u/FyourCrouch

I have severe LS that 16 different urologists and dermatologists didn't diagnose correctly in the past 9 months and the disease got to do a lot of damage. At this point my only option is getting circumcised. Here are some questions I have:

1. I saw a well known top surgeon who told me I would only get to keep 6mm of my inner foreskin. Apparently it would be possible to keep more but he said the risk for lymphedema (donut swelling) increases if you leave much more than that. Most of the adult circumcision after-procedure pics I've seen have way more inner foreskin left so I wonder why I only get to keep so little. Apparently it's mostly about the lymphedema risk and not LS. I'm super worried that I will not have enough inner foreskin left to be able to enjoy sex. I wonder if asking for 7mm for example would make any difference in sexual sensation or the lymphedema risk.

2. My surgeon said that during the circumcision he will do a frenuloplasty where the frenulum is cut and then stitched back so it won't be the same as it was. When I asked him about the possibility of preserving my frenulum he told me that there is an option where I get to keep it but the result would be very ugly aesthetically since he would have to make a different type of cut. So I have to choose between losing sexual sensation and aesthetics? I've seen many cut guys still have their frenulum and they're not ugly. Does this mean that those guys have had the frenuloplasty procedure done? I'm very confused since I always thought it's possible to keep your frenulum. I'm super scared about losing too much sensation.

3. Should I request a written agreement confirming my consent for the surgeon to perform the procedures we have agreed on? Like leaving 6mm of inner foreskin and doing frenuloplasty instead of frenulectomy etc. I've heard horror stories about surgeons doing something completely different than they were supposed to do.

4. I'm a restless sleeper and I touch my dick in my sleep a lot. Do you have any tips for me to prevent me from hurting myself at night?

5. I'm a grower and I get lots of nightly erections. I'm worried that the stitches will rip. Is there some kind of medication that would make the erections stop for the first few days at least?

I've made several posts here and on other subs about my situation. Basically my foreskin started to have inflammatory problems at age 36 and it started getting tighter because of the scarring. I saw 16 doctors in 9 months and was misdiagnosed. This week I traveled to London to see some of the best doctors and got diagnosed for Lichen sclerosus. Dr. George Kravvas told me it's a clear case and he apologized that I had to go through all this and that he feels frustrated with the doctors.

If I got the diagnosis earlier it would've been possible to treat the symptoms without surgery but now the disease has gone so far that steroid creams most likely won't be able to help me enough. I was really stupid too and went to see the a doctor way too late when I'd already had milder symptoms for way too long. I didn't realize it could get this bad.

Three top doctors on their field told me that circumcision is my best and safest option to stop the disease from spreading and avoid even worse symptoms and reduce cancer risk. They told me I could try how well Dermovate steroid ointment will work and that I should use it anyway to reduce inflammation before surgery if that's what I want to do. I've used it for a few days now and it did get rid of the redness but I'm super scared of the side effects since I already experienced permanent burning sensation after quitting Betamethasone 2,5 months ago.

They will have to do a circumcision where they only leave 6mm of inner foreskin (could leave a bit more but it would apparently be a risk for lymphedema). They will also do a frenuloplasty where they cut my frenulum and stitch it back so it will not be a real frenulum anymore but rather the remains of my frenulum. They said that there's a option to keep the frenulum intact but that it would look very ugly because of the technique they'd have to use.

I'm absolutely devastated about this and feel like I will never be able to forgive myself. I'm so afraid about the circumcision destroying my sex life that I've lost my ability to function normally. Lately I've had to take a benzodiazepine a few times to be able to do normal day to day stuff like cook food. I love sex more than anything and it has given me so much joy, energy and motivation in life. It's like fuel to me. If my ability to enjoy sex gets ruined by circumcision I know I'll never be able to be happy again. I have already had a rough life and had to give up so many ultra important things that I can't cope with losing this one.

Thank you to everyone who has reached out to me and tried to help, I appreciate all of you.

If you start noticing any recurring redness in your genitals or you start getting phimosis as an adult, please go see a doctor as soon as possible. Don't be like me and wait for too long. And if you can afford it, go see a real top specialist no matter the cost. It's worth it not ruining your life. I would give anything to undo this mistake that cost me my physical and mental health and possibly my family in the near future as well.

