- With Mayo Clinic emeritus consultant
Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
Jay Hoecker, M.D.
Dr. Jay Hoecker, an emeritus member of the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, brings valuable expertise to health information content on primary care pediatrics. He has a particular interest in infectious diseases of children.
He's a Fort Worth, Texas, native, certified as a pediatrician by the American Board of Pediatrics and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He was trained at Washington University's St. Louis Children's Hospital, and in infectious diseases at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He has been with Mayo Clinic since 1989.
"The World Wide Web is revolutionizing the availability and distribution of information, including health information about children and families," Dr. Hoecker says. "The evolution of the Web has included greater safety, privacy and accuracy over time, making the quality and access to children's health information immediate, practical and useful. I am happy to be a part of this service to patients from a trusted name in medicine, to use and foster all the good the Web has to offer children and their families."
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Question
Uncircumcised penis: Is special care needed?
I'm not planning to have my newborn son circumcised. How should I care for his uncircumcised penis?
Answer
from Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
In an uncircumcised penis, a fold of skin (foreskin) covers the head of the penis. If you choose not to have your son circumcised, simply wash his uncircumcised penis with soap and water during each bath. There's no need to use cotton swabs or special cleansers. Treat the foreskin gently, being careful not to pull it back forcibly. Consult the doctor if your son seems to have discomfort while urinating — especially if the foreskin fills with urine or balloons out during urination — or the foreskin becomes red, itchy or swollen.
As your son gets older, the foreskin of his uncircumcised penis will begin to separate from the tip of the penis. This allows the foreskin to be pulled back (retracted). Some boys can retract the foreskin by age 5 or even earlier, while others can't do so until puberty. As soon as the foreskin can be retracted, it's important to clean beneath it regularly. Teach your son to:
- Gently pull back the foreskin
- Clean beneath the foreskin with mild soap and water
- Rinse and dry beneath the foreskin thoroughly
- Pull the foreskin back over the head of the penis
Encourage your son to follow the same procedure through adulthood as part of his daily bathing routine.
Next questionBaby poop: What's normal?
- Wilson JM. Care of the uncircumcised penis. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Nov. 9, 2011.
- Buescher JJ, et al. Care of the newborn. In: Rakel RE. Textbook of Family Medicine. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-1160-8..10022-3--s0330&isbn=978-1-4377-1160-8&sid=1230851083&uniqId=293836219-6#4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-1160-8..10022-3--s0330. Accessed Nov. 9, 2011.
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