Foreskin care is important for babies, boys and men. The foreskin is the sheath of skin that covers the head (glans) of the penis. Circumcision is sometimes recommended for older boys and men who have ongoing foreskin problems, such as infection, that don t respond to other forms of treatment. Clean underneath the foreskin. Without regular cleaning, a build-up of a whitish-yellow substance known as ‘smegma’ can occur under the foreskin. Smegma can look like pus to the untrained eye. Chronic infections – for some males, posthitis or balanitis tends to recur. A complication of chronic infections is scar tissue, which could stick the foreskin to the glans and make retraction impossible. Chronic infections of the penis and foreskin also increase the risk of urinary tract infections. Repeated kidney infections can affect kidney function.