HELP!!! Problem with son's uncircumsized penis

[lavendergirl19]

My son is 12 months old and is uncircumcised. Several weeks ago he had what I believe was a smegma pearl. One day when I was pulling his foreskin back to clean it (which I know I'm not supposed to do, and didn't do until he was about 10 months old when my pediatrician told me I was supposed to after my son's penis tip became red and irritated, so now I'm back to not pulling it back after speaking with another pediatrician) the pearl burst open and a lot of very liquidy white smegma came out. I thought it was an infection, but the doctor said it was a smegma pearl or included cyst. So it all drained and appeared to be resolved, but at a follow-up doctor appt. the doctor wanted to check on it so she pulled his foreskin back and where the smegma pearl had been there is now this raised pouch of skin about the size of half a pea or less. It's been there since at least January 4 and isn't going away. I have an appointment with a pediatric urologist on January 28, but in the meantime I am majorly stressed!!! I am so scared that I did major damage to his penis because the doctor told me to pull it back daily to clean it. I never forced it back and he never cried when I did it, but I'm still so scared that I permanently hurt my perfect little boy.

[eepster]

Raised pouch? do you mean an area where the foreskin has begun to seperate from the glans?

The pediatrician should not be pulling back on his foreskin, it really isn't necessary. See this warning.

To start with, read this article and this thread. See if anything described in any of those fits what is going on with your DS. If none of that fits then post back with more details.

[lamamaloca]

I don't think it sounds like your son has a problem at all. The foreskin doesn't separate all over at once, but does so gradually. Honestly, I would just leave it alone and not even have it investigated further.

[lavendergirl19]

I guess I'm not describing it well. I'll try again. There was a smegma pearl that oozed everything out of it all at once one day when I pulled the foreskin back, (which like I said I wish I had never done, but for the stupid uninformed doctor). A week after it oozed at his 12 month check up the doctor pulled it back to check the smegma pearl area and there was like this area the size of a pea of skin kind of hanging off the area. Imagine a raised squishy penis-colored mole or skin tag and that's what it looks like. It's not red or sore, doesn't bother him, isn't swollen and never was. It's also not hard or filled with anything, it's very soft and squishy looking. It's been there since at least January 4.

[CallMeMommy]

Maybe it was a cyst (you said your doc had mentioned that as a possibility) and that skin that's left over is from the cyst draining? I say as long as he can still pee and it's not bothering him, skip the urologist appointment. Their "cure" is almost guaranteed to be a circumcision. In the meantime I'd just keep an eye on it and DEFINITELY don't retract at all, not even a little bit.

[Mary-Beth]

I'd leave it alone and not retract him any more. If he shows signs of hurting or infection then I'd say differently. In this case, he seems fine. I think seeing more doctors and retracting it to look is only adding more damage. Let the area heal on its own.

[eepster]

I agree. With the more detailed description it sounds like a drained cyst. This sort of thing would go unnoticed, and cause no concern if the child wasn't being retracted. Cyst are basically harmless, just leave it alone and it should heal up on its own.

[luvrbbs]

I am so sorry that you were misguided by doctors! It is very frustrating to me as I am a nurse-- so frustrated in fact that 3 months ago I walked away from the 65K a year nursing job because I can no longer stand to put up with medical system. It is not fair that many medical professionals can get away with just doing what they have always done. No one makes them accountable to continually searching for truth... instead they can just keeping doing what they have always done (no one should have to make them, they should do it because it is the right thing to do)

Sorry let me get off my soap box. Truely my heart is aching for the worry and pain that you are enduring because you trusted a medical provider.

I too think it would be best to forgoe the expense of the specialist appointment and treat your son/ versus treating this thing you see as abnormal--- in other words if he is able to pee and does not have pain, fever or other signs of infection leave it alone.

My son is intact (5yrs old) and I was fortunate enough to find good information before he was even born and knew to never pull the foreskin back and to knock out anyone that tried to do that. Occassionally DS will have a little reddness at the tip of his foreskin. Since he has been old enough to understand I have taught him to gently push the foreskin back only as far as it will go and then rinse with clean water. We never put soap under the foreskin. He usually only gets a bath every other day.

Hope your worries can stop soon. Hugs for the pain of having to go thru all this confusion -- the world and media want to push ideas on us all the time that are unfounded.

[lavendergirl19]

Hi Everyone. Thank you so much for your kind words of support, it really means a lot to me. I've been thinking too that it's probably excess skin that had been swollen with smegma and now isn't completely drained or the skin still has to go back down to normal. That sounds like a logical explanation, right? The only reason I'm not buying that explanation is that I can't find anything similar to it online and as you know, you can find everything online!!!!

[tutucrazy]

The reason you don't pull back on the foreskin is not only b/c it is harmful but also b/c doctors and parents see problems where they don't exist. Please stop trying to pull it back and look at it. Doing this only introduces infection and can create scar tissue. I would NOT take my son to a urologist, separation symptoms like this go away in their own time. The pearl expelled and it might take the area awhile to get back to normal. There is nothing to worry about. Your son is perfectly normal. The more his foreskin is manipulated by doctors the more likely he is to have problems. Don't be so worried, the foreskin is not pathological.

[Dev]

Please leave your son's penis alone. Nothing is wrong with it. Stop retracting and only clean the outside of his penis during baths, no retraction during baths or during medical exams... otherwise damage will most likely occur. Smegma pearls are common and not harmful if left to expel on their own. Cancel the appointment with the urologist because most likely he will manipulate via retraction and maybe even suggest a "circumcision" for future health benefits... blah blah blah.... Read up and do more research on normal penile development. Good for you for asking questions and coming here for education, advice, and support.

[Goodmom2008]

Your pediatricion is wrong. You are NOT to retract the foreskin of an intact penis, it can lead to problems later. My ped told me the same thing when my son was 12 months old. I ignored him. I also told my ped that he was not to retract my son's foreskin. Period. My son is 10 and has no problems. If it gets a little red and irritated, put some A&D ointment after your son's non-bubble bath on the opening of the foreskin (without retracting). That helped the irritation go away with my son.