Dear Diane:
The condition to which you refer is undoubtedly Balanitis Xerotica Obliterans, which is a clinically verifiable case of an extremely rare disease. This disease is so rare that scientists are unaware of what causes it. It presents as a hard, white plaque on the skin of the penis. It can cause the normally supple and elastic skin of the penis to become hard and inelastic. There is no mistaking BXO. It is instantly recognized by trained doctors.
BXO, however, is easily cured by steroid creams applied directly to the affected area, carbon dioxide laser treatments, or even antibiotics. Surgical removal of the affected parts is almost never necessary. When surgery is necessary, it is perfectly possible to remove the BXO without resorting to circumcision. This allows the patient to keep a normal looking and fully functional foreskin.
BXO can appear anywhere on the body, but if this disorder affects the foreskin, it may turn the opening of the foreskin white, hardened, fibrous, and make retraction difficult. BXO is usually painless and progresses very slowly. Many times it goes away by itself. A diagnosis must be confirmed by a biopsy.
Just as we would never amputate the labia of females with BXO or the glans of circumcised boys with BXO, it is logical that we should never consieer amputating the foreskin of intact males, without first employing all of the conservative treatments that have proven their efficacy.