To cut or not to cut?

Question

Other than cosmetics and religion, is it appropriate to perform Male Circumcision?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17520298/

Answer 1

Not to cut.

Frankly, all the "benefits" of circumcision (such as being able to stop masturbation, stopping penile cancer, stopping wet dreams, etc) were all later proven false. In addition, in response to the HIV crap, the US is the only rich country that does this surgery, yet we have the highest HIV rate. Suspicious, no? Europe and Japan (which don't cut) and even parts of Latin America have lower HIV rates.
https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2155rank.html

Unlike many Americans think, a foreskin is not necessarily dirty, and it does have benefits (like keeping the head moist (don't need lubricant most times) and keeping the head sensitive). In addition, cleaning shouldn't be a problem; you slide it back, rub the head (feels good by the way) and you're done in 5 or 10 seconds when you shower.

In addition, circumcision does carry quite a bit of risks of complications and negative side effects. I've summarized them here:
http://forums.govteen.com/showpost.php?p=3069995&postcount=2

Here's how the foreskin works and its anatomy:
http://www.cirp.org/pages/anat/
http://www.twbookmark.com/books/70/0446678805/chapter_excerpt15690.html

In addition, circumcision isn't done as common as before. The national average is now about 50/50, and some states its as low as 14% (Nevada). A few decades ago it was almost universal to be cut. The same was true in Canada; their rate of circ is now 9% average nationwide. Not covered anymore.

US Statistics:
http://www.cirp.org/library/statistics/USA/staterates2004/

My preferred source of information is at:
http://www.cirp.org

simply because they back up their claims; they're not sites claiming to say that there's 90% circ rates with nothing to back them up. =)

The other thing is that I'm a moderator at a teenage puberty sites and have met quite a few guys who are disappointed to be circumcised as newborns; they can't do anything about it. On the other hand, an unsatisfied uncut guy can just get snipped, and from some of our members who have had it done, it's not that bad (in terms of discomfort). In addition, there's almost no difference between an erect circ and uncut penis, as the foreskin slides up and down to stimulate the head.

I wouldn't risk anything with my son. He's not a "thing" to be treated in such a way; it's his body. He can choose.

There's very very few reasons for circumcision. If it's phimosis, there's a cream that works about 95% of the time:
http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S1677-55382005000400012&script=sci_arttext&tlng=en

If it's an infection (girls get them too, but I've never had one) it can be treated to, and the guy simply has to wash when he showers (slide it back and rub) which takes like 5 seconds and feels good, since the head is sensitive. Doing that prevents smegma from forming (I've never had any since I started washing after puberty/masturbation)

Answer 2

This is an issue that has been debated for many years. Plenty of men have, and do, live without being circumcised and never have complications. On the other hand, I have seen men, from 16 to in their 30s and 40s who needed to be circumcised because they could no longer retract their foreskin. When that happens there can be many health issues. Painful erections, problems urinating, poor hygiene (because they could not clean their penises properly) resulting in infection, and in extreme cases tissue death due to lack of circulation or infection. You'd think that wouldn't happen, but in the elderly community, it can and does happen often. There is also some evidence that men who are not circumcised can get, or carry STD more easily.

I personally have mixed feelings about the topic. Mostly because I have actually seen circumcisions performed on infants. It is not an easy thing to watch. Of course, although adult males are anesthetized during the procedure, watching them recover isn't easy either.

I can tell you this. I wouldn't want anyone doing that to me! How do you ever know you're making the right judgment call? Let him suffer when he's an infant, or risk future health issues. What if he ends up needing it when he's older, sexually aware (and hopefully active), and likely to remember the incident (in very vivid detail) for the rest of his life. A 50 year old patient, who'd been circumcised at 16, said he could clearly remember how he looked before, as well as his recovery. Definitely not one of his funny stories. A women wrote a response similar in the article you posted. One of the few 'after the fact' posts.

