Circumcision for phimosis
Discussion
So here's the situation...
I'm 30 yrs old and a virgin (due to phimosis I've never had treated).
My acroposthion is bundled together but I can unbundle it and stretch my foreskin tip with no pain, and see the glans penis inside. A bit more difficult, but I can retract my foreskin towards my penis but then I feel the presence of a band of tissue. No pain, but a feeling something is there and feels like a warning not to pull further.
I have an appointment booked with a specialist urologist in a few weeks and I'm doing all the prep for questions as circumcision is a potential treatment and that is destructive (I wish it isn't!).
From my understanding, circumcision removes foreskin which is responsible for pleasure and exposed glans causes the skin to dry out and get irritated (a name for this but preventable with creams and lotions to varying degrees!).
So has anyone here had circumcision in their adult lives? Did sexual pleasure reduce significantly?
I'm 30 yrs old and a virgin (due to phimosis I've never had treated).
My acroposthion is bundled together but I can unbundle it and stretch my foreskin tip with no pain, and see the glans penis inside. A bit more difficult, but I can retract my foreskin towards my penis but then I feel the presence of a band of tissue. No pain, but a feeling something is there and feels like a warning not to pull further.
I have an appointment booked with a specialist urologist in a few weeks and I'm doing all the prep for questions as circumcision is a potential treatment and that is destructive (I wish it isn't!).
From my understanding, circumcision removes foreskin which is responsible for pleasure and exposed glans causes the skin to dry out and get irritated (a name for this but preventable with creams and lotions to varying degrees!).
So has anyone here had circumcision in their adult lives? Did sexual pleasure reduce significantly?
Sparkyhd said:
Have I misunderstood this? If you're a 30 year old virgin due to the condition surely that's the significant reduction in sexual pleasure and successful treatment can only be a win?
Yeah what I mean is I guess I am pretty selfish in that I hate the idea I'd have reduced satisfaction somewhat.Appointment is booked with the specialist, I don't have time on my hands as I should have got this sorted when I was younger but I was too naive.
To the person who said he has sex with an unretracted foreskin, I'd recommend retracting to prevent tears and also to clean out the area. One is painful, the other hygiene.
Circumcision appeals to me partly due to the prevention better than cure mentality. Ie know risk of tearing foreskin (a friend of a friend had that), just a shame it is destructive.
Yes sex with reduced sensation is better than none
If the specialist recommends circumcision, i will discuss everything carefully and probably just get it done! But there's a few possible causes for this condition, so I guess I need to sit tight.
Anyone else here with experiences of adult circumcision for phimosis?
To those who went private and live in London, please let me know your specialist, I'm open to considering anyone else!
Thanks!
To the person who said he has sex with an unretracted foreskin, I'd recommend retracting to prevent tears and also to clean out the area. One is painful, the other hygiene.
Circumcision appeals to me partly due to the prevention better than cure mentality. Ie know risk of tearing foreskin (a friend of a friend had that), just a shame it is destructive.
Yes sex with reduced sensation is better than none
If the specialist recommends circumcision, i will discuss everything carefully and probably just get it done! But there's a few possible causes for this condition, so I guess I need to sit tight.
Anyone else here with experiences of adult circumcision for phimosis?
To those who went private and live in London, please let me know your specialist, I'm open to considering anyone else!
Thanks!
I'm not too worried about the op itself and side effects. Feel the same way, no way I want to be awake during the operation, the sight of the tools itself would make me reconsider! Would you state that after op is no worse than an ingrowing toenail? If so, I have nothing to worry about. 
The problem with circumcision is leaving the glans exposed to the elements, which dries out over time. This is pretty much a fact. How was this for you guys? Sounds like you let it be?
I saw my GP 10 years ago and he mentioned I'd need surgery (I was too naive to follow up on this). I saw my GP a few weeks ago and he didn't recommend cream but then I saw another GP at my surgery. The specialist I'm booked with is experienced so I will see what he says. It may be frenulum breve, I'm curious as I don't know the cause, and I don't have bxo (scarring), or may be adhesions.
The problem with circumcision is leaving the glans exposed to the elements, which dries out over time. This is pretty much a fact. How was this for you guys? Sounds like you let it be?
