Most boys will be able to retract their foreskins by the time they are 5 years old, yet others will not be able to until the teen years. As a boy becomes more aware of his body, he will most likely discover how to retract his own foreskin.
During childhood, the foreskin gradually starts to separate from the glans, so children can start to pull it back. But even at 10 years, the foreskin often can't be fully pulled back because the opening at the end is too tight. The foreskin might not fully separate from the glans until after puberty.
If you or your child has a tight foreskin, it will be difficult to pull it back from the end of the penis. A tight foreskin is normal in babies and young boys. Most boys' foreskins do not pull back (retract) before the age of 5, but sometimes it's not possible until they're 10 or older.
Normally, by the time a boy reaches 16 years of age, he should be able to easily retract his foreskin. This is true in 1% to 5% of men. If they cannot retract the foreskin by this age, they may possibly have phimosis.
Phimosis is a condition of the male foreskin where the skin is tight and unable to retract back behind the head of the penis. This condition is completely normal and physiologic in most baby boys whose penis is otherwise without abnormalities.
Phimosis will occur in less than 1 percent of teenagers between 16 and 18. It is most likely to occur in older boys with: repeated urinary tract infections. foreskin infection.
Over time the foreskin loosens and can be pulled down more easily. By age 17, most boys will be able to fully retract their foreskin. Phimosis can also occur if the foreskin is forced back before it is ready. This can cause a fibrous scar to form.
At birth, the foreskin is attached to the head of the penis (glans). It is attached by a layer of cells. Over time, the foreskin will separate from the head of the penis. This is a natural process and occurs over 5 to 10 years.
The most common experience is for the foreskin to be attached to the glans (head) until puberty. Some boys are able to retract the foreskin long before that. For most, though, the adhesions will gradually dissolve during puberty. Of course, some boys have been circumcised and don't have foreskin at all.
Most boys will be able to retract their foreskins by the time they are 5 years old, yet others will not be able to until the teen years. As a boy becomes more aware of his body, he will most likely discover how to retract his own foreskin. But foreskin retraction should never be forced.
But over the first few years of life, the foreskin gradually pulls back more easily. By the time a boy is 5 years old, his foreskin usually can be pulled all the way back. Some boys' foreskins cannot be pulled all the way back until they are 10 to 17 years old.
There is another classification of phimosis severity invented by Kikiros et al., which is as follows: Grade 0 is full retractability, Grade 1 is full retraction but tight behind glans, Grade 2 is partial exposure of glans, Grade 3 is partial retraction with meatus just visible, Grade 4 is slight retraction but neither ...
Although a tight foreskin does not always lead to serious medical complications, it may cause symptoms such as redness, pain, and inflammation. Symptoms like these can interfere with normal urination and a person's sex life.
Answered by urologist Chris Deibert MD, MPH:
The foreskin should be able to retract readily at all points in life after infancy. It should be able to retract to allow for full erections. Unfortunately, there are no exercises I can recommend to help with this.
Start stretching exercises on the foreskin, usually best by pulling the foreskin back until it feels tight (but not painful), and holding it back under tension for 10 minutes – usually after a bath or shower twice a day.
In men, circumcision is most commonly carried out when the foreskin is tight and won't pull back (retract), which is known as phimosis. But alternative treatments, such as topical steroids, are sometimes preferred.
What could have caused my tight foreskin? In children, a tight foreskin is usually congenital but, in adults, it is often due to a scarring disease known as balanitis xerotica obliterans (BXO, sometimes called lichen sclerosus).
Phimosis is defined as the inability to retract the skin (foreskin or prepuce) covering the head (glans) of the penis. Phimosis may appear as a tight ring or “rubber band” of foreskin around the tip of the penis, preventing full retraction.
Is teen circumcision painful? A teen circumcision performed at Gentle Circumcision should be virtually painless, as Dr. Pittman makes every patientʼs comfort a priority at every stage.
Phimosis usually goes away on its own within the first few years of a child's life. If it causes problems – for instance, when urinating (peeing) – it may need to be treated. Using a special cream is often enough. Surgery is only rarely needed.
In addition to personal, cultural, and religious aspects associated with the decision, you may have medical questions as well. Circumcision can be done at any age.
But over the first few years of life, the foreskin gradually pulls back more easily. By the time a boy is 5 years old, his foreskin usually can be pulled all the way back. Some boys' foreskins cannot be pulled all the way back until they are 10 to 17 years old.
Circumcision may be done at any age. If you were not circumcised as a baby, you may choose to have it done later for personal or medical reasons. Your doctor may suggest circumcision later if: You have repeated infections of the foreskin that do not get better with treatment.