Zipper Injury: How to Care for Your Child

Zipper injuries usually heal quickly and do not cause lasting harm to the penis.

Sometimes the skin of the penis gets caught in a zipper. This most often happens when a boy is zipping his fly up or down. Zipper injuries can happen in circumcised and uncircumcised boys.

The health care provider was able to open the zipper and free your son's skin. Mineral oil or liquid soap may have been used to loosen the zipper's teeth. A numbing medicine may have been used to ease pain of the trapped skin. A sedative medication may have been given to decrease anxiety and make your son comfortable during the procedure.
 
After the procedure, the wound was rinsed thoroughly with water or saline (saltwater) to help clean out bacteria. Your health care provider may have given you an antibiotic ointment for your son. If needed, the health care provider might have given your son a tetanus shot.

Your son may have small cuts, bruising, or swelling. He also might have pain for a day or two when urinating (peeing). You can take steps at home to make him more comfortable.

• Follow your health care provider's instructions for covering and cleaning the wound.

• If you were given an antibiotic skin ointment, apply it or make sure your son applies it as instructed.

• You may give acetaminophen OR ibuprofen for pain, if recommended by your health care provider.

• If your son won't pee because it's painful, let him pee while sitting in a tub of warm water. This helps reduce discomfort.

• If the wound is bleeding, apply gentle pressure with a clean cloth for 10 minutes.

• The health care provider may refer your son to a urologist (a doctor who specializes in the male reproductive and urinary system) for follow-up. Make any appointments as directed.

• Pain does not improve in 1–2 days or gets worse.

• The wound has bleeding that does not stop with pressure.

• Your son has a fever.

Your son:

• Is unable to urinate.

• Has blood in the urine.

• Has signs of infection around the wound, such as redness, swelling, or draining pus.