attention.

When to seek medical help?

Although problems with the penis usually cause great embarrassment, it’s important to seek medical help immediately if you:

• Find it hard to pull back your foreskin
• Cannot clean yourself properly
• Cannot put your foreskin back into position
• Experience pain while urinating
• Notice blood in your urine
• Have pain with erection
• Feel a burning sense when urinating
• Have an urge to urinate even when your bladder is empty
• Have a white ring that looks like a scar on your foreskin

Without proper treatment, penis disorders may cause permanent damage to one’s penis, impairing their sexual ability and fertility.

How to treat phimosis and paraphimosis?

Phimosis only requires treatment if the boy cannot outgrow it after puberty or if it causes problems with passing urine or cleaning. Doctors usually prescribe topical creams such as hydrocortisone. In older men, if the problem persists, corrective surgery may be necessary to prevent further complication.

With paraphimosis, an urgent surgical procedure will be conducted. During this procedure, the doctor will slit the foreskin to pull it back, or they will perform circumcision.

How to prevent penis disorders?

Phimosis and paraphimosis can be prevented with proper hygiene. Whenever you need to pull the foreskin back, do it gently and don’t forget to pull it back when you are finished. If the foreskin is pulled back for too long, it may swell up. When the swelling gets too large, you will not be able to pull it back.