I traveled abroad to see a top dermatologist and a top urologist and finally got diagnosed for Lichen Sclerosus after seeing 16 doctors in the past 8-9 months. I will need to get a radical circumcision where they leave only 6mm of inner foreskin left.

Apparently they will also have to do a frenuloplasty where the frenulum will be cut and stitched back to the same place but it will not function like a normal frenulum anymore and sensation will be lost. Apparently there would be another option to keep the frenulum intact but the doctor said it would look ugly because of the technique they would need to cut around the frenulum area. It was called "frenulo-preserving surgery" or something.

When I've tried rubbing my exposed glans using moisturizer it doesn't feel good at all. There's nothing sexual about it. But when doing the same with my foreskin over my glans I instantly feel this sexual tingling. I've always had a pretty long foreskin that covers my glans even while I'm erect and it would only move like 1/3 or so down the glans while habing sex. I would very rarely have sex with my foreskin completely retracted because I never really cared for the feeling.

I'm afraid losing two most sensitive parts of my penis might mean that I will lose the ability to have satisfying sex ever again. I don't know if this is true but that's how I'm imagining it. If all the nerve endings that are important for my personal sexual pleasure are removed then it's hard to see any other outcome. I'm absolutely mentally destroyed. I've been sitting in the lobby of the clinic after the latest appointment for 1,5 hours completely frozen and feeling like my life just ended at age 38. Just wanted to vent and perhaps reach someone who has had a similar experience.

I traveled abroad to see a top dermatologist and a top urologist and finally got diagnosed for Lichen Sclerosus after seeing 16 doctors in the past 8-9 months. I will need to get a radical circumcision where they leave only 6mm of inner foreskin left.

Apparently they will also have to do a frenuloplasty where the frenulum will be cut and stitched back to the same place but it will not function like a normal frenulum anymore and sensation will be lost. Apparently there would be another option to keep the frenulum intact but the doctor said it would look ugly because of the technique they would need to cut around the frenulum area. It was called "frenulo-preserving surgery" or something.

When I've tried rubbing my exposed glans using moisturizer it doesn't feel good at all. There's nothing sexual about it. But when doing the same with my foreskin over my glans I instantly feel this sexual tingling. I've always had a pretty long foreskin that covers my glans even while I'm erect and it would only move like 1/3 or so down the glans while habing sex. I would very rarely have sex with my foreskin completely retracted because I never really cared for the feeling.

I'm afraid this might mean that I will lose the ability to have satisfying sex ever again. I don't know if this is true but that's how I'm imagining it. If all the nerve endings that are important for my personal sexual pleasure are removed then it's hard to see any other outcome. I'm absolutely mentally destroyed. I've been sitting in the lobby of the clinic after the latest appointment for an hour completely frozen and feeling like my life just ended at age 38. Just wanted to vent and perhaps reach someone who has had a similar experience.

It took me over 8 months, 17 doctors and a flight to the UK to see one of the supposed top specialists Dr. George Kravvas to get an actual diagnosis. Dr. Kravvas told me this is LS with 99,9% certainty. I don't have severe scarring or white patches so that's why it was apparently harder to diagnose.

Dr. Kravvas told me that circumcision would be my best option and that it would stop the disease and I would be able to have a normal sex life again. The other option is to use Dermovate ointment and see if it helps enough. He adviced me to start using Dermovate ointment regardless while I'm waiting for an appointment with a surgeon.

I had bad reactions to steroid CREAMS before. 3 years ago I used one week of Locoid 0,1% and got balanitis/balanoposthitis from it, possibly secondary infection. Then about 3 months ago I used betamethasone 0,1% for my foreskin only for 4 weeks and I think it made my foreskin weaker and more prone to microtears. Before using betamethasone my foreskin was painless most of the time. After I quit the cream I've had burning pain sensations that come and go every day. They're not very strong but still bother me a lot. Also my foreskin/glans became so sensitive that even getting an erection causes a burning sensation.