I saw my GP 10 years ago and he mentioned I'd need surgery (I was too naive to follow up on this). I saw my GP a few weeks ago and he didn't recommend cream but then I saw another GP at my surgery. The specialist I'm booked with is experienced so I will see what he says. It may be frenulum breve, I'm curious as I don't know the cause, and I don't have bxo (scarring), or may be adhesions.
I guess a significant skin missing will hurt more than an ingrowing toenail after anesthethic has worn off. Given a tattoo is usually painful (never had one), I'd imagine you'd need prescription painkillers? Is the pain bad enough to keep me awake?
Thanks for the advice guys, keep it coming.
My main concerns and questions are around:
1) Change in sexual pleasure? Surely if you loose foreskin then sex is just like massaging your glans? And scientifically sex must be worse due to all the nerves lost?
2) If anyone here has suffered irritation and dryness of the glans, further killing sensation?
3) Anyone here tried foreskin restoration? I immediately don't believe things like this and that takes ages but at least protects the glans from exposure.
I've stretched my foreskin sideways (just can't retract very far at all), and the air itself gets into the foreskin and I can feel it on the penis. Doesn't hurt, but does feel uncomfortable!
I appreciate no two circumcisions are the same, so this is highly subjective.
I think a circ is likely as I can't retract in either state and plenty of people get a circ when they only can't retract when erect, but let's see...
Sorry to sound so pedantic and hung up! The disadvantage of research (in the lead time to my appt) is the research I do, can form sometimes incorrect opinions, but it's best to know all the facts for something that is irreversible! Or worse still, my only option...
Again, not so worried about the op itself (hopefully get a general anesthetic!).
Please keep your opinions and advice coming, it's very helpful.
Thanks for the advice guys, keep it coming.
My main concerns and questions are around:
1) Change in sexual pleasure? Surely if you loose foreskin then sex is just like massaging your glans? And scientifically sex must be worse due to all the nerves lost?
2) If anyone here has suffered irritation and dryness of the glans, further killing sensation?
3) Anyone here tried foreskin restoration? I immediately don't believe things like this and that takes ages but at least protects the glans from exposure.
I've stretched my foreskin sideways (just can't retract very far at all), and the air itself gets into the foreskin and I can feel it on the penis. Doesn't hurt, but does feel uncomfortable!
I appreciate no two circumcisions are the same, so this is highly subjective.
I think a circ is likely as I can't retract in either state and plenty of people get a circ when they only can't retract when erect, but let's see...
Sorry to sound so pedantic and hung up! The disadvantage of research (in the lead time to my appt) is the research I do, can form sometimes incorrect opinions, but it's best to know all the facts for something that is irreversible! Or worse still, my only option...
Again, not so worried about the op itself (hopefully get a general anesthetic!).
Please keep your opinions and advice coming, it's very helpful.
If the pain after surgery is just a dull or even throbbing type pain, it should be fine. I've had haemmerhoids and I know what it's like to be sore after bleeding and before treatment! Probably the same sort of pain.
RE pleasure all good points and good ways of looking at it, probably true. Somebody did say other intact parts compensate (brain being one), no scientific truth but that's what happens when you loose a sense - the other senses get stronger.
Besides there's plenty of intact guys with circulatory, nervous or other conditions that would reduce sensitivity so we won't all have it perfect I guess...
Moving on, one thing I'm wondering but can't find any details on is what happens in the consultation? As I can't retract, how can the specialist make a diagnosis if this is a short frenulum or something like adhesions? In my case, I do feel a tight band at the front of my penis so it may be a tight frenulum (GPs would probably say plain old phimosis, like mine did). However, a test to try and retract my foreskin with the specialist won't give much info? I mean like I had haemmerhoids and got a colonoscopy, which could diagnose what the cause is (polyps, anal fissure, haemmerhoids, etc etc). How can the specialist come to the same conclusion with phimosis when the skin is too tight to even examine?
RE pleasure all good points and good ways of looking at it, probably true. Somebody did say other intact parts compensate (brain being one), no scientific truth but that's what happens when you loose a sense - the other senses get stronger.
Besides there's plenty of intact guys with circulatory, nervous or other conditions that would reduce sensitivity so we won't all have it perfect I guess...
