Are you living with phimosis?

If your foreskin is tight and hard to retract, you may be worried that you will need a full circumcision to relieve your symptoms.

For some men, however, preputioplasty may offer a less radical solution that enables you to live comfortably once again.

What does preputioplasty involve?

Taking only an hour under a general anaesthetic, preputioplasty is a surgical procedure performed to widen a tight foreskin. This allows urologists to preserve rather than remove the foreskin, preventing circumcision while relieving symptoms.

Also known as the dorsal slit procedure, during surgery, your urologist will release the tight band on the foreskin, with a small incision on either side. Dissolvable sutures will be used to close the wound and the benefit of this is that you will not have to return at a later date to have them removed, because they will fall out by themselves.

After surgery, patients will find themselves free to enjoy life once more, engaging in sexual intercourse without pain and find that maintaining their personal hygiene is much easier.

Why choose preputioplasty instead of circumcision?

Choosing between preputioplasty and circumcision is a personal decision that will be based on your preference, what your urologist recommends for you, and your medical circumstances.

But some patients do have a preference for one procedure over another.

While both procedures can release tightness and free the penis, circumcision is a larger, more invasive procedure and has a longer recovery time. For some men, this can be too much to consider and, therefore, they choose a more minor procedure, such as preputioplasty.

The other consideration is more cosmetic and relates largely to how men see themselves and their penis.

For some, as they have grown up with an intact foreskin, they will be used to the appearance of their penis and will prefer it to remain looking the way they have always known. Similarly, they will be used to enjoying sexual encounters as they always have, so may be unprepared for the changes to that too.

Preputioplasty allows for the treatment of phimosis without the need for more intrusive, time-consuming surgery and can be a much more attractive alternative for this reason.

Recovery from preputioplasty – what to expect?

Once the surgery is complete, you will be able to go home the same day if you have someone who can pick you up. This is because, after your general anaesthetic, you will likely be groggy and unalert– making it dangerous and uncomfortable for you to drive.

Once home, you will need at least a few days off work, but this can increase if you have a very active job. If this is the case, you may need up to a week off work to allow your body time to heal and rest before you go back.

In the first week, you may notice a variety of symptoms, including:

Soreness
Swelling
Bruising

This is perfectly normal and should be easy to control with rest and pain relief, which you will be given, alongside a course of antibiotics, upon your discharge.

During your recovery, it is very important you finish your course of antibiotics, even if your wound is healing well and you feel fine. Similarly, it is just as important to keep the penis and your wound clean and dry for the first two weeks to allow the dissolvable stitches to close the wound.

You should be able to shower after a few days but completely avoid soaking in the bath until advised to do so by your urologist at your routine check-ups.

For four to six weeks after your surgery, you will need to completely avoid:

Strenuous exercise
Contact sport
Sexual activity, including masturbation

Following this, and the rest of your aftercare instructions stringently gives you the best chance at recovery and reduces the chance of the wound re-opening – which would lead to further surgery and recovery.

Contact the experts in andrology treatment for preputioplasty surgery

To stop the painful and limiting side effects of preputioplasty, contact Moorgate Andrology.

With specialist staff that have over 35 years of experience and a variety of nationwide locations, patients can relax safe in the knowledge that their treatment will be discreet, professional, and life-changing.

For more information about preputioplasty surgery or to ask any specific questions, you can fill in our online contact form or give us a call to speak to our friendly admin staff.