Topic Overview

It's important to keep your son's penis clean whether he has been circumcised or not. Keeping your young son's penis clean may help prevent infections and other problems. As your son gets older, teach him how to wash and care for his penis.

Cleaning a natural penis

Do not force the foreskin back over the tip of the penis. At first, a baby's foreskin may be difficult to pull back over the tip of the penis. After the first few years of life (though it may take somewhat longer), the foreskin will gradually retract more easily. By the time a boy is 5 years old, his foreskin is usually fully retractable. Up to this time, wash the outside of the penis with soap and water. Pushing your son's foreskin back too early can damage it and cause scar tissue to form.

When the foreskin is easy to retract, clean under it regularly. To clean under the foreskin, gently push it as far as possible toward the body. Carefully wash the entire area with soap and water. When the area is cleaned and rinsed, replace the foreskin over the head of the penis.

A boy as young as 3 can be taught to clean under his foreskin as a normal part of his hygiene. Before puberty, occasional cleaning is recommended. When a boy reaches puberty, he needs to clean under his foreskin every day.

If your son's foreskin does not fully retract by the time he reaches puberty, call your doctor for advice.

Related Information

• Circumcision
• Growth and Development, Ages 1 to 12 Months
• Growth and Development, Newborn

References

Other Works Consulted

• Elder JS (2007). Anomalies of the penis and urethra. In RM Kliegman et al., eds., Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, 18th ed., chap. 544, pp. 2253–2260. Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier.
• Miller JP, Black TL (2006). Phimosis and paraphimosis. In MR Dambro, ed., Griffith's 5-Minute Clinical Consult, pp. 838–839. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.

Credits

Author	Debby Golonka, MPH
Editor	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN
Associate Editor	Pat Truman, MATC
Primary Medical Reviewer	Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	Peter Anderson, MD, FRCS(C) - Pediatric Urology
Last Updated	January 29, 2010