Ok, so I'm 19 and have had Phimosis for my entire life. I have suffered with bouts of Balantis from about the age of 15. It comes on every few months or so, stays for a few weeks, then leaves. I've actually found leaving my penis alone, rather than trying hard to wash it everyday etc gets it to go away faster. Although when it does go away, I try my hardest to keep it clean in the hope that it won't return. But obviously washing is a lot more difficult as I can't fully retract my foreskin, even when Flaccid.

I found this website a month ago, and decided to give stretching a proper shot. I haven't been doing it as much as I should, but even without doing it as much as I should I have seen a pretty fast improvement. I still cannot retract, but I'm getting really close. Unfortunately my progress has been wiped away over the last week though. My balantis has returned and it's as bad as it always is. This means I cannot stretch as my foreskin and glans are very sore to touch. On top of that, I cannot stretch my foreskin at all anyway. It seems to have tightened all over again. I'm hoping this is temporary and that when my Balantis goes away again the result I was getting before it came along will remain intact.

Does anyone have any advice on what I can do? Anything that can get Balantis to go away?

I really need this problem to leave, before I can tackle the big problem which is my tight foreskin.

P.S, I really do not want to see a doctor as I know they will tell me to get a circumcision and I will probably fold under the pressure. But if it is the only way then I guess I'll have too.

That's the name of yeast which generally causese the problem. Guess what one of the causes is? Amazingly, you told us the answer already. Washing inside your foreskin is the number one cause! This is especially true if you use soap. The reason is that soap washes away the beneficial bacteria which prevent infection. When they are washed away, the bad guys come in to take up residence. They can be in the form of other bacteria, viruses, or yeast.

Try using an over-the-counter yeast control agent. There are several good brands available, and most will give good results. Even Athlete's Foot medicine will work as it has the same active ingredient (this will vary from brand to brand). I suggest rinsing with plain water, drying no more than once a day, and applying the medicine twice a day. If you can't retract, squeeze some inside and roll your foreskin around to distribute it. You should find relief in a couple of days, but keep applying for at least two weeks.

Tell me what you are doing when you stretch. Some methods are much more effective than others.

Quite so - what is referred to as "balanitis" is almost always caused by soap, yeast (Candida; "Thrush") or a combination of both.

Circumcision? "The only way"? Sheesh! What do the doctors advise then for women (or girls) when they get this problem as the most frequently do? Circumcision? Well it probably would (excision of the labia) substantially reduce the problem - so why is it they do not advise it? Oh I know, because they are women! If you can tell me why that makes sense, I will be impressed.

Tell you what, if it isn't entirely obvious that it is Candida (terrible itch, white "cottage cheese" discharge), I would recommend Zinc and Castor oil (must be unscented with no other additives, commonly used as "nappy" or "diaper" cream) as a nice soothing and only very mildly antiseptic preparation to protect the skin as well as knock back whatever is the culprit.

Ahh, you misunderstood me, what I meant was, if going to the doctor is the only way, then I'll have too, not circumcision. But I will take the advice both of you have given me.

To answer the question above, the stretching I have been doing is pulling it back so that it is uncomfortable, but not painful. And also attempting to insert my fingers, and stretching that way, although that can be difficult, it more often than not ends up being more of a pinch and pull.

Thanks for your replies though!

Stretch with your fingers.