Advice to parents - What now ?
You can bathe him normally – as soon as you get home if you wish. It is a good idea to leave him without a nappy after his bath to let the air get to it and dry it out and then you should apply some Betadine ointment (not Betadine liquid).
Apply the Betadine ointment twice daily.
Applying the Betadine
The ointment is mainly an added precaution against infection, but being greasy, it also acts as a cushion between the head of the penis and the ring to minimise rubbing. The Betadine should be applied down the inside of the ring, round the head of his penis and round the outside as well. Use a cotton bud to spread the Betadine inside the ring.
The ring will separate of its own accord. That usually takes between three and seven days, although it can come off sooner, it can hold on longer. It doesn’t matter how long it takes, you simply continue applying the Betadine for a day or two after the ring comes off.
After the circumcision has healed
After the circumcision has healed it is usually necessary to separate the shaft skin from round the head of the penis. If that is not done, smegma can accumulate under the adherent skin. That is why it is so important that he should return for review after the circumcision has healed.
Smegma is a mixture of old mucus and dead skin cells. It always accumulates under the foreskins of uncircumcised boys. It acts as a focus for infection, but even more importantly it is the presence of smegma when they are young that predisposes to cancer of the penis later in life. The biggest single advantage in having him circumcised is that it is now easy to keep clean, and when he is old enough to shower himself, it should be totally self-cleaning.
Important Points
Check for fresh bleeding, and if this occurs in the first 24 hours, please phone immediately because it just shouldn’t happen. Bleeding after the first 24 hours is usually only a drop or two and of no consequence.
The penis usually does get red and swollen. That is of no concern – it is just part of the normal healing process. That redness and swelling increases when the ring is about to separate off and settles rapidly after the ring is off.
It is most important to bring him back after the circumcision has healed (about two – three weeks after the procedure). Don’t neglect this.
If you have any worries, please contact us.