Short foreskin

[chisub]

Since DS is the first baby/child I have seen with an intact penis, I feel a little clueless. It seems like all pictures of intact penises are either adults or a textbook version of an infant's penis. Anyways, the pediatrician pointed out that DS's foreskin is very short, at first he was confused b/c it looks like it was circ'd b/c the foreskin doesn't cover the tip at all. Are there any problems associated with this, or even better, is there any literature specific to this situation to show that it is perfectly normal? DS has no problems urinating and is not in any pain, so I don't see what the problem could be, but it's no surprise that ped. wants us to see a urologist when DS is around a year (he wanted it sooner, but we are holding off b/c even ped. said that they wouldn't do anything at this point anyways). DH is pretty much on the same page as me about not wanting to go to a specialist b/c I don't see where there is a problem, but of course they more it gets brought up we start to second guess ourselves b/c we have no real first hand knowledge about intact penises (DH is circ'd).

[tennisdude23]

Short foreskins are perfectly normal. They come in a variety of sizes. If there is no problem, why try to create one? Your child seems normal, happy, and healthy. I don't think you should be worried about anything, unless a real problem arises.

[Lula's Mom]

I don't understand why the ped wants you to see a urologist! It's just that his foreskin is short, not incomplete (like it wasn't formed all the way around, which goes along with hypospadias)? I'm wondering what they would even do? If by some chance your son wants more coverage when he's an adult, he could look into stretching it. But I imagine he'll just be glad that he was left intact. :

I swear. Most of the time it seems like doctors will look for any excuse to cut it off. Your son's natural state is to look like that was already done, but they're still not happy! It's bizarre.

[tlh]

Like Tennisdude23 said their probably isn't a problem but he might grow up to not have much gliding action or coverage of the glans and if he wants that he could use foreskin restoration to elongate his foreskin.The restoration sticky has pretty much everything you would ever need to know about restoration.

[Ron_Low]

I certainly wouldn't see a doctor about a healthy normal child.

When an intact adult asks me about restoration, I often find out that they have a history of early forced retraction, but as your case points out, there is also just natural genetic variation in amount of slack skin.

[GISDiva]

My son has mild hypospaedia and the foreskin doesn't come all the way down on the underside. Our urologist said that as long as he can pee just fine, there's no reason to touch it. So since it doesn't even sound like your son has that, there wouldn't be any reason to do anything about it.

[Fellow Traveler]

Originally Posted by chisub

Since DS is the first baby/child I have seen with an intact penis, I feel a little clueless. It seems like all pictures of intact penises are either adults or a textbook version of an infant's penis. Anyways, the pediatrician pointed out that DS's foreskin is very short, at first he was confused b/c it looks like it was circ'd b/c the foreskin doesn't cover the tip at all. Are there any problems associated with this, or even better, is there any literature specific to this situation to show that it is perfectly normal? DS has no problems urinating and is not in any pain, so I don't see what the problem could be, but it's no surprise that ped. wants us to see a urologist when DS is around a year (he wanted it sooner, but we are holding off b/c even ped. said that they wouldn't do anything at this point anyways). DH is pretty much on the same page as me about not wanting to go to a specialist b/c I don't see where there is a problem, but of course they more it gets brought up we start to second guess ourselves b/c we have no real first hand knowledge about intact penises (DH is circ'd).

I'd like to know more about what the doc thinks the problem might be if the foreskin is too short how does circumcision fix that

Oh and from your description he sounds fine

[ursaminor]

Hello,
I just thought I'd chime in to say -
I have a 13 wk old intact son, and altho he has a fully covered glans, DH (not to be too graphic here) is covered only half of the way most of the time. I thought it was unusual at first, but it must be hereditary. Anyway, gliding action and every other attribute are completely functional. I wouldnt worry about it. Foreskins come in many shapes and sizes just like, well, any other part of the human body.

peace

[Papai]

I see no reason to take the baby to a urologist. As others have pointed out, they come in all sizes.

[jlovesl]

My freinds baby was the same. The doctor called it naturally circd. So no need to even have to ponder a decision. If he's not having problems peeing then he doesn't have a problem.

[chisub]

I definitely don't think the doc is thinking circ at all, I think it's just that he's a younger doc (younger than me and I'm 31) and DS's penis threw him for a loop! My gut is that he is unsure what to think and wanted an "expert's" opinion so that he isn't missing anything that could be a problem. In a way I feel that we are in a position to teach him about intact penises and their variations while we are learning as well. I hope I'm explaining DS's penis correctly, I don't know how else to explain it, but that it seems like it might be a short foreskin since as pp mentioned it looks "naturally circumcised". I guess I was looking for a link or something showing how this is normal, I think our doc would be more than open to receiving this information and putting both our minds at ease vs. seeing a urologist.

[glongley]

Oh good grief! (Exasperation directed at ignorant doctors.) There is normal variation in every part of the body. Some foreskins are are on the long end of the bell curve, some on the short end. Big deal! (Again directed at ignorant doctors.) You do NOT need to be taking your son to see a urologist just because your pediatrician is inexperienced and insecure.

I don't think you're going to find a specific research study or whatever that's going to say that it's "OK" for the tip of the glans to show through your son's foreskin. There are some galleries of intact males on line which we cannot link to here that will show you what a wide normal variation there is in foreskin coverage.

All penises are different, all foreskins are different, all circumcisions are different. Your son is fine. Period.

Gillian

[eepster]

As everyone else points out, it just sounds like a normal variation. Just like some people have attached earlobes and some have loose ones.

As long as there are no other issues, like hypospadia (the ureathra opens below the tip of the penis) or hyperspadia (the ureathra opens above the tip of the penis) then there is no reason to see a urologist.

[pigpokey]

I wouldn't go, he is just going to try to retract it more to see what's there and that will be a big mess. Or convince you that he might as well be circ'd, and destroy his frenulum or something just for kicks. If he can pee, certainly it can wait until he has a reason to have someone look at his sexual parts. 'Till then he just needs it for peeing.