Normally, exposure of the glans penis is a painless process. If pain occurs or if it is impossible to expose the head, we are talking about phimosis. Phimosis in boys can be pathological and physiological. In 97% of boys at birth, the head of the penis does not open completely due to poor mobility of the foreskin. By about six months, physiological phimosis in boys is found in 80% of cases. Such phimosis in boys can disappear by 6-7 years. Phimosis, detected at the age of over 7 years, already refers to the pathological form of narrowing of the foreskin.
Causes of phimosis formation in boys
In physiological phimosis in boys, gluing of the inner layer of the foreskin with the head of the penis is observed. Against the background of injuries of the penis or after balanoposthitis, pathological phimosis develops in boys as a result of cicatricial narrowing of the foreskin. This is called cicatricial phimosis. Read more about phimosis symptoms on estet-portal.com. Cases of phimosis in boys without previous inflammatory processes and injuries are described. The cause of such phimosis has not been fully established.
Studies have revealed a genetic predisposition to phimosis in boys, which is caused by a lack of an elastic component in the connective tissue.
In such patients, in parallel with phimosis, malformations of the heart valves, flat feet and varicocele are detected.
Consequences of the formation of phimosis in boys
Phimosis in boys can be formed as a result of uneven development of the penis and foreskin during puberty, which is accompanied by rapid growth of the whole organism. Further, phimosis itself is the cause of the progressive narrowing of the foreskin. Against the background of narrowing, there is a constant traumatization of the inner leaf of the foreskin, causing further narrowing. Frequent erections in adolescents during puberty increase the risk of microtrauma.
There are 4 degrees of phimosis in boys depending on the clinical manifestations:
- 1 degree is characterized by free exposure of the head of the penis at rest and with some effort during erection.
- 2 degree is accompanied by difficult exposure of the head with the impossibility of its exposure during erection.
- 3 degree is characterized by the absence of exposure of the glans penis at rest. Exposing the head during erection is impossible. At the same time, urination is not difficult.
- 4 degree is accompanied by the impossibility of partial exposure of the head. The process of urination is difficult, while urine is excreted in a thin stream.
Main clinical manifestations of phimosis in boys
The main symptom of phimosis in boys is the impossibility of exposing the glans penis. Children often strain when urinating.
The presence of phimosis of 1-2 degrees in adult men is accompanied by pain during erection. On this basis, patients with phimosis note a decrease in potency due to the expected pain before the upcoming sexual intercourse and erection.
At stages 3-4 of phimosis, there is no pain during erection, since the preputial ring is narrowed, which makes it impossible to expose the head.
For possible complications and treatments for phimosis in boys, read our next article.
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