I'm 23 years old and live in the United States. I've only recently started pulling the foreskin back so it's naturally very tight. I don't have any health care or money to pay for it so seeing a doctor isn't something I can afford to do very often. When I pull the foreskin back to wash it I work on stretching it and getting used to touching the exposed glands and keeping it clean but I notice it's red/purple looking especially after I ejaculate. I think it could be balanitis. When I have sex I tuck the tip of my foreskin underneath my penis in a condom. So my question is should I be having sex? And is it okay if I wait until after the soreness goes down to clean my penis after I ejaculate?

The sensitivity after an orgasm is to be expected. Even circumcised men can't tolerate any touching of the glans at the time. The purple color is just the blood inside which pumps it up.

Do you mean by tucking the foreskin underneath that you retract it and use the condom to keep it retracted? There is no problem in doing that. Cleaning can wait until you're comfortable.

Do you have much resistance in retracting when erect?

Well now, firstly you have not indicated any condition for which you might need to see a doctor.

Secondly, you say you have only recently started pulling the foreskin back, so I have to ask - have you been having sex - with the condom - before you started on the retraction? If so, I cannot see that there would be anything different between the experience of intercourse - or masturbation - before and afterwards, so why would you imagine that you could have developed "balanitis" simply because your newly-discovered glans is red or purple depending on conditions?

Has it occurred to you that many body parts do tend to go red (increased blood flow) when vigorously rubbed? Or go a little purplish in the cold? What is true is that your glans is (by design,) a little delicate and quite sensitive - that is how it should be. I also have - as always - to challenge why you imagine it needs "cleaning". Do you think the young lady with whom you have intercourse needs to clean the inside of her vagina where your glans contacts? I certainly hope not!

I am most glad you are responsible enough to use a condom every time you have intercourse - and presumably donned before any contact takes place. There is a dual importance here, a "backup" to whatever contraception your young lady is using as I am sure you do not wish to be a father yet (unless I guess wrong and you are married and have that in mind), as well as protection from the very real existence of sexually-transmitted diseases which are in many or most cases invisible/ imperceptible.

My interpretation is that you are indicating that you have a quite long foreskin "overhang" and "tuck" this under inside the condom. If so, it matters little because as soon as you leak some pre-ejaculatory lubricant ("pre-come"), your foreskin will almost certainly "flip" back to its natural position.

Now, should you be having sex? That's strictly a moral question - you may or may not be interested in my personal feelings on that matter. Since there is nothing physically wrong with you, then there is no "medical" reason you should not. Is it okay if you wait until after the soreness goes down to clean your penis after you ejaculate? Well, as Jim has said, most people are in no hurry to "clean" themselves after intercourse but prefer to relax (and most likely, go to sleep).

Again, I wonder why you are so concerned about "cleaning" when presumably, you have been ejaculating regularly for 10 years or more? What were you previously doing?

And ... for goodness' sake don't start using soap on your foreskin or glans area or you will put yourself at genuine risk of balanitis.