When is circumcision necessary for a tight foreskin?

It is always recommended to retract or pull back the foreskin during shower time to maintain cleanliness of the glans or the "head" of the penis.

If you are unable to retract the foreskin due to discomfort, I would advise a trip down to the urologist to get it checked out.

Depending on how tight the foreskin is, I would sometimes offer topical steroids and gradual retraction everyday. If that does not solve the problem, circumcision would be something to consider.

The most important thing to note is while you can be enthusiastically retracting the foreskin, always remember to return the foreskin to the initial position where it is still covering the glans of the penis.

Man with tight foreskin who do not return the foreskin can end up with paraphimosis where the foreskin is stuck behind the glans of the penis causing pain and swelling necessitating the need to make a trip down to the emergency room to see the urologist on call.

If you are unable to retract your foreskin, circumcision is highly recommended. Even if you are able to retract your foreskin, it is still highly encouraged procedure as it has a lot of benefits.

Some of the benefits include:

- better hygiene

- reduce risk of STDs( Sexually transmitted diseases)

- lower risk of HIV transmission

- fewer chances of getting balanitis ( penile infection)

- less likely to get UTI (urinary tract infection)

- improve premature ejaculation

I would advise you to see a doctor who does circumcision so that he can advise you based on your situation.

Whatever the case, you can opt for circumcision as it has a lot of benefits. Hope my reply answers your question.

What Are The Effects of Phimosis?

A tight foreskin or phimosis prevents the head of the penis (glans penis) from being cleaned. This can lead to:

1. Infections of the foreskin and penis head (glans)
2. Painful tears of the foreskin which may affect sexual enjoyment.
3. Prevent the detection of early cancer of the penis.

When Should You Consider Circumcision?

If the foreskin cannot be retracted to expose the glans penis, treatment should be considered. Circumcision is the most common method to treat phimosis.

What are the alternatives to circumcision for Phimosis?

An alternative to circumcision for phimosis is using topical steroid cream and foreskin stretching. This can be successful in 70-90% of cases.