Circumcision
In cases of phimosis, the standard treatment has until now always been considered to be therapeutic circumcision.
Circumcision
Circumcision is the partial or total surgical removal of the foreskin, the part of the skin that covers the glans. From birth, the penis is covered by a layer of skin that covers it from the base up to the glans. On the glans, the foreskin has two layers of skin, an outer and inner, that protect the mucosa, and help it retain moisture and sensitivity.
This double layer of skin can increase the amount of skin when the penis is erect, relative to when it is at rest. Circumcision removes the skin of the foreskin rendering the glans more exposed. The glans is therefore no longer covered and develops a keratinised layer which serves a protective function.
Surgery can be performed for religious, cultural, personal or medical reasons.
Foreskin (or prepuce)
The foreskin is a special tissue, composed of an internal and an external sheet that can slide over each other, and over the glans. In addition to serving a protective function, it forms the seat of countless nerve terminals over its entire surface, and is anteriorly bound to the frenulum which transmits erotic stimuli.
Its main functions are to protect the glans from contamination and direct contact with rough surfaces, and participation in sexual activity as a transmitter of erotic sensations.
Protection: from birth, the foreskin covers the penis with a continuous layer of skin and serves the same function as the eyelids provide for the eyes. Thanks to the sebum it produces, the foreskin keeps the surface of the glans soft, moist and sensitive, in addition to maintaining optimal warmth, pH balance, and cleanliness.
Nervous sensitivity: the foreskin has a large number of special nerve receptors, enabling it to perceive movement, as well as small temperature changes and various grades of textures.
Immunological defences: the glands in the foreskin are designed to produce antibacterial and antiviral proteins (e.g., lysozyme, which is also present in breast milk and tears) and its external part is covered with epithelial cells (“Langerhans”), which are components of the immune system. The mucosa of the foreskin, as with every lining of bodily orifices, serves as a primary weapon in the immunological defence system, thanks to plasma cells and immunoglobulins that can secrete antibodies to defend it from infections. As stated in the Manual of Clinical Andrology, edited by Wolf-Bernhard Schill, Frank H. Comhaire and Timothy B. Hargreave, the foreskin also has a “variable commensal community that includes Corynebacterium, anaerobic gram-negative bacteria, enterococci and mycobacteria” all of which are useful for immunological prevention.
Circumcision and phimosis: Phimostop innovation for the phimosis treatment
Up until a short time ago, the presence of a phimosis of medium or high severity, was always dealt with by circumcision to remove the part of the foreskin causing the phimosis. Depending on the proportion of the foreskin that was phimotic, the surgeon would perform a partial or total circumcision.
That was until we patented and manufactured Phimostop.
Circumcision is classified as a routine operation, so is usually performed on an out-patient basis, followed by a post-operative period of about one month.
The intervention is generally scheduled after visiting a specialist, and along with the pre-operation examinations, is generally performed in a day-hospital, mainly with local anaesthesia. The foreskin is removed using a laser or scalpel and, of course, resolves the phimosis.
The after-effects of the surgery (stitches, scars, possible swelling, redness and burning) vary from person to person, but it is always important to follow the hygiene instructions and guidance on post-operative medications that the medical staff provides.
Articles and papers have been written about the features and issues involved in such operations, and these seek to capture the various facets of the operation, such as “age-old” and “sensitive“. The debate usually focuses mainly on the consequences of the intervention, the medical- (for treatment and prevention of some diseases) and sexual aspects (in the context of the perception of pleasure).
For the patient, however, circumcision can be extremely traumatic psychologically, and an irreversible physical impairment that’s difficult to accept. Not infrequently, patients prefer to live with their phimosis, rather than undergo surgery.
Phimostop: an alternative to circumcision
The aim of Phimostop is to offer an alternative to those who want to avoid circumcision. A natural method that uses the principle of tissue expansion to resolve phimosis without surgery, which allows patients to avoid waiting times, which are often very long (depending on the local health units involved, this can be anywhere from 3 to 24 months), and the high cost (for operations in private facilities).
The idea of surgery on a part so intimate and delicate can force men to postpone the solution to the problem, and go into hiding, which not only risks their health situation becoming worse, but also worsens their sexual relationships.
By using Phimostop however, you can address the situation in a very short time, and benefit from regression of the phimosis without submitting to an invasive operation, and retain the other natural functions of the foreskin.
