If you are considering circumcision for your newborn son, you have no doubt done research on the procedure itself, in addition to asking friends or family their views on the subject. Many parents become concerned and anxious that caring for an uncircumcised penis will be difficult, requiring special care and attention. This is not true, but it is important to know how to care for the circumcised penis during infancy just like you would care for a circumcised penis. In addition, you should be prepared to teach your child proper genital hygiene once he becomes old enough to clean himself.

Cleaning a circumcised penis does not require any specialized bath soaps, products, or even tools (such as cotton swabs) – simple soap and water is enough to clean the area. Because the foreskin of your child’s penis remains intact, it is extremely important to clean the area underneath the foreskin, where dirt and bacteria can easily hide. However, when your child is an infant, you must never force the foreskin back from the shaft- instead, you must gently push back the area until you meet resistance, and rise off the head of the penis with warm water, making sure to clean the underside of the foreskin as well. It is important to always rinse off the smegma that might have gathered under the foreskin- these are merely dead oily skin cells that no longer serve any purpose. When you are done cleaning the area, gently massage the foreskin down so that it goes back to its original position over the head of the penis.

Usually by the age of five, the foreskin of the penis becomes retractable and can be easily lifted and pulled away from the head of the penis. This is usually the age at which the uncircumcised boy is old enough to learn how to properly clean his penis, and you should be able to effectively teach him the importance of proper genital hygiene, which includes washing the area regularly. He should understand that caring for his penis is no different than brushing his teeth or washing his face. Some parents feel most comfortable with the father (or other male family member, such as an older brother) being delegated to this role of teacher, especially if the father is also uncircumcised. You should initially demonstrate the proper way to pull back the foreskin, rinse the area with soap and water, and finally pull the foreskin back over the top of the penis. Explain to your child that the foreskin must be completely dried off before pulling it back over the head, as trapped moisture can lead to bacteria infection. Afterwards, your child should attempt to take over this responsibility, and the process will become easy and natural quite quickly.

You will most likely find that caring for your child’s intact penis is no different than practicing good oral hygiene yourself. Just be sure to give special attention to the foreskin while he is younger, waiting until it naturally becomes retractable before pulling it up to reveal the head of the penis. Once you are aware of that fact, you will have no trouble teaching your boy the importance of cleanliness.

Posted in Circumcision

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