Physiological phimosis
Physiological phimosis is a medical term that is used to designate the normal, healthy, developmental condition of the penis during infancy, boyhood, and adolescence.
Physiological is a word that designates a normal, healthy condition. It opposes the word pathological that designates an abnormal, perhaps diseased condition.[1]
Phimosis is the word derived from Greek that denotes the condition of a foreskin that does not retract. Phimosis is not a disease.
Contents
Discussion
The foreskin evolved over hundreds of thousands of years in men and animals to provide protective functions that enhance survival. It provides protection to the penis from trauma and infection.[2] Its presence prevents meatal stenosis and keratinization.
Nature provides two means to prevent retraction of the foreskin during the developmental period.[3] 1) The inner surface of the foreskin is fused with the underlying glans penis by a common synechia to prevent retraction. Forcible retraction will tear the synechia so should be avoided. 2) Nature provides a second method is provided to prevent retraction by making the tip of the immature foreskin too narrow to pass over the glans penis. The tip of the foreskin normally widens to render the foreskin retractable by age 18, but a few persist until later. Non-retractable foreskin in adults is a normal variant.
The first person to retract a boy's foreskin should be the boy himself.[4]
See also
External links
Ward K. The Doctors says my child has phimosis!
, Your Whole Baby. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
References
- ↑
Physiological
. Retrieved 22 October 2025. - ↑
Fleiss P, Hodges F, Van Howe RS. Immunological functions of the human prepuce. Sex Trans Infect. October 1998; 74(5): 364-67. PMID. PMC. DOI. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
- ↑ Anonymous (2016).
Phimosis and Balanitis
, Doctors Opposing Circumcision. Retrieved 22 October 2025. - ↑ Wright JE. Further to the "Further Fate of the Foreskin". Med J Aust. 7 February 1994; 160: 134-135. PMID. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