Moving on, one thing I'm wondering but can't find any details on is what happens in the consultation? As I can't retract, how can the specialist make a diagnosis if this is a short frenulum or something like adhesions? In my case, I do feel a tight band at the front of my penis so it may be a tight frenulum (GPs would probably say plain old phimosis, like mine did). However, a test to try and retract my foreskin with the specialist won't give much info? I mean like I had haemmerhoids and got a colonoscopy, which could diagnose what the cause is (polyps, anal fissure, haemmerhoids, etc etc). How can the specialist come to the same conclusion with phimosis when the skin is too tight to even examine?
Edited by Z064life on Thursday 9th March 21:32
Thanks guys. I'm a bit more at ease, if this is what I end up having (depending on cause/severity, etc). I'll discuss the whole pleasure/function thing with my specialist but for now I will park that.
Interested to hear any other experiences.
So when the glans is exposed, it obviously feels very sensitive, but then this sensitive (not sensitive as in pleasurable) feeling goes away as it gets used to exposure? Later on the dry skin sets in?
Is there anything to reduce the sensitivity that there initially is? Sounds like something you can't drive with!
Just trying to get an understanding of things for now and compile a list of what I need to be sure of when I see the specialist. I am tempted to get a circumcision on one hand because it will just simplify things. I feel now that I have tight foreskin, if I got another treatment, I'd probably get phimosis again, anyway.
Also, and this sounds naive, but is a circumcision the removal of the outer skin or the outer skin and inner foreskin?
Interested to hear any other experiences.
So when the glans is exposed, it obviously feels very sensitive, but then this sensitive (not sensitive as in pleasurable) feeling goes away as it gets used to exposure? Later on the dry skin sets in?
Is there anything to reduce the sensitivity that there initially is? Sounds like something you can't drive with!
Just trying to get an understanding of things for now and compile a list of what I need to be sure of when I see the specialist. I am tempted to get a circumcision on one hand because it will just simplify things. I feel now that I have tight foreskin, if I got another treatment, I'd probably get phimosis again, anyway.
Also, and this sounds naive, but is a circumcision the removal of the outer skin or the outer skin and inner foreskin?
I've been trying stretching and the good news is that I can stretch the foreskin sideways to open a hole and see my glans. So I know the skin is elastic if it ever reaches the foreskin. This doesn't hurt. No creams involved.
The bad news is when I try to retract (Slowly; I thought I should try to give the specialist more info and see where my limit is), I feel a tight band of skin near the tip of my penis. This I guess must be the frenulum, and a tight/short one at that! So I only stretch to a limited point really, which I doubt is getting me far in terms of progress... It doesn't hurt, just I can feel its presence as if its telling me not to go further, so I don't.
I'll mention all this to the specialist. Really don't want to cause damage and complicate things... If he recommends stretching with these specific symptoms, I'm game! And more specifically, the exact exercises for my exact sy,ptoms.
The confusing thing is there's hardly any information on difficult to retract when flaccid. Only thing I've found is possible adhesions. Most people seem to have difficult to retract when erect, but not when flaccid.
I'm kinda keen on circ (if necessary), so will see. Interested in people's experience generally with this, in adulthood.
The bad news is when I try to retract (Slowly; I thought I should try to give the specialist more info and see where my limit is), I feel a tight band of skin near the tip of my penis. This I guess must be the frenulum, and a tight/short one at that! So I only stretch to a limited point really, which I doubt is getting me far in terms of progress... It doesn't hurt, just I can feel its presence as if its telling me not to go further, so I don't.
I'll mention all this to the specialist. Really don't want to cause damage and complicate things... If he recommends stretching with these specific symptoms, I'm game! And more specifically, the exact exercises for my exact sy,ptoms.
The confusing thing is there's hardly any information on difficult to retract when flaccid. Only thing I've found is possible adhesions. Most people seem to have difficult to retract when erect, but not when flaccid.
I'm kinda keen on circ (if necessary), so will see. Interested in people's experience generally with this, in adulthood.
Edited by Z064life on Sunday 12th March 17:18
So I saw the specialist today and he said I have BXO and adhesions (I believe the adhesions are a side-effet of BXO from built up smegma).
Suggested a full circumcision, partly to prevent further complications. From this thread, I was/am quite keen on the idea. Specialist seemed very competent and even mentioned a special technique he uses that minimises bleeding.
Specialist was very surprised I've had no symptoms at all given the severity of my condition (which in turn made me not seek advice till now).
The specialist got me kinda worried when he said we will realise the full extent of your BXO when your circumcised. Is this easy to clear up with creams?
