Laser Treatment for Phimosis

The average phimosis surgery cost in India can range anywhere from Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 60,000. Depending on various factors, however, such as the method of your surgery, the cost of preoperative tests and diagnostics and the cost of postoperative medications, the exact cost of your surgery is likely to vary.
Circumcision surgery is generally covered by most health insurance plans in India if it is deemed to be a medical necessity by your healthcare provider.
If left untreated, Phimosis can lead to a multitude of penis-related complications and diseases that not only affect your everyday life but also may require additional, more complex surgical procedures for treatment.
However, if the reason behind your circumcision is strictly cosmetic or religious in nature, it is highly unlikely that your insurance plan will provide coverage for it.
Prior to surgery, it is best to have a detailed discussion about your insurance plan and its inclusions and exclusions with your insurance provider. If you still have any queries, you can also get in touch with our insurance team at Pristyn Care for further assistance.

In most cases, recovery after a circumcision surgery can take anywhere from 7-10 days.
Depending on various factors however, such as the method of surgery you choose, your overall health and quality of postoperative care, the exact time to recover after your surgery is likely to vary.
In this time period, it is important to strictly follow any guidelines or precautions set by your urologist to not only minimize chances of any postoperative complications but also boost recovery.
Some guidelines or precautions that your urologist may suggest you after your circumcision surgery include:

• Keeping the surgical site dry for the first 48 hours after surgery
• Refraining from smoking or drinking alcohol
• Staying hydrated. Drink 7-8 glasses of water everyday.
• Avoiding swimming pools or public baths
• Refraining from sexual intercourse until your doctor thinks it's safe to do so.
• Refraining from any strenuous exercise that may exert excessive pressure on your penis or its surrounding area.

Before going forward with a surgery, your healthcare provider may recommend some non-surgical alternatives to circumcision that may help you reduce symptoms of phimosis and provide effective phimosis treatment without surgery.
Medications
Certain infections and skin conditions can also cause phimosis and in such cases, your urologist may prescribe you some medications for treatment. It is to be noted that before taking any phimosis medication, it is extremely important to consult your urologist first. Some phimosis medication that your urologist may prescribe are given below:

• Antibiotics or antifungal creams such as lotrimin
• Cyclosporine ointment
• Methotrexate
• Prednisone
• Mycophenolate
• Azithromycin
• Doxycycline
• Home Remedies

Some methods of phimosis home treatment that you can perform for effective phimosis management include:

Foreskin stretching: Mild to moderate cases of phimosis can be managed by simple stretching exercises that may be recommended by your doctor. Gently and slowly pulling the top of your foreskin using just 2 fingers may ease some of the symptoms you are facing.

Ointments: Your urologist may recommend some ointments to help relieve some of the symptoms, such as pain, inflammation, and infection.

Retracting exercises: Retracting the foreskin over the penis glans regularly may also encourage better stretching of the foreskin. It is important to use extra caution during such exercises and avoid forcefully stretching the foreskin.

Proper hygiene: Regardless of whether you have phimosis or not, maintaining good genital hygiene is important to significantly reduce your chances of getting phimosis. Using mild soap to clean your foreskin is a great way to maintain your genital hygiene and avoid excessive buildup of any bacteria or smegma.
Coconut oil: Using coconut oil can help you significantly in performing stretching exercises with your foreskin. As previously mentioned, however, it is important to be very gentle and slow with any stretching you perform.

There are primarily two types of phimosis: Physiological phimosis and pathological phimosis.

Physiological phimosis: Physiological phimosis, sometimes called primary phimosis, occurs naturally at birth. As mentioned before, almost all newborns are born with a tight foreskin that loosens up on its own over time. This type of phimosis generally does not require any surgical intervention. If the condition seems to persist until teenage, non-surgical methods such as steroid creams may be effective in treating physiological phimosis. If the condition does not improve thereafter, the doctor might suggest foreskin removal surgery.

Pathological Phimosis: Unlike physiological phimosis, pathological phimosis occurs due to scarring, infection or inflammation on the penis caused by an injury or forcefully trying to retract the foreskin. Pathological phimosis can occur irrespective of age and usually requires surgical intervention for treatment. Your urologist may also refer to pathological phimosis as secondary phimosis. Some of the common phimosis causes in adults include:

• Poor hygiene
• Skin conditions
• Formation of scar tissue
• Balanitis
• Balanoposthitis
• Injuries

Laser circumcision is generally considered to be the most safe and effective treatment for phimosis. Phimosis laser surgery uses a highly focused beam of laser to precisely cut and remove any excess foreskin that you may have.
Due to its precise nature and high operating temperatures, laser circumcision does not involve the risk of any deep cuts or excessive bleeding.
Phimosis laser surgery is also recommended by most urologists due to its shorter recovery and better postoperative quality of life as compared to conventional methods of circumcision, such as a stapler or open circumcision.

After your circumcision surgery, some common side effects, such as mild swelling, minor bleeding and discomfort, are to be expected and are considered normal.
These side effects generally do not require any medications or additional care and are expected to subside on their own in a few days.
However, if these side effects seem to persist or worsen over time, it could be a sign of a complication. It is recommended to inform your healthcare provider about the symptoms you may be facing as soon as possible.
Some of the most common complications that are usually associated with phimosis surgery are given below:

• Excessive bleeding
• Infection
• Formation of scar tissue around the incision wound
• Tenderness around the scar
• Permanent reduction in sensation in the head of the penis
• Reaction to anesthesia

Phimosis is a common condition that is found in almost all newborn babies. As a person continues to age, the foreskin continues to loosen up and does not require any surgical intervention.
In some cases, however, phimosis can last into adulthood and, depending on its severity, may require surgical procedures such as circumcision for effective phimosis cure.
Phimosis in adulthood can be a significant problem that affects your daily life and health. If left untreated, phimosis can lead to serious complications as well that may require additional and more complex surgical procedures for treatment. If you are experiencing symptoms of phimosis, it is advisable to contact your healthcare provider and undergo effective phimosis in adulthood treatment.

