The first treatment for phimosis consists of stretching exercises for the foreskin, starting at puberty. In a matter of weeks, teens with not too tight phimosis can overcome this problem.

When phimosis has not improved with exercise, some creams formulated with corticosteroids (cortisone) may be effective because they soften the foreskin.

If this is not effective, surgery is used, either for a foreskin plasty (surgical enlargement of the foreskin), or a circumcision (total removal of the foreskin).

Medical treatments for paraphimosis

Paraphimosis, the glans strangled by the foreskin, is a mild problem. Usually, manual compression is all that is needed to decrease the swelling, which allows the foreskin to be put back in place.

If this is not possible, which is rare, a doctor should be consulted who will carry out this maneuver himself.

Rarely, it may be necessary to use local anesthesia in order to make an incision to put the foreskin back in place. Then it is necessary to treat the phimosis if it is the cause of the paraphimosis.