What is a Buried Penis?

This term describes the condition wherein a child's penis actually hides inside folds of the skin of the belly or thighs or scrotum.

It is sometimes present at birth but can also come at any age. In adults, a buried penis often occurs in men who are morbidly obese.

What are the symptoms of a buried penis in children?

Symptoms depend on how severe your case of a buried penis is:

Symptoms can include:

Urinary tract infections
Pain in the sex organ (pain with erection, ejaculation)
Inability to obtain erections
Leakage of urine
A failure to expose the penis (or tenderness if exposure of the head of the penis is attempted)
Conditions of infection in the head of the penis
Increased risk for penile cancer
The abnormal or unappealing appearance of the penis

What causes a buried penis?

Many factors can cause a buried penis:

It is an acquired obesity, and a buried penis is the most common cause of adult-acquired buried penis. When the fat tissue extends beyond the head of the penis:

It will be hard to clean urine and moisture if the penis cannot expose.
There is chronic inflammation by the trapping of moisture and urine.
Inflammation and infection would cause scarring to the genital tissue. It will increase the difficulty of exposing the penis because it is sometimes called being phimotic.
Lichen sclerosis: It is an inflammation which affects the genitals and the anal area and causes scar tissue to form. It will cause an ache in the penis tip or foreskin. The skin may also have pale white patches.
Genital lymphedema: This swelling results in an enlarged scrotum. Genital lymphedema is rare. It primarily occurs in males who had surgery or radiation for cancer that reached their lymph nodes.
Genital lymphedema is caused by disruption of the lymphatic vessels that return fluid to the circulatory system. When the vessels are damaged, fluid accumulates in the scrotum.
Circumcision: If the foreskin is removed too harshly at the time of circumcision, it may cause burial of the penis.

How is a buried penis diagnosed?

Most often, a buried penis is diagnosed by a healthcare provider based just on your history and physical exam.

How is a buried penis treated?

A buried penis is sometimes difficult to treat, and the treatment itself depends largely on the cause. In infants and children, it tends to resolve spontaneously without any intervention at all. First-line treatments include:

Medications: Your physician may prescribe antibiotics to help you resolve an infection in your genital region.
Weight loss: A provider often encourages weight loss and nutritional education before a procedure. Weight loss alone is sometimes a cure for a buried penis. Even if it's not completely treating the problem, it may reduce the chance of complications from developing during treatment.
Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy or talk therapy is sometimes required to treat depression, sexual dysfunction, and low self-esteem.

In severe cases, a provider may recommend surgery. They may:

Surgical removal of scar tissue.
Lift the ligament that attaches your penile base to your pubic bone.
Sow inside stitches in the skin of your penis down to the base of your penis.

Other surgical procedures may include:

Suction lipectomy: Suction lipectomy is a surgical operation in which fat tissue above your penis or scrotum is removed. A surgeon will make cuts in the area and remove fat cells through surgical suction catheters.
Abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck: This surgery removes excess fat and skin from your abdominal area.
Pannulectomy: A surgeon removes the apron of extra skin (pannus), which dangles below your belly button (navel).
Escutcheonectomy: In an escutcheonectomy, a surgeon removes the fat pad over your pubic area.
Skin grafts: Skin grafts cover portions of your penis where skin coverage is absent.
Circumcision revision: A circumcision may lead to the penis returning to its normal position in the fatty tissue surrounding it. Circumcision revision can correct this.

The buried penis usually does not require treatment. Surgery is only necessary when there are health concerns involved.

How long will it take for me to recover?

This would depend on the type of treatment involved. In most cases, recovery is quick and two or three weeks.

It will depend on the kind of treatment that you have taken. Your doctor can better explain the foregoing to you.

Can a buried penis be prevented?

There is no known method to prevent a buried penis that's present at birth. Most babies don't need treatment. If a doctor identifies a buried penis when a baby is born, you may want to postpone circumcision. A pediatric urologist might have to perform the procedure as well.

To help avoid getting a form of buried penis in adulthood, maintain a weight that is healthy for you. This can involve:

Be physically active: In general, you should try to take at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity each week-about 30 minutes of exercise, five days a week, two strength training sessions. Aerobic activity may include walking, jogging, bicycling or dancing. Weight-training activities may include free weights, weight machines, resistance bands, or bodyweight exercises, such as pushups.
Eating plan: Eat a heart-healthy diet loaded with fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and low- or nonfat dairy products. Cut back on alcohol and sweets.
Manage your stress: Regular physical activity helps reduce stress. You can also benefit from talking about your feelings to trusted friends or family members, writing in a journal, and practicing yoga, meditation, or deep breathing exercises.
Getting healthy sleep: Generally, adults 18 years and older should get seven to nine hours of sleep per night.

Talk to a healthcare professional or registered dietitian about safely embracing or maintaining an active lifestyle.

What can I expect if I have buried penis?

The prognosis for a buried penis, should the condition be treated appropriately, is good. For infants and children, the surgery is very successful. Healing usually takes several weeks, and buried penis symptoms should not recur. If you have an adult-acquired buried penis, maintaining a healthy weight for you post-treatment is also important.

How soon should I seek out a healthcare provider?

They should speak with their healthcare provider if they have a buried penis, particularly if this is limiting them to not be comfortably able to pee or creates cleanliness and hygiene problems that impact drying of the area, and that leads to a UTI or impacts sexual functioning.

Why Choose Tender Palm Super Speciality Hospital for Buried Penis in Children treatment in Lucknow, India?

Tender Palm Super-Speciality Hospital has the most trusted team of Pediatric Urologists with advanced diagnostic equipment and child-friendly care for Pediatric Buried Penis treatment in Lucknow, India. Our Pediatric Urology department follows international safety standards and has years of experience in successfully managing children's Urological diseases.