Circumcision / Physiologic Adhesions
By Dr. Brown
(please see images below)
By Dr. Brown
(please see images below)
Once your son has been circumcised you will need to apply Vaseline until it has healed, which usually takes 5-6 days. Please see "circumcision aftercare" on our website. It is very important that you do not attempt to retract the foreskin for at least 4-5 weeks until the swelling of the partially retained foreskin has diminished.
After the swelling has diminished (4-5 weeks), you should routinely retract the foreskin to wash away the normal whitish secretion that builds just below the head of the penis in the area known as the "sulcus". If you don't do this, the secretion can actually re-stick the remaining foreskin to the head of the penis again. This is a normal phenomenon, but it can be avoided by routinely keeping this area clean and getting those secretions out at bath time.
If the skin does re-adhere, you want to avoid forcibly retracting the foreskin, as this may open up the skin leaving a bloody surface. Once this bloody surface occurs, there is a risk that the skin can then became a "skin bridge" which may need revision of the circumcision later.
If your son's circumcision does re-adhere, this is typically a temporary phenomenon, as the secretions that build up underneath will gently (with time) lift off the re-adhered foreskin. Please avoid forcibly retracting the skin. This thin re-adherence to the head of the penis is what is referred to as "physiologic adhesions". These should open up naturally.
If you do mistakenly retract the foreskin and get a bloody surface, be sure to apply lots of vaseline over the open areas for several days. Hopefully the application of vaseline will prevent a "skin bridge" from forming.
CIRCUMCISION / ADHESIONS IMAGES (click here)
After the swelling has diminished (4-5 weeks), you should routinely retract the foreskin to wash away the normal whitish secretion that builds just below the head of the penis in the area known as the "sulcus". If you don't do this, the secretion can actually re-stick the remaining foreskin to the head of the penis again. This is a normal phenomenon, but it can be avoided by routinely keeping this area clean and getting those secretions out at bath time.
If the skin does re-adhere, you want to avoid forcibly retracting the foreskin, as this may open up the skin leaving a bloody surface. Once this bloody surface occurs, there is a risk that the skin can then became a "skin bridge" which may need revision of the circumcision later.
If your son's circumcision does re-adhere, this is typically a temporary phenomenon, as the secretions that build up underneath will gently (with time) lift off the re-adhered foreskin. Please avoid forcibly retracting the skin. This thin re-adherence to the head of the penis is what is referred to as "physiologic adhesions". These should open up naturally.
If you do mistakenly retract the foreskin and get a bloody surface, be sure to apply lots of vaseline over the open areas for several days. Hopefully the application of vaseline will prevent a "skin bridge" from forming.
CIRCUMCISION / ADHESIONS IMAGES (click here)