Swelling Under Son's Foreskin

My younger son’s glans seems to be swollen around the korona. It’s difficult to tell exactly what is swollen, because he is uncut and the foreskin is still attached to the glans (he just turned one in January). I took him to a children’s clinic about two weeks ago after having discovered it.

I was absolutely horrified about it (still am), but the doctors at the hospital didn’t seem very interested. They referred us to a urologist, and we are now waiting for the office to contact us with an appointment.

The swollen area seems to ride the entire length of the korona, looks white-ish when I retract the foreskin, and feels spongy, much like feeling a lipoma. His penis is working normally: urinating regularly and has erections; however, this thing is really bothering me.

Is there anything at all that any of you can think this may be? It may be foreskin related, but I don’t really know anything about living with foreskin. Mine was stolen from me shortly after birth.

Your two statements are in conflict. If you know that the foreskin normally is adhered to the glans, usually until age four or so, then why are you trying to retract it? This should never be done because it can damage the glans, foreskin, or both. It might even have been the cause of the problem if you were retracting it before. Leave it alone and wait for the urologist.

Most fathers of uncircumcised boys who are themselves circumcised usually don’t know how to care for one. And that includes not retracting it until it naturally separates from the glans. Most hospital workers don’t know enough to ask if education is needed, either. So, it’s not unusual that you’ve asked the question. An Internet search will get you more info.

I moved this here as it is more appropriate here. KOG, good luck, and I agree with West. Wait for the urologist to see your son. I’m sure everything will be fine. I know very little about uncut guys as all of mine were cut. But wait for the doc to see him.

sounds like balanitis. Definitely have a urologist check it. Among other things
it can be caused be “damp undergarments” (for whatever reason, most likely
urination). It can also be caused by smegma not being cleaned out, if that’s
even appearing yet.

As long as nothing is turning black or dark colored, don’t get too overly worried.
Try to keep it clean and dry, and get your boy to the urologist asap.

Good luck.

westla,

I wasn’t attempting to retract it completely, just the way the doctor showed us at the hospital—enough to see the tip of the head. She told us to do this to clean.

biggerandbetter,

Balanitis is what I’ve been thinking and kind of hoping, because (according to our medical book, at least) it can usually be easily fixed.

I wish they’d hurry up and call about his appoitment. I know that it’ll probably take a month before we can get in, because there seems to be a major shortage of urologists in the area.