Circumcision Problem - Eaton,OH

Dear M.,
I just want to let you know that you are not alone. My son is almost 4 years old and he has the same problem. I have been so upset about it and felt guilty, but I think that that skin would have re-attached whether I pulled it back with each diaper change or not. He had tubes put in last year and I almost had him re-circumsized. I am so glad that I did not. His doctor said that 90% of the time as the boys grow olded, the skin detaches itself. And, it is getting better as he gets older. I would be happy to talk with you about it if that would help. Take care--hope this helps:)
S.

When my son was circumsised they told me not to mess with it. Just put the ointment on it. I would say if there is still problems with it at 7 months go see another doc. Give them the basics but also know doc, even though they arent in the same practice still have a healthy respect for each other. So I wouldnt mention who your reg doc is until after the new one says it is wrong, just say we want a second opinion. I am not a doc by any means but with my son we never had any question or anything reattach. It sounds to me like the circumsising doc did something wrong.
Good luck
S.

M.,

Yes, you have to use A & D ointment.

Hello M.. I thought I was crazy too. Up until my sons one year check up, the doctor kept telling me to pull the skin back until I see the purple line around. He said it would be uncomfortable for him, but keep doing it. He acted like it was normal for me to do this everytime I changed his diaper. My son is now 15 months old, and everything seems to be normal. I hope you feel better and that you're not the only one. If you need anything else, feel free to email me.
V.

Hi M.,
I don't really have insight into your problem, but I do have a suggestion as to who you might contact for an opinion or advice. Jewish families often have their sons circumsized in a ritual ceremony at 8 days old. It is most often done in the family's home by a specially trained man called a mohel (pronounced moy-el). Since they perform circumcisions daily (sometimes many times a day), one might be able to help you. I don't know where you live, but if you're in close proximity to a decent sized city, call one or two of your local synagogues and ask for names & numbers of mohels in your area.

Good luck!
W. in Cleveland

My son has the same problem, 8 months old now, at every well child appointment his Dr would tell us to pull it back. We did pull it back with every bath and diaper change but apparently not far enough. She said to look for a red rim to know it was far enough. It looks painful but you have to do it and just keep A&D ointment on it. She also said it gets better when they get out of diapers for some reason.

I am sorry I can't help with this problem..but for future reference I can tell you if you have another boy ever, ask for the bell method. The regular one, the dr. cuts and you have to push the skin back. That is what my first son had. The second was done by a different dr. and they use this little plastic bell shaped thing with a string and pretty much it ties the skin off..sounds gross but my second son's healed and looks so much better.

Hi M.,
I had this same problem with my son. I was clueless about this issue. I had been told to push it back by the pediatrician and I was but I guess I was not doing it good enough. His also reatached. We had to end up taking him to get it unattached at a urologist office. First we went for a consultation and he explained everything to to us then we went another day first thing in the morning they put a numing cream on it. Then we went to McDonalds for breakfast to eat and let my son play for about 30 minutes. Then we went back to the office and they pulled it back. He really did not feel a thing. The worst part was him being held down. We got this done when he was about 2 years old. We were told its better to do it now when he won't remember a thing. He has no problems now. Everything is the way it should be :) We were also told if we did not get this done he could run the chance of getting infections as he got to be an adult. We just did what we thought was best. Hope this helps and good luck!

This also happened with my son. The pediatrician ended up popping his out because it was reattaching itself. They told me it is something that happens with some boys. So far my other son doesnt have that problem but his circ looks completely different than the first. But then my youngest son is only 3 1/2 weeks old. Just make sure that you pull back the skin mostly to keep him from developing an infection. I know its not something a lot of people have to deal with but with some little boys its just something that happens.

