Newborn Baby Care: Circumcised Penis Care

A newly circumcised penis' appearance may cause a bit of distress for the new parent. The foreskin is a double layered piece of skin that all baby boys are born with. The inner layer of the foreskin is firmly adhered to the head of your baby's penis (also known as the glans). During the circumcision, that inner layer has to be "peeled" off the head of the penis, exposing a very red and angry-looking glans. The edge of the circumcision will be swollen with crusted dried blood. Over the next few days, you may notice a black crust or yellowish-white coating on the head of the penis. This is normal as the penis heals.

All you need to do to care for the newly circumcised penis is to keep it clean and dry. Just plain water and a gentle pat dry is all. Make sure over the next few days to apply a generous amount of antibiotic cream or A&D ointment on the head of the penis, as well as the front of the diaper that touches the penis. This will keep the raw, delicate skin on the glans from sticking to the diaper and will prevent any ensuing pain when changing the diaper. Within days, the penis will look less angry; within one to two weeks, the redness should be completely gone.