I'm quite keen with the circ, seems like it's the best option.
1) Simple surgery, under general and it's all done
2) Never have to worry about tight foreskin later in life
3) Easy to use condoms (as someone said)
4) With BXO, circ is the only real option anyway.
What about masturbating?
Suggested a full circumcision, partly to prevent further complications. From this thread, I was/am quite keen on the idea. Specialist seemed very competent and even mentioned a special technique he uses that minimises bleeding.
Specialist was very surprised I've had no symptoms at all given the severity of my condition (which in turn made me not seek advice till now).
The specialist got me kinda worried when he said we will realise the full extent of your BXO when your circumcised. Is this easy to clear up with creams?
I'm quite keen with the circ, seems like it's the best option.
1) Simple surgery, under general and it's all done
2) Never have to worry about tight foreskin later in life
3) Easy to use condoms (as someone said)
4) With BXO, circ is the only real option anyway.
What about masturbating?
andy-xr said:
Hi
Good luck with the op
When you've had the physical side done you might want to make some appointments into the emotional/mental side as well. While lopping off your foreskin might only take an hour it sounds like it's going to take a few weeks of w
king and some therapy to sort out the rest of what's going on with your analyses of every little detail.
Hmm true but at the same time, I don't have a choice (circ is pretty much the treatment for BXO, along with creams and stuff), so it's a case of just accepting it.Good luck with the op
When you've had the physical side done you might want to make some appointments into the emotional/mental side as well. While lopping off your foreskin might only take an hour it sounds like it's going to take a few weeks of w
king and some therapy to sort out the rest of what's going on with your analyses of every little detail. Out of those who's had a circumcision here, who had a full circ? (As you can get a partial one).
Thanks guys. On the one hand, I'm not best pleased this is what I need to do, but on the other hand I can have a permemant cure. There's no point worrying about the sexual factor because it's highly subjective and for some people, circumcised is better. So, as someone wrote, "YMMV".
Can someone with a circumcised still enjoy oral sex? (Yes, TMI with these questions lol).
Can someone with a circumcised still enjoy oral sex? (Yes, TMI with these questions lol).
Also the other thing the specialist mentioned is that for my case, I will have no inner foreskin left or any frenulum (a low cut). That's a pretty big sacrifice. Is this the case for anyone? How does this feel then in the pleasure department?
Edited by Z064life on Friday 24th March 22:57
So the plot thickens!
I got a second opinion and saw a specialist, said I don't need a circ, haven't got bxo (no symptoms). Did a much more thorough examination and I think he was able to retract my foreskin more than me. I was very uncomfortable so I told him to stop but he was able to stretch the foreskin very far forward and laterally (sideways), like I've done. Based on him doing that and looking inside, he does not think there is any bxo.
Suggested the prepuce (overhang) is slightly tight but not tight enough to prevent retraction. Will be forwarding me to a "world expert" on penile skin for techniques on stretching and creams I can try.
Very happy with the consultant, very detailed in his exam (not just on the specific complaint, but checked my abdomen, testicles, etc, did a whole checkup of the area), very patient with all of my questions. I guess he could have said I need surgery and then pocketed the money from me having it done by him?
Suggested that I could get a partial circ or prepuceplasty if I'm not happy with the stretching, and happy to discuss those options in more detail if I come back.
Worth trying this route before any surgery of course, so that's what my plan of attack is now.
I got a second opinion and saw a specialist, said I don't need a circ, haven't got bxo (no symptoms). Did a much more thorough examination and I think he was able to retract my foreskin more than me. I was very uncomfortable so I told him to stop but he was able to stretch the foreskin very far forward and laterally (sideways), like I've done. Based on him doing that and looking inside, he does not think there is any bxo.
Suggested the prepuce (overhang) is slightly tight but not tight enough to prevent retraction. Will be forwarding me to a "world expert" on penile skin for techniques on stretching and creams I can try.
Very happy with the consultant, very detailed in his exam (not just on the specific complaint, but checked my abdomen, testicles, etc, did a whole checkup of the area), very patient with all of my questions. I guess he could have said I need surgery and then pocketed the money from me having it done by him?
Suggested that I could get a partial circ or prepuceplasty if I'm not happy with the stretching, and happy to discuss those options in more detail if I come back.
Worth trying this route before any surgery of course, so that's what my plan of attack is now.
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