Maintaining a clean and dry environment is one of the best ways to help your circumcision wound heal faster. There are other lifestyle and diet-related tips you can implement as well to make recovery easier.
Avoid vigorous exercises such as running, cycling and swimming that put pressure on your lower body and might irritate the penis. Doing so too soon after surgery may delay healing time.
- Keep the area clean
What helps a circumcision doctors wound heal faster is keeping the area clean. This could include using diaper wipes or soap and water.
After your circumcision, you may experience some minor drainage from the incision site. This is normal and will dissipate as the wound heals.
Within the first week, you may notice a yellow film on the head of your son’s penis. This is not pus or an infection and should clear up on its own after some time has passed.
After a few days, if your son continues to experience bloody drainage from the incision, contact your doctor for further instructions.
ShangRing Device rings often fall off within 5 to 7 days (on average). To help keep them off your son’s penis, apply Vaseline or A&D ointment to its tip before each diaper change to prevent sticking to the diaper.
- Keep the wound dry
Maintaining the circumcision site dry is a great way to expedite healing. Applying petroleum jelly over the circumcision site will keep it from sticking to your baby’s diaper, and then perform frequent diaper changes for best results.
Once the circumcision is complete, you may notice a wet yellowish scab developing at the site that is actually normal tissue (not pus). This scab will start to fade and diminish in appearance over the first few days following recovery.
You may notice your baby’s poop coming out of the circumcision site more frequently than usual. This is perfectly normal.
Circumcisions are a commonly performed surgical procedure, but it’s still essential to clean and dry the incision site to avoid potential complications. Once cleaned and dried, pain usually dissipates and the wound heals quickly; furthermore, infection rates for circumcisions are very low – typically only one percent).
- Wear loose-fitting clothing
Circumcision wounds heal faster when you wear loose-fitting clothing that does not rub against the wound. This keeps the area from becoming irritated and helps prevent infections from taking hold.
Petroleum jelly also helps lubricate the tip of your penis, which may reduce skin irritation. You should apply this 2-3 times a day.
Your circumcision stitches should dissolve naturally after two to three weeks, depending on the type. This is because soluble (or self-dissolving) stitches will dissolve as your body heals the wound and allow for natural closure.
After your surgery, it is recommended that you refrain from smoking as this can impede wound healing. Your doctor can give more details on this. It’s also essential to drink lots of fluids and get plenty of rest during the first few days after your procedure.
- Avoid sexual activity
One way to encourage your circumcision wound to heal quickly is to refrain from sexual activity. Sexual activity before your penis has fully healed poses a risk, as it could result in injury and infection to other parts of your body.
Particularly if you have undergone laser circumcision, it is recommended that you refrain from sexual activity for approximately 4 weeks after open circumcision in order to ensure a safe and rapid recovery.
Research has demonstrated that resuming sexual activity too soon after having your circumcision can increase the likelihood of contracting HIV or AIDS, since the unhealed wound serves as a gateway for transmission.
Researchers conducted a study in Zambia to better understand how resuming sexual activity before the wound has healed can increase infection risks. Analyzing observational data collected as part of Zambia’s male circumcision program, they interviewed men at baseline and six-weeks after their procedure–during which they were advised against engaging in any sexual activity during the healing period–researchers examined all cases.