What is the prognosis for phimosis?

Answer 1

In most men, phimosis is not a serious problem and will not require treatment. However, it is not expected to improve on its own. With treatment, phimosis in most males can be managed or corrected.

Answer 2

Phimosis is a condition where the foreskin is very tight and makes is impossible to retract over the glans. Boys begin life with a form of phimosis. The glans is fused to the foreskin but as they grow it detaches and allows the foreskin to move freely. By the time most boys (95%) have reached adulthood there is no sign of phimosis.

Phimosis can restrict the free-flow of urine out through the penis and can cause urinary infections. It is best to have some form of treatment to alleviate this by the time the male has become an adult.

The treatment is to begin with daily stretching exercises with pulling the skin back gently sliding it further and further back until it freely moves over the glans in both directions. This can be helped with topical steroid creams or ointments which soften and make the skin more pliable.

If exercises do not help then surgery is possible. Two forms are available; Preputioplasty and Circumcision.

Preputioplasty is where a minor nick is cut into the tight band of skin that circles the glans and allows it to move more freely over the glans.

Circumcision is where the foreskin is removed completely so that the glans is uncovered and unprotected. This is a more radical form of alleviating phimosis though. The other methods should be tried.

There is no reason an adult male should need to live with phimosis. There are treatments, as mentioned above. Albeit; many a male can still have sexual intercourse with only a partial retracting foreskin without any pain. For some, It may be easier for them to use a condom.