Jennie

I had the same problem. I had NO idea you had to push the skin back. My sons grew together as well. The doctor pushed it back and actually ripped the skin a little. That was at his 3 month checkup. Now that he's 13 months it looks normal. I worry about what it will be like when he gets older, ya know, like if they'll be any lasting effects. I dunno. I definitly think there should be some info given to new moms about it. It's a very sensitive thing for boys. Something that can affect them for the rest of their life if it's not well taken care of.
Good luck! Hope everything is okay! :)

Hi M....
This is L. - mother of 3, 21-15-9. My last two are boys. Yes, I had similiar issues. What happens is that skin traps germs, dead skin, etc and can get irritated. With my older son, that area had gotten red and irritated. The doctor pulled it back to get to the collected debris there. If you pull the skin back with diaper changes, and apply the A&D pintment, all will be fine. In our society, we are taught not to touch others in their private places - and I feel this sense of caution carries over to our sons. It is a sensitive area, but you are touching there for their health and nothing else. The skin in that area is very pliable and can be moved easily. I would be sure to clean the area and as it looks more and more healed and doesn't take so much to pull it back, you can reduce the number of times you use the A&D ointment. Eventually, you will not have to do anything to the area except for washing it during baths.
Hope this helps,
You are doing a fine job!!!
Blessings,
L.

M.,

I have three boys ages 4, 2 and 5 months. My middle son had the same thing happen to him. His skin partially reattached leaving a small space that kept getting infected despite the constant cleaning and anti-bacterial cream. I took him to a surgeon and he just yanked the skin apart!! It was awful to watch, but healed rather quickly and we haven't had any problems since.

Good Luck!
J.

Both my sons have problems. My oldest didn't reattach, but they didn't cut enough, so it still hangs over a bit....my youngest who is three was cut crooked, and it's attached just by the head. I am planning on having my younger sons fixed, because my older son has had so many problems with infections, etc. It is more painful when the get older, so I want to do it while I can with my younger, because my 13 yr old would be in pain, so it would be too late for him.

It's basically up to the individual. My son gets a lot of infections from dirt and moisture getting under the skin, someone else may be different.

M., I have a 2 year old boy. He's the same way. Although both of his pediatricians (neither of them are the one who did the circumcision) say that the circumcision is fine. Some boys are just like that. A lot has to do with the fact that he's chubby, and then partly because I'm sorry to say he's just not very "well endowed."
If you do not push the skin back it can get infected and be very painful for him. By keeping the ointment on there (you can even use vaseline) it will enable the skin to push back and forth easier and not attach. I had to have the doctor push the skin back after it had grown over and that was one of the worse things I've gone through! I felt SO guilty! It is hard because ever since it got infected a sore and painful to be touched, he now hates for me to touch it--even though it doesn't hurt. So, you start to slack off because you don't feel like fighting with him. But after a couple of infections I decided it is well worth the fight to keep that from happening.
Also, I've noticed that as he's getting older and starting to use the potty that it seems to be "coming out" better.
Good luck! Feel free to contact me if you need.
J.

My son didn't have any problems with his. I remember my youngest brother having trouble with his, even though my mom was pushing it back and I think they had to recut on him!!! My neighbors sons reattached and got infected so they had to recut his at 2 years old. You really have to be careful with them but no one seems to give you enough information on them!!! It is a problem often. My sons pediatric doctor watched it closely from the first day I took my son in, but I knew to push it back from my youngest brother. We just did it with every diaper change and then when it would start to get red or stuck I left that up to my mom...as bad as it sounds and as much as it hurts, she would pull the stuck part apart and put neosporin on it to keep it from a bad infection. Circumsized or not, their little skin down there should always be pulled back...you don't want that little skin to get infected.

I can surely sympathize with you. With my son, now 3.5, I had the very same problem. Except every time I tried to pull the skin back he would scream. Yes, I was gentle. It would get red and I would put neosporin on it. (as per my pediatrition). It eventually healed and I would just pull it back a very little bit. It has seemed to look more normal over the past year. If you are very worried about it I would certainly press the issue and demand some answers. I was totally blind about how to care for my sons circumcision area as well. I went through that blindly. Hope this helps you somehow.
D.

M.-

My pediatrician advised me from the time I brought my son home to continue pushing the skin back as it can reattach. I thought I was doing a pretty good job of this, but we just had his 15 month checkup last week and although it hadn't permanently reattaches, he had to pull it back and it was a little red and tender to the toouch. he simply advises that after this happens to push it back everyday and keep vaseline around the base once a day. This will allow the area to heal and not reattach. I hope this helps!