Q. My boyfriend is having problems with his penis. He can get an erection but his foreskin is tight and so sex is very painful for him. When we have tried to make love the skin rips and bleeds and so of course recently our sex life has been non-existent. He has been to the doctors about this but he claims she was dismissive and suggested rubbing Vaseline into it day and night.

There has been no improvement and to be honest I can't help but think it could be something serious. Are there any suggestions that you have for what this could be or what has caused it? Most importantly what can we do to fix it! Please help

The Lovers' Guide replies:

Don’t worry, this doesn’t sound serious. In fact it’s quite a common problem. Vaseline can help minor cases which is why your boyfriend’s doctor suggested this in the first instance but unfortunately if he is getting recurrent tears then the scarring that results can make the problem worse.

Your boyfriend He should go back to his doctor who will probably arrange a referral to a surgeon. Depending on the degree of tightness, there are a number of options from stretching the foreskin, to making a small cut called a dorsal slit, or a circumcision. The specialist will be able to advise on which is the best for him.