Only my opinion (and I wouldn't try to change the mind of any parent who disagrees). Maybe because I tend to be on the receiving end of people with health problems. If I had an infant son, especially in these times, when HIV/AIDS is so prevalent, I'd let him be circumcised. Although I have no doubt the procedure is painful, it only last moments, and the infants usually calms quickly. I also have to say that I've never encounter a man, who was circumcised at infancy, can said he actually remembers it, or that it effects his current sexual pleasure.

Answer 3

Here are some of the specious reasons given for this sick practice:

Religion: It is an insult to God to say he made a big mistake when he designed men, and we have to correct it for him because we're wiser than he is.

Hygiene: Warm water. Soap maybe. Nothing more needed.

AIDS: Maybe this is a reason to chop men in Africa where AIDS is mostly transmitted by heterosexual intercouse and condoms are a cultural taboo. It's not going to help in the US, where dirty needles and homosexual sex account for almost all AIDS cases. Condoms work much better than circumcision, and they should be teaching those guys in Africa to wear them instead of mutilating their penises.

Girls like it better: Maybe some young girls do, but 90% of women prefer intact men -- just how long are you going to be having sex with 14-year-old girls anyway? http://www.healthcentral.com/drdean/408/60750.html

He needs to look like his father: Sick! Is his father going to be comparing penises with his son? That's probably good enough reason to put the kid in foster care!

The other boys will laugh at him if he's not cut: Guess what, chances are nowadays that the other boys haven't been cut either. And kids can always find some differences to tease other kids; it's part of growing up.

He might have to have it done when he's elderly: Well, in that case he had the use of it for a good long time! We don't remove the breast tissue from baby girls because a lot of them might end up with breast cancer later in life, do we?

American women sometimes go on about what great lovers Frenchmen, Spaniards, or other European men are. Circumcision rates in Europe range from under 2% to about 5%. There is a connection between these two facts. And European women have much lower rates of cervical cancer than American women. Another bogus argument doesn't hold up.

In short, the only reasons to remove the foreskin are ignorance, sadism, and a few VERY rare medical conditions - not phimosis, which can be treated non-sugically.

Answer 4

Other than religion, some people perform circumcision for health reasons. I would rather not. Under normal cases, we will be able to pull our foreskin back fully. Most teen can naturally do it. By pulling it back, we can wash it. This means that performing male circumcision is not the only way to ensure the health of our body.

However, circumcised males have a disadvantage. For males who are uncircumcised, we have a more sensitive penis head as compared to circumcised males which means we would be able to reach a higher level of sexual pleasure during any kind of sex that involve the penis.

Answer 5

To argue for circumcision:
Other than cosmetics and religion, the only concern left is cleanliness. People will of course argue, that any human can be taught to clean themselves, especially in this region. But as children tend to avoid cleaning themselves like the plague as it is, an area that takes extra concern is often ignored. If you are asking for a adult considering it, I wouldn't because you are responsible enough to get it done, if you are asking for a child, then I would have it done to alleviate the concerns involved with cleanliness.

To argue against:
Our bodies are made the way they are for a reason, don't ask me what the reason for that foreskin is, i don't know. But i have always wondered why, if we were born with something, why we remove it. Our genetics decided we need it for a reason. Although it could be something we needed in the past that is no longer needed.

Answer 6

Some men require circumcision because of a faulty foreskin... too tight or whatever and impacts detrimentally on their erection...

Cleaning is not a good reason, IMHO. You don't cut off your ears do you? Yet you have to carefully clean behind them. And it could be easier to clean your butt if your testicles weren't there.

I am an advocate for leaving alone what nature intended to be there.

Answer 7

Circumcision is mainly abundant due to "cleanliness" but as long as you learn healthy habits of cleaning under the foreskin daily, there is not really a difference.

Answer 8

I for a reason have been circumcised since i was born and I really don't have a problem with it and it does help being cut because it helps prevent with sigma and stuff like that.

Answer 9

Circumcision is mutilation of the human body and it serves no purpose whatsoever.

Answer 10

Apart from religion & cosmatics curcumcision prevents deposit of smigma & in long term keep it healthy & prevent cancer of glance.