Photo of a kid and a doctor in a circumcision clinic in Montreal
February 7, 2023

What Helps a Child Heal Faster After Circumcision?

The number of parents considering circumcision for their infant boys continues to grow, as does the interest in postoperative care required for proper healing. Taking your baby to a circumcision clinic in Montreal will not be completely successful if you don’t know how to help your baby heal correctly after the procedure.

With the wrong care, you will expose the child to a myriad of risks, including excessive bleeding, poor drying of the cut area, prolonged healing, and tremendous pain for the child. As a parent, therefore, it pays to know what you need to do to help your child heal properly and quickly after getting circumcised. Read below to learn about the specific steps you need to take to achieve this.

Properly take the medicines prescribed by the doctor

There is always a chance that the doctor is going to prescribe you some pain medication to help the boy cope with the pain after the procedure. It is important to use these drugs exactly as instructed if you want your boy to heal quickly and properly.

Ensure that your child takes the drugs as instructed by the doctor, and be on the lookout for any problems that might arise afterwards. If the child was on medication prior to the procedure, ask your doctor about the best time to resume the medication, or if it is necessary to stop taking medication during this period.

It is likely that the boy will be in a lot of pain for a few hours after the procedure, but it is important that you not give him more pain medication than is necessary unless you have been instructed by the doctor to do so.

Also, it is possible that your doctor may prescribe some antibiotics to handle any infections that may affect the wound. If this is the case, ensure that the boy takes the antibiotics just as prescribed by the doctor and if there is no infection or if the boy has healed completely.

Proper care for the wound

In addition to following the doctor’s instructions on taking the medication, proper care for the wound is crucial for quick and proper healing.

Usually, the surgeon conducting the child circumcision will give general guidance on what you need to do to properly tend to the wound.

The good news is that taking care of the wound after the procedure is relatively easy and you won’t need the services of a home nurse to accomplish this. As far as wound care is concerned, always observe the following:

  • Start by thoroughly washing your hands before you handle the incision area. This is to avoid any transfer of germs that may lead to infections in the incision area.
  • Be sure to wash the incision area every day. Normally, you can just use clean water and a soft cloth to pat dry the area.
  • Avoid using alcohol or hydrogen peroxide since these may not only make the area more painful but could also prolong the healing process.
  • It is okay to cover the area with a thin layer of petroleum jelly such as Vaseline, as well as a gauze bandage. Be sure to change the bandage every day or as instructed by the doctor during the circumcision at the circumcision Montreal clinic.
  • Ensure that the incision area is clean and dry at all times.

If, however, you notice any of the following issues after coming from the hospital or when caring for the wound, be sure to get in touch with your doctor immediately:

  • Persistent bleeding
  • A lot of blood deposited on the diapers
  • Redness in the incision area after seven days
  • Persistent fevers
  • Discharges, swellings, or pus-filled blisters that could be an indication of an infection
  • Difficulty in urinating within 12 hours of the procedure

Diet for the healing the process

Nutrition is another factor worth considering to aid in the healing of the wound after circumcision. Doctors who perform child circumcision will not be able to guide you in setting up a proper diet to help the child fight any opportunistic infections that may occur.

Most importantly, the child should be well-hydrated after the procedure. They need to drink plenty of water so that they don’t get dehydrated. Some of the other preferred fluids include flavored ice pops and apple juice.

You also need to increase the child’s fruit intake so that they can get all the vitamins they need to boost their immunity and reduce the chances of suffering from infections.

Preferred activities for proper healing

Some children will forget that they have been circumcised and will want to resume play almost immediately. This may cause them a lot of pain and also prolong the healing process. It is recommended that you let the child rest in bed for at least three days or until the pain has substantially subsided.

They should also avoid intense exercise such as running, cycling, or playing sports since this will cause a lot of movement in the groin area, leading to more pain and delayed healing.

Watch out for the possibility of a re-circumcision

There are instances when after circumcision, there is extra skin from the penis that attaches itself to the head of the penis. This usually happens when there was too much skin left behind during the initial circumcision.

This extra skin may end up being uneven, causing the boy discomfort, and sometimes pain. The remedy for this is a re-circumcision which aims to remove the extra skin. As a parent, be careful to watch out for such instances.

The good news, however, is that the correction is a very minor procedure and you won’t need to stay long at the hospital.