Having phimosis itself is not necessarily a problem. As long as phimosis does not cause any symptoms or affect your daily life, it does not require any surgical intervention.
However, if your phimosis is symptomatic and exhibiting symptoms such as pain, ballooning, pain, or discomfort during erection or pain while urinating, treatment is usually necessary.
If you struggle with a severe case of phimosis, it is recommended to contact your healthcare provider as soon as possible
If left untreated, phimosis can lead to serious complications such as recurrent infections, gangrene, penile cancer, permanent damage to the penis, or in some severe cases, loss of your penis.
Phimosis vs Paraphimosis
While phimosis and paraphimosis may sound similar, they are both different conditions which differ in not only causes but in symptoms as well. Some of the major differences between phimosis and paraphimosis are given below:

Phimosis	Paraphimosis
Phimosis is characterized by the inability to retract the foreskin over the penile glans or the head of the penis.	Paraphimosis occurs when the foreskin, once retracted, becomes trapped behind the penile glans.
Treatment is usually not considered an emergency.	Generally considered to be a urological emergency.
Symptoms generally include: Swelling Tenderness Blood in urine Weak urine stream Pain with erection of sexual activity	Symptoms include: Inability to pull the foreskin over the head of the penis once retracted. Pain Swelling Discolouration of the penis
Treatments generally include medications and phimosis ointment. In severe cases, circumcision is considered to be an effective treatment.	Treatments for paraphimosis generally include circumcision.
Complications: If left untreated, phimosis could lead to serious complications such as recurrent infections, gangrene, swelling and in some severe cases, loss of the penis.	Complications: If left untreated, paraphimosis could lead to tissue damage (ischemia) or tissue death (necrosis).

There are several steroid-based as well as non-steroid based ointments available for the treatment of phimosis. These ointments help by loosening the foreskin and their success rate is around 70%.
Let's look at some of the most widely used ointments for the treatment of phimosis:
1. Betnovate-N
It is the most common ointment used for treating phimosis. Betnovate-N is an ointment that contains a steroid named betamethasone valerate. In addition to this steroid, it has an antibacterial agent (neomycin sulphate), a preservative and a base.
Betnovate majorly helps in getting relief from eczema, psoriasis and lichen planus which are some of the common causes of phimosis. To get a sigh of relief from the redness, swelling and irritation caused due to phimosis, you should apply the ointment twice or thrice a day for about 4-6 weeks to get. Doing so will bring you significant relief from redness, swelling, and irritation. Also, remember the ointment is not advisable for children under the age of 1 year. So, consult a doctor first, if your child is suffering from phimosis.
2. Temovate
Temovate is yet another topical steroid prescribed for the treatment of phimosis. It contains clobetasol propionate(0.05%) as an active ingredient.
Temovate is available both in the form of cream as well as ointments. Temovate acts against skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, etc and thus helps in reducing the swelling, itching, and redness. You should use Temovate twice a day for about 2 weeks. The usage of Temovate should not be continued for more than 2 weeks. Prolonged use of Temovate can have side-effects.
3. Canesten
Canesten is an anti-fungal cream that mainly contains Clotrimazole. Clotrimazole is a medicine that is used to treat fungal infections.
Thus, Canesten is prescribed for phimosis when the cause of phimosis is a fungal infection. Clotrimazole present in Canesten helps in reducing the inflammation and soreness caused due to phimosis.
4. Elocon
Elocon ointment contains a mild steroid named Mometasone furoate(0.1%). It has an anti-inflammatory effect on phimosis. Elocon is very effective in the treatment of eczema, lichen planus, psoriasis, etc. In addition to ointment form, Elocon is also available in the form of cream and lotion.
The type of product to use for phimosis depends upon the condition of the skin. This ointment helps in getting relief from swelling, redness, and itching in about 2 weeks. Elocon should not be used for children under the age of 2 years.
5. Novoglan
Novoglan is an organic cream that helps in stretching the foreskin. It contains natural ingredients with anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties.
The major ingredients of Novoglan are neem seed oil, emu oil, evening primrose oil, rose geranium, jojoba oil, rice bran oil, wheat germ oil and Vitamin E.
You can apply Novoglan cream daily before stretching exercises. It conditions the foreskin and makes it easier to stretch. Thus, it is a very effective cream for phimosis that you can rely upon.
6. Aristospan
Aristospan is another topical steroid prescribed for phimosis. It contains Triamcinolone acetonide as the main active ingredient.
Triamcinolone acetonide has anti-inflammatory properties and helps in reducing the pain and soreness. This helps in loosening the skin and gentle stretching along with the use of Aristospan is really beneficial in the complete retraction of the skin.
7. Hydrocortisone
Hydrocortisone is a corticosteroid effective in the treatment of phimosis. It is available in a variety of products including lotions, creams, ointments, and gels.
Hydrocortisone is effective against eczema and psoriasis and helps reduce inflammation, itching in phimosis. Hydrocortisone products are mostly mild and sometimes contain anti-microbial medicines that treat bacterial and fungal infections.
8. Ilotycin
Ilotycin is a cream that contains erythromycin as the main component. Erythromycin is an antibiotic that is effective against bacterial infections. Ilotycin can be used for treating phimosis caused due to harmful bacterial growth.