Foreskin retraction, now what?

[kalynnsmom]

My 4 year old twin boys are intact. They started to retract their foreskins. Do they need to start pulling it back and cleaning it? Is it ok that they are constantly pulling it back?

[mama24-7]

i think as long as they don't have dirty (and by dirty i mean visibly messy) hands, you don't need to do anything.  ds2 just turned 2 & has recently been playing a lot w/ his while sitting on the toilet to go poops.  he seems to know to put his foreskin back when he's done.  if you find they are getting red and/or begin to have pain, then they may need cleaner hands.

i think the retract/rinse/replace is meant for older boys who are producing more hormones & therefore more smegma.

others will likely chime in too. 

hth,

sus

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

If they is capable of understanding simple instruction then you can start telling them to retract and swish in the water while in the bath but if they dont want to then they dont need to it is just part of getting the habit going for when they are older. My ds who is 6 plays with his in the bath any way so I have never talked to him about retract, rinse, replace yet cause he does it on his own. Honestly I think his penis is the part that gets the cleanest in the bath cause he cant seem to leave it alone

[Dan Bollinger]

Yes, its time for them to learn how to clean it, too. Go to this page for great washing instructions.  

Dan