[ ARC forum 2 ]

Re: phimosis

Written by halfclip at 18 Jan 2004 03:16:54:

As an answer to: Re: phimosis written by IA at 12 Jan 2004 18:02:44:

>Hi Ralsek,
>The reason I was relieved when the ballooning diminished is because his
>pediatrician informed me that ballooning could be very dangerous.

NOt all balloning is the same. Urology books just mention "balooning" without qualifying it. Someone with a long but loose foreskin will see some balooning, since the foreskin overhang will trap some urine.

What is important is that the opening be wide enough that it doesn't act as a sphincter.

Note that many kids are instructed to pinch their foreskin tip once or twice while urinating to force urine to "wash" the space between foreskin and glans. (it also help keeps the foreskin loose).

Common sense can help decide if the "balooning" is benign or extreme. If the foreskin tightens only after having exposed the meatus completely, then it si more than wide enough to not be a concern about dangerous balooning.

But yes, any foreskin is a concern for hygiene, and the longer the foreskin, the more one has to "clean". But the concern isn't so big to lose sleep.


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