Immediately after the procedure
The Circumcision site will heal naturally and should be treated as normal.
- If your baby is unsettled on the night of the circumcision, you can give him paracetamol.
- Paracetamol can be purchased over the counter from any retail Pharmacy for children aged 3months and above.
- If your child is below this age, the pharmacist will not be able to routinely sell this product to you. Please ensure that you are provided with a prescription for this medication to take to a pharmacy.
- If necessary and if in doubt please call:
The Portland Hospital pharmacy on 020 7390 8479 / 8039 between the hours of 8.30am -7.00pm Mondays – Fridays and 9.00am -12.00pm at the weekends...
The Cromwell Hospital pharmacy on 020 7460 5572 between the hours of 8.30am - 6.00pm Mondays - Fridays and 9.30am - 1.00pm Saturdays or email pharmacy@cromwellhospital.com. Closed on Sundays.
- Blood spots in the nappy or yellowish coating around the head of the penis. This is expected and of no concern
- If the penis becomes soiled the area should be cleaned gently with gauze dipped in warm water (do not use cotton wool as this may get stuck into the ring and pull on it).
- When changing the nappy, remove the old nappy carefully until the white plastic ring has dropped off.
- You will notice that the head of the penis is red or bluish in colour this is entirely normal as parents you would have been unable to see this before the circumcision as it was covered with prepucial skin and also it may be swollen.
- Do not use creams or powders on the circumcision wound until the ring has dropped off.
- The first time the baby passes urine he will cry or be slightly irritated – comfort baby and settle him although we do not do anything to the wee opening on the head of his penis. My observation has been babies always cry before they need a pee till they recognise normal sensation of need to void / pee.
- Do not worry about the baby passing urine; this will not affect the healing process.
- You may bath the baby the following day.
The process of plastibell ring separation
The ring usually drops off in a week (3 – 10 days).
- Please remember that the plastibell ring does not fall off all at once it starts separating in small areas along the thread and very often it is only a small area holding the ring attached to the skin of the penis. This will separate in a further day or two.
- Sometimes the ring has completely separated but wont fall off as the head of the penis is slightly swollen. As long as the ring moves easily around in a circle as a ring on ‘our finger’ it will eventually come off the head of the penis.
- If in any doubt please contact us at the numbers given below.
After the plastibell ring falls off
- Allow a couple of days for the swelling at the circumcision site to settle then clean the area with whatever you use to bath your baby with.
- Perhaps you need to pull back on the penile skin till you can see the junction of the head of the penis and the body (the groove between the head and the body). This prevents the penile skin from sticking to the head (glans) which is still healing.
- You may see staining of baby’s nappy with spots of blood for some time after the plastic ring has fallen off. This occurs because the head of the penis (glans) is still healing. Sometimes the contact with the nappy does not allow the glans to heal sooner.
- In this situation you may apply vaseline or baby oil to the head of the penis, this may help the glans healing.
Please note that if your baby requires a revision circumcision at a later date this is a separate operation which will require your baby to have a general anaesthetic, hospital stay for a day and separate billing inclusive of surgeon’s fees.
Follow Up
A routine follow-up is not required as the majority of babies do not need it but it is possible and you may discuss these arrangements at the time of circumcision.
