How to Change the Dressing After Undergoing Circumcision?

Excessive foreskin can have a significant impact on men's health, as it can easily harbor smegma and induce infections of the glans penis, leading to balanitis. Therefore, if frequent inflammation occurs or the foreskin is indeed excessively long, it is advisable to undergo circumcision at a hospital for treatment. This surgical procedure is relatively minor and the technique is mature. However, how should the dressing be changed after circumcision? Let's briefly understand this aspect.

Firstly, regarding dressing changes after circumcision, the recovery period typically lasts 1 to 2 weeks. During this time, it is best to have the dressing changed at a professional surgical hospital as self-dressing changes can easily lead to wound infections. It is recommended to drink plenty of water to promote metabolism. Nowadays, sutures are often self-dissolving, and the sutures usually fall off spontaneously after about two weeks.

Secondly, here are some post-operative considerations for circumcision:

• Rest: Rest in bed or sit still on the day of surgery, and stand up to urinate to avoid bleeding after activity. This is the most basic post-circumcision precaution.
• If there is a situation of penile erection, please hold the wound with one hand and pinch the glans penis firmly with the other hand to allow the penis to deflate naturally to prevent wound dehiscence.
• There may be mild pain and swelling at the surgical site after surgery. Take painkillers regularly, and the wound should heal within 7-10 days.
• It is advisable to prepare several pairs of underwear for changing (or buy disposable underwear) as tissue fluid may leak and stain the underwear during recovery.
• When urinating, avoid local contamination until the wound has healed. Point the urethra downwards when urinating to reduce soaking of the dressing with urine and allow for a small amount of urine to contaminate it.

Thirdly, how to identify the symptoms of excessive foreskin? Excessive foreskin refers to a condition where the foreskin covers the urethral orifice but can be retracted to expose the glans penis and the urethral orifice. In children with excessive foreskin, it is important to maintain local hygiene and clean the accumulated smegma regularly or daily to prevent inflammation of the glans penis. Frequent irritation of the glans penis can cause the foreskin orifice to narrow and adhere to the glans penis, leading to acquired phimosis. Surgical intervention is generally not required for excessive foreskin, but it may be necessary when it is combined with phimosis.