How can I treat phimosis in Singapore?

Phimosis is a condition where the foreskin is too tight to be retracted behind the head of the penis (glans penis). They have different severity. The most severe kind will be one where the opening of the foreskin is so small that it may even cause problems during urination or cause pain during intercourse. Some may not be mild and can be retracted only when flaccid, but getting tight when erect.

This may cause pain during intercourse and may also lead to Paraphimosis which is a medical emergency where the foreskin is stuck behind the head of the penis. This may lead to strangulation of the penis and may cause loss of blood supply to the head. When this happens it needs to be reduced as soon as possible.

As for treatment, there are two main types. One is surgical, the other is conservative treatment.

Conservative treatment involves applying a steroid cream onto your forekisn and stretching it daily. This is in hope to stretch and soften the foreskin such that it relaxes enough to be retracted fully. However this treatment takes a long time and has a high failure rate. It definitely will not work for severe cases of phimosis.

The definitive treatment is circumcision. Circumcision is surgical removal of the foreskin. This can be done either with laser or conventional method with a blade or surgical scissors. You can look for doctors in Singapore who perform this procedure for adults. There are a few clinics and some hospitals in Singapore who do this procedure.

Hope this helps to answer your question.

Circumcision in necessary in the following situations:

1. Persistent pain and infection of the foreskin. This is called balanoposthitis

2. Tight, non retractable and painful foreskin, worse during erection and sexual intercourse

Steroid creams are usually effective for children. It is not effective in adults, particularly if the foreskin is very tight, or if there had been infection and scarring of the foreskin.

What is Circumcision?

Circumcision is the removal of the excess foreskin that leaves the penis head exposed. It is the most common method to treat phimosis.

What is an Alternative Treatment to Circumcision for Phimosis?

An alternative to circumcision for phimosis is to use topical steroid cream and foreskin stretching. This can be successful in 70-90% of the cases.

If you are suffering from Phimosis and would like to seek professional's advice, here is an ultimate guide to seeing a Urologist in Singapore.

Alternatively, here are other questions on the treatment of Phimosis answered by our doctors.