Phimosis is a tight foreskin that cannot be drawn back over the head of the penis. It is normal in young boys and often needs no treatment, but in adults it can require treatment.
CONDITIONS
Phimosis
Common Risk Factors
• Lichen sclerosus (also called BXO) – the most common cause of a tight foreskin in adults, causing progressive scarring
• Recurrent inflammation or infection of the foreskin
• Diabetes
• Forceful retraction of the foreskin in childhood, causing scarring
Symptoms
• Recurrent inflammation of the foreskin or glans (balanitis)
• Difficulty urinating
• Paraphimosis (the foreskin becoming trapped when retracted)
• Sexual difficulty
How We Diagnose Phimosis
• Physical examination to assess the degree of tightness, any scarring or skin changes, and involvement of the tip
How We Treat Phimosis
• Steroid cream applied to the tight ring for several weeks
• Circumcision, the definitive treatment for scarring-related phimosis
