How should a parent go about cleaning under their toddler's foreskin? Family GP, Dr Sue Morrison provides some reassurance about a personal problem in a sensitive area.

Raisingkids member's problem
Don't even know how to phrase the question... but here goes. I have a 3 yr-old boy - should I actively pull back his foreskin to give his willy a clean? He complains when I try - my wife says this is my domain, being the male! I'm getting concerned that it does not seem to retract easily now yet it did when he was younger. My wife reckons that one should not 'force' things!

Dr Morrison's advice
In newborns, the skin of the foreskin is inseparable from the skin covering the glans at the end of the penis. It almost always loosens by itself by about 4 yrs-old and there is absolutely no need to interfere in this natural process.

In fact, it can be painful to do so and may cause an infection. It is very rare for an adult to need a circumcision because the foreskin won't retract, but (occasionally) if it won't, and/or there have been infections, it may be necessary.

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