Before using betamethasone the color of my foreskin and irritation level would change a lot, it would be better sometimes. But after I quit betamethasone, it was permanently more red than before and had a more clear outline. My foreskin also got way tighter and drier than ever before. After about 6 weeks being off the cream I started using protopic and cicaplast gel, and pretty much at the same time my foreskin started to be less tight and the worst redness and the clear outline faded noticeably.

Dr. Kravvas told me that Dermovate is 10x more potent than betamethasone and that I would have to trust him. He also told me to put a THICK layer of it EVERYWHERE including glans. Usually only a thin layer is advised and the prescription tag on my Dermovate packaging says the same. I'm super scared to start using it and I'm worried I won't tolerate it. I just put it on an hour ago for the first time and I'm anxious.

Does anyone have any experience of a similar situation?

I suffer from adult-onset phimosis. It's a very complex inflammatory vicious cycle where there are multiple factors in play. Despite seeing 15 doctors in my small home country, they haven't been able to tell me what the cause of the inflammation is. London Adult Circumcision clinic suggested me to book a video consultation but I don't understand how the doctor could examine my foreskin well enough? Wouldn't the doctor have to examine the foreskin with a microscope to see if the inflammation has caused too much damage etc.? There are also lots of small details that I would need to show him and I think it's hard to do via video call.

Hello, I heard about this guy who was told by doctors that his only option was circumcision but he built his own device and cured his phimosis. If you know how to contact this guy please pm me, I'm desperate.

I'm turnin 38 soon and I had a perfectly healthy and well functioning foreskin until 36 years old. I was 100% happy with my penis and the perfect sensations during sex and masturbation. Recently I've been battling with acquired phimosis that is caused by chronic inflammation and the phimosis keeps getting tighter and causing more and more issues. I haven't been able to have sex in 4,5 months. I've seen 16 doctors and even traveled abroad to see one.

It seems like the most likely outcome for me is having to get circumcised and it's causing me such massive stress and anxiousness that my whole life is a mess and I'm close to losing my family. I've read so much bad experiences from people who have been circumcised that I'm afraid to death to go through the operation.

The stakes are ultra high here because if the operation ruins my penis and I can't enjoy sex anymore, I will lose everything. Sex is the most important thing to me right after breathing and the thought of ruining that part of my life is absolutely devastating. It would also destroy my family (wife to be and 2 yo son) because my spouse can't live without sex either. I've already dealt with so many massive life changing losses previously that this would be the last nail in the coffin.

The mental turmoil has now reached a point where I'm noticing a big chance in myself. The stress is turning into depression. Over the past couple of days, I’ve noticed that I’ve been staring blankly into space with a glazed look in my eyes, feeling completely apathetic and lost in my own world. My partner has noticed this as well.

I wonder if any of you have been scared to death about the operation like me but then everything turned out alright long term?

I'm turnin 38 soon and I had a perfectly healthy and well functioning foreskin until 36 years old. I was 100% happy with my penis and the perfect sensations during sex and masturbation. Recently I've been battling with acquired phimosis that is caused by chronic inflammation and the phimosis keeps getting tighter and causing more and more issues. I haven't been able to have sex in 4,5 months. I've seen 16 doctors and even traveled abroad to see one but nothing seems to help.

It seems like the most likely outcome for me is having to get circumcised and it's causing me such massive stress and anxiousness that my whole life is a mess and I'm close to losing my family. I've read so much bad experiences from people who have been circumcised that I'm afraid to death to go through the operation.

The stakes are ultra high here because if the operation ruins my penis and I can't enjoy sex anymore, I will lose everything. Sex is the most important thing to me right after breathing and the thought of ruining that part of my life is absolutely devastating. It would also destroy my family (wife to be and 2 yo son) because my spouse can't live without sex either. I've already dealt with so many massive life changing losses previously that this would be the last nail in the coffin.

The mental turmoil has now reached a point where I'm noticing a big chance in myself. The stress is turning into depression. Over the past couple of days, I’ve noticed that I’ve been staring blankly into space with a glazed look in my eyes, feeling completely apathetic and lost in my own world. My partner has noticed this as well.

I wonder if any of you have been scared to death about the operation like me but then everything turned out alright long term?