Daily care of the foreskin and prevention and treatment of frostbite

behavioral check

Gangrene? Penile cancer? AIDS? If these terrible diseases make you want to rush to your nearest urologist for a circumcision, remember, you probably won't get them. Dr. Meloni says that most uncircumcised men "won't have problems." For example, penile cancer usually only affects older men and is extremely rare-perhaps only 1,100 or 1,200 cases out of an estimated 632,000 male cancer patients each year. The problem is that the vast majority of them occur in uncircumcised men.

Urethritis is uncommon among young men and those who are sexually active; infants and the elderly are the primary affected groups. Another worrying finding is that uncircumcised boys are 10 to 20 times more likely to develop urethritis than circumcised boys. However, this risk seems to gradually disappear as they enter adulthood.

Latest Information

• Commonality: Approximately 10% of men who have not undergone circumcision suffer from infections and other conditions.

Risk factors: poor hygiene, multiple sexual partners, and unprotected sex.

• Affected age groups: Usually the elderly or children. However, middle-aged men who do not regularly clean themselves can also develop the disease.

• Gender differences: In reality, women have a clitoris that protects the clitoris, but that's a completely different matter.

• Request for help: Urologist.

There is some truth to the claim that men who haven't undergone circumcision are more susceptible to gonorrhea, syphilis, and even HIV, as the foreskin provides a greenhouse-like environment for the growth of bacteria and other impurities. However, with proper care, these diseases are unlikely to occur.

Using condoms, a simple preventative measure, can establish the first line of defense against syphilis, gonorrhea, and HIV entering under the foreskin.

Dr. Goldstein says he is sometimes "surprised by how dirty people are in this area, even company managers, who are otherwise very clean." If you don't have a foreskin condition, don't wait until you do. Keep the penis clean, Dr. Meloni says: "Usually, simply washing and drying the area is enough to inhibit the overgrowth of bacteria or yeast."

If you have moderate balanitis, you should gently wash the inside of your foreskin frequently, but always consult a dermatologist or urologist to determine the cause of the infection. Dr. Meloni suggests that men with balanitis should retract their foreskin and wash the base of the penis thoroughly with water-"You may also be able to use a mild soap or your fingertips to help clean, but don't be too vigorous, such as by rubbing with a towel."

He said that when drying the genitals, retract the foreskin and use a hairdryer on a low setting, or let it air dry in front of a fan. Then apply medication-such as an anti-fermentation, antibacterial, or antifungal cream. The final step is to "take a piece of gauze, cut a small opening in it, and put it over the penis, making sure the foreskin is always retracted."

If you're going to the opera in the evening, you might not be too keen on this method, but it can certainly make you feel better quickly.

Don't rule out circumcision. If you have balanitis along with phimosis, your problem is much more serious. These patients usually need circumcision, and moderate cases may require local anesthesia. Paraphimosis, of course, requires emergency surgical intervention, generally involving circumcision or at least a dorsal slit to allow the foreskin to return to the glans, thus relieving the constriction. Dr. Goldstein suggests that for aesthetic reasons, complete circumcision is best. "A dorsal slit in the foreskin looks somewhat comical, like a dog's ear, and even the shape of the penis is abnormal."

What we want is for our sexual partners to look at our penis, tilt their heads to one side, and express genuine admiration for it.

frostbite

Preventing frostbite

Wow, how interesting-sledding, skiing, ice fishing, riding in a horse-drawn open sleigh. It's easy to leave the bad side of winter behind, but when the jingling of sleds fills your ears, the warning bells about frostbite are drowned out.

"I've been skiing for 38 years, so I've had frostbite before when I was on the slopes," said David Norwich, PhD, director of the American College of Foot and Ankle Medicine in Parkridge, Illinois, and a podiatrist and ankle surgeon in Milford, Connecticut. "Every time I see someone with white skin, like they have frostbite, I tell them they need immediate treatment because sometimes they don't even realize it."

Doctors differentiate frostbite based on the damage it causes. First-degree frostbite is the mildest; the skin turns waxy white and feels cold to the touch, but no blisters form. Staying indoors and keeping the injured skin warm can prevent more serious damage, but you still need to see a doctor.

The most severe type of frostbite is fourth-degree frostbite, which can cause deep damage to the muscles. The muscles in the injured area will harden, turn gray or blue, and eventually lose all sensation. This type of frostbite requires hospitalization and often results in the amputation of a part of the body, says Dr. Norwich.

Frostbite typically affects the ears, nose, hands, feet, and toes. It is most common when people are exposed to temperatures between -4°C and 10°C for 6 to 12 hours, but the damage may occur more rapidly in colder environments. Wind can worsen frostbite-the higher the wind speed, the greater the heat loss from the body.

Moisture is also a contributing factor to frostbite, because cold water absorbs heat from the body 25 times faster than cold air. Exposed skin in contact with metal can also cause frostbite more quickly.

A study that followed 812 frostbite patients for 18 years found that 82% of them had increased sensitivity to cold, 73% had discolored skin, and 58% experienced excessive sweating. Other long-term consequences included burning pain, cold hands and feet, numbness, discoloration of the skin, joint problems, and heightened sensitivity to cold.

People who have had frostbite before are more prone to getting frostbite again. The elderly and people who drink alcohol are also more prone to frostbite.

Keep skin warm

If you can't resist the temptation to go skiing in the mountains, then the following methods can help you prevent frostbite.

When encountering extremely cold weather, be sure to cover all exposed parts of your body with hats, scarves, masks, and gloves. Protect your torso as well, because when you feel cold, blood flows from your extremities to the center of your body. Therefore, keeping your torso warm is equivalent to protecting your toes.

Wear well-fitting clothes. Winter clothing must fit properly; clothes that are too loose or too tight will make you more susceptible to the cold. Shoes that are too tight will hinder blood circulation in your feet, increasing the chance of getting chilblains.

Wearing multiple layers of clothing is extremely beneficial for preventing frostbite, says Dr. Norwich. "Many people add a silk pad inside their gloves, or wear a silk undershirt under very warm trousers, creating an air layer between the layers that helps insulate you from the cold outside air."

"Many people are reluctant to wear hats because they want to appear masculine," says Dr. Norwich. "The body loses a lot of heat through the head. In fact, you'd really like to wear a hat in cold weather."

Latest Information

• Commonality: It is becoming more and more common, and the increasing popularity of winter sports is a major reason for this.

• Risk factors: Direct contact of bare skin with extremely cold objects, wind, and moisture. The elderly and those who have recently consumed alcohol are most susceptible to frostbite.

• Affected age groups: People of all ages. Older adults with circulatory disorders are more susceptible to frostbite.

• Gender differences: The chances are equal for both sexes. But certain behaviors in men, such as not wearing a hat-you know who greatly increases their chances of getting frostbite.

• Target patients: family doctors or emergency room doctors.

Boots need to breathe too. Leather boots are the best choice for cold weather because they are made of leather. Dr. Norwich says, "Wearing fur socks and boots will make you sweat much less than wearing all-plastic socks and boots." He adds, "We also recommend wearing several layers of socks: a silk insole, and then a pair of wool or cotton socks."

Don't drink alcohol. In cold weather, alcohol might seem to make you feel warmer, but it actually has the opposite effect-it causes your body to lose more heat, and as you probably know, alcohol makes you stupid. In emergencies, stupidity often leads to serious consequences.