In some cases, phimosis can also lead to painful erections, as well as minor bleeding and infection of the foreskin. It can also make it difficult to empty your bladder and cause urinary tract infections and skin infections on the penis. It’s more common in children and young adults - most often before puberty - as the result of an infection or inflammation (like balanitis) but it can also be because of an injury that causes your foreskin to tear. If your foreskin is too tight, or the tip of the foreskin can’t be pulled back, the medical term is phimosis (pronounced fi-mo-sis). Want to find out more about foreskin problems? Read more on the Foreskin problems and circumcision page. It’s important to talk to your doctor about any white scarring on your foreskin as it can be difficult to determine yourself if you have BXO and it generally gets worse over time. It occurs when a ring of white scar tissue forms at the tip of the foreskin and makes it so tight that it’s difficult to pull it back. If you’re diagnosed with balanitis and it keeps coming back, one of the things your doctor will probably suggest is that you’re checked for diabetes.īXO (otherwise known as balanitis xerotica obliterans) isn’t the same as balanitis, and it’s a lot less common. Balanitis can also occur when the inside of your foreskin isn’t kept clean.ĭepending on the cause, your doctor may recommend an over-the-counter antibiotic or antifungal ointments and creams can be used to treat balanitis. It can be caused by irritation from bacterial or fungal infections, chemicals, viruses such as HPV, diabetes, and allergies to latex (i.e. You may also not be able to pull back your foreskin. With balanitis, the head of your penis will be sore or tender, and you may experience other symptoms including itchiness, a rash, redness, swelling or discharge. It’s highly common and can affect men at any age.

Swelling or inflammation at the head of the penis is called balanitis (pronounced bal-an-eye-tis).

Don’t use strong soaps or chemicals, warm water will generally be enough. Washing your penis and the inside of your foreskin (by gently pulling back the foreskin) daily is an important step is maintaining good genital hygiene and can help to prevent inflammation and infection.

Skin attached to foreskin