lymphatic fluid lumps/inflammation at 5 weeks?

[Trystem]

Hey guys. I’m five weeks post circumcision and everything has progressed pretty smoothly (healing nicely, back on my mountain bike after a week etc).

4 days ago I started to get some mild discomfort around the scar on one side that has got progressively more uncomfortable and I was worried about infection. This morning I have a red inflammation around the rest if the scar line and lumps have started to form where the discomfort is. I’m now leaning towards lymphatic fluid trying to find its way through the healing scar. My urologist said things would be pretty lumpy as the lymphatic fluid tried to find a new path, but I’ve not had any of that before now (apart from the frenulum area, which is well and truely on the way down).

Has anyone else experienced this sort of situation (lumps that weren’t there early coming in a few weeks later)? Are there any recommendations for easing these symptoms?

[Devon-uk]

hey Trysem. I think it's all pretty normal. If you feel ok (no fever) and there's no smell with it then it's not infected and it is as your urologist says. You can also get stitch reactions. My urologist said daily dipping in salt water and use some antiseptic cream on the affected area.

[Yogs1]

For me, only at the Frenulum area and slightly below it on the cut line, I have little lumps. I am told this is “suture line oedema” and nothing to worry about. I am at 4 weeks and just going with it. Will review again at 6 weeks as the general healing time banded about is 4-6 weeks. Must say I am frustrated with this bit as its been the same throughout and feel the discomfort.

[Arclight1979 in reply to Yogs1]

The frenulum is always mentioned as the place that swelling remains for a long while. Healing takes around 6-8 weeks, while the full aesthetic heal can take up to a year or so. I've painfully learned that this is all about time and waiting. By 6 months we'll be laughing and loving our new willies.

[Yogs1 in reply to Arclight1979]

Thanks for the reassuring words, you just don’t quite know whats going well or not. Is there anything I can do to help the healing along? Is bio oil good or bad for healing at 4 weeks? I have started to have baths as well now, I find the soaking soothes and maybe is softening the frenulum area. Again not sure if this is the right thing to do.

[Arclight1979 in reply to Yogs1]

Completely understand where you're coming from, so many times I've second guessed things and assumed it was going bad and then it all looked normal again a couple days later.

Easy ones are try not to fiddle with it too much, some guys here recommend salt water swilling (I haven't done that), if in doubt use Vaseline (it's my go-to for everything), no masturbating until the stitches fall out and even then not until 6-8 weeks, don't go into underwear too quickly and when you do try tight briefs. I started using coconut oil around the 6-week mark to massage the scarline and it has eased up a lot, but you have to wait until the scar has healed on the outside (same for Bio Oil). Just a note on Bio Oil, it is perfumed, so don't use it until you're healed on the outside, it's why I use organic virgin coconut oil - it's 100% natural with no perfume.

Other than that, do what you think is right and don't do anything until you feel ready to. Keep clean and air it out as much as you can. I'm still following all this advice - from my doc and people on this forum.

[Arclight1979]

Agree with Devon-uk's comment. Sounds pretty normal, especially if you're getting physical on your bike again - could just be rubbing against your underwear, your skin has to get used to new sensations. I'm 9 weeks healed now and I've still got swelling and a couple of lumps and bumps, but it's all settling as the weeks pass - some of it is just the shaft skin rubbing on itself below the scar line. I also had some stitch reactions on the right-hand side that went a bit red and scary looking, but have since settled and it's all nice and pink again thanks to Vaseline. As long as there's no smell or discharge it's likely just part of the settling/healing process. Keep an eye on everything and if it gets worse then talk to your doc. You got this.

[Trystem]

Thanks guy. I guess I was surprised that this had arrived after five weeks when everything had been calm for a couple of weeks. I’ve returned to salt water bathing for five minutes each evening and the irritation to the skin surface has reduced. I’m a little nervous as we have a family holiday in Japan in a couple of weeks and infection at this stage would be a disaster. Good to get a little reassurance.