The penis is a unique male organ, and its health directly affects its performance. However, some mothers find that their child's penis is short and their glans cannot be exposed, and they are concerned that they cannot go to the hospital for circumcision without authorization, as improper treatment may affect the child's life. So, why a child's penis is short and the glans cannot be exposed may be related to the following four reasons.
What is the reason why a child's penis is short and the glans is not exposed?
1. Phimosis adhesion
The penis in children is short and cannot reveal the glans, which cannot be opened even by hand. It may be caused by foreskin adhesion, which is a serious problem. If phimosis is not cleaned in a timely manner, it can cause adhesion between the foreskin and glans, resulting in the inability to expose the glans. In this case, it is necessary to immediately go to the hospital for examination and treatment. The gaps between the foreskin and glans, as well as the coronal sulcus, can be infiltrated by urine, coupled with the proliferation of a large number of fungi, bacteria, and microorganisms, which can cause balanoposthitis and damage to the foreskin and glans, leading to balanoposthitis. If left untreated, there is a higher risk of developing penile cancer in adulthood.
2. Pediatric phimosis
Most children have phimosis, which is congenital and common in normal male newborns and infants. After the baby is born, there is adhesion between the inner plate of the foreskin and the head of the penis. After a few months, the adhesion is gradually absorbed, and over time, the inner plate of the foreskin and the head of the penis also separate. Generally, about 3 to 4 years old, the smegma between the inner prepuce plate and the penis head, and the adhesion and separation between the inner prepuce plate and the penis head promote the growth and erection of the penis. The foreskin can slowly rise and fall until the glans penis gradually emerges during puberty. Therefore, during this period, we should pay attention to local hygiene and frequently flip the foreskin. If the prepuce is not reset in time after it turns over to the penis head, the prepuce ring can block the lymph and venous blood flow, causing edema of the prepuce and penis head, which is called incarcerated phimosis in medicine. Impacted phimosis is pathological and requires surgery at the hospital. If the foreskin is not immediately restored, the foreskin ring will become swollen, the narrow foreskin ring will be too tight, and the swelling of the foreskin and glans penis will worsen, ultimately entering a vicious cycle. When there are symptoms of phimosis before puberty, surgical removal is necessary to avoid difficulty urinating or affecting the growth and development of the penis.
3. Smegma