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<br>In Ask Dr. Sears an accurate discussion of care of the infant foreskin. Parents and doctors need to keep in mind that the [[foreskin]] of an [[intact ]] child should NEVER be forcibly retracted.

* [{{REFweb |url=http://www.cirp.org/pages/parents/peron1/ |title=How to properly care for your uncut intact baby(It's easy!) |website=[[CIRP]] |accessdate=2020-12-30}}* [{{REFweb |url=https://www.doctorsopposingcircumcision.org/for-parents/care-of-the-intact-penis/ |title=Care of the Intact Penis |website=[[DOC]] |accessdate=2020-12-30}}

The [[intact ]] [[penis ]] needs no special care.

The [[foreskin ]] should never be retracted by force.

During the first few years of a male's life, the inside fold of his [[foreskin ]] is attached to his [[glans]] by the [[synechia]], very much the way the eyelids of a newborn kitten are sealed closed. The tissue that connects these two surfaces dissolves naturally over time - — a process that should never be hurried.

The [[foreskin ]] can be retracted when its inside fold separates from the [[glans ]] and its opening widens. This usually happens by age 18. Even if the [[glans ]] and foreskin separate by themselves in infancy, the foreskin still may not be retractable then because the opening of a baby's foreskin may be just large enough to allow for the passage of [[urine]].

The first person to retract a child's [[foreskin ]] should be the child himself.<ref name="Wright1994">{{REFjournal

|firstinit=J.E.JE

A very young boy usually pulls his [[foreskin ]] outward. This is normal and natural and no cause for concern; he won't hurt himself. Once a boy discovers that his foreskin is retractable (a wondrous discovery for an [[intact ]] child), he can easily learn to care for himself. Telling your son about retractability beforehand will keep him from becoming alarmed the first time his foreskin retracts.

When a boy is old enough to bathe himself, he can wash his [[penis ]] when he washes the rest of himself. Simple instructions may be helpful.

The Greek word [[phimosis]] means muzzled and is used -- — often incorrectly -- — to refer to a [[foreskin ]] that cannot be retracted (for whatever reason). A comprehensive discussion of [[phimosis ]] is beyond the scope of this pamphlet. What parents should know is that almost all babies have non-retractable foreskins, that this is normal, and that the foreskins of most males become retractable by the time they are 18. It is also important to know that many adult males with non-retractable foreskins are perfectly happy with them that way. Adult males with non-retractable foreskins who would rather their foreskins were retractable can easily and safely [[tissue expansion| stretch their foreskin opening]] until it is large enough to slip comfortably over their glans. A non-retractable foreskin is not, in itself, an indication for [[circumcision]].

Tearing the foreskin from the glans leaves raw, open wounds, which can lead to [[infection]], adhesions and [[skin bridges]].

The foreskin can get "stuck" behind the glans ([[paraphimosis]]). By squeezing the [[glans]], the foreskin can be brought forward again, without [[circumcision]].

|Author=H. L. Tan, M.D.{{MD}}

[[Category:Films Film about circumcision and intactivism]]