Circumsision?

Question

My son is due to be circumsised next month. What can I expect? Will he be in a lot of pain and how long will it take to heal? He is 6.5 years.

I did not choose to have him circumsised but it needs to be done for medical reasons (not religion!). It was not my wish but since he is having trouble urinating and keeping it clean, I guess it is better he is operated now than later.

Answer 1

Have you researched circumcision? It isn't the best idea unless there is a medical need. It is not medically necessary to circumcise for the following:

1. Hygiene (unless the child is not cleaning and is recurrent with infections)
2. Cessation of masturbation
3. Religious Reasons
4. Decrease Cancer (no research satisfies this)
5. Vanity

If, however, his prepuce is abnormal and causes a problem, then maybe look in to it.

If you were born with it, it had a purpose. Why is it that we remove things so commonly these days?! Also keep in mind that female circumcision is seen as barbaric in the US even though it's common practice elsewhere. What is the difference really?

And the psychological effects of having this procedure done at this age can be very traumatic. Resentment and other horrible mental side effects can come from this and they might not surface until adulthood.

Answer 2

It sucks that it's gotten to that point for him, but it happens in some rare cases. The first few days will probably be painful for him, and urinating won't be pleasant. But he's young, so he should heal in about two weeks or so; however, his glans (penis head) will be irritated and probably uncomfortable for up to a month or more; then it'll begin to desensitize until it's at least bearable.

If possible, I'd like to convince you to postpone circumcision just a few more weeks until you try a few more things. At his age, his foreskin doesn't need to be retracted to clean underneath, and some males can't retract their foreskins till almost the end of puberty (it's normal but very uncommon). Just wash the outside of his penis like any part of the body. His foreskin could also be irritated by strong/scented soaps or certain chemicals/detergents. See if this is the case. Refer to the 1st link for more details.

Obviously, if you've tried all the above and nothing's working, then surgical intervention is indeed probably necessary. You should know that there are other surgical options other than a full circumcision. These procedures are less invasive and remove less of the foreskin, so he'll probably be able to keep most of it and relieve all his problems at the same time. Also, recovery time might be quicker and it might be less painful for him (see 2nd link).

Now, if you're still intent on a full circumcision, know that it will decrease the sensitivity of his penis (see 3rd link). In addition, there are varying degrees of circumcision and it's best to have it cleared with the doctor performing it exactly how it's going to be done and, if you disagree, how you'd rather it be done. See the 4th link for more details.

If I were you, I'd talk to the doctor about non-circumcision surgical procedures (as referred to in the 2nd link). I personally think that's the best option.

Answer 3

You didn't ask for a sermon, a lecture or anyone's personal opinion. And, as your son is 6 and hardly a baby, I'm not sure why someone gave you infant information.

Your son will be anesthetized and will feel nothing during the circumcision. The specific type of anesthesia to be used is something you'll have to discuss with his surgeon. He will be sore afterward but will be prescribed pain medication. Once he's home, he'll be sore and may feel tired for a few days but should be up and around in 24 hours. Most of his discomfort can be controlled with his pain medication.

In the first postop week, his penis is likely to be swollen, bruised and uncomfortable. It may hurt to urinate. An ice pack or a bag of frozen peas can be used to reduce swelling and alleviate discomfort. Keeping the penis clean with soap and water is extremely important. Loose underwear should be worn for the first two weeks. He should be able to resume his normal activities in a few days but follow your surgeon's advice. He should be fully recovered in two weeks. The scars will be thickened for the first couple of months but shouldn't be too uncomfortable.

You'll be given cautions in writing - when to call the doctor. You really should be addressing these questions to his doctor to get the most reliable information.

Answer 4

My personal opinion is if its not done at birth, it shouldn't be done unless he specifically asks. There is nothing wrong with having foreskin(unless there is something medically wrong). Just make sure he cleans under his foreskin every day. Anyways WebMD says this:


During recovery after surgery, it is common for:


* The baby to have pain while urinating. It is often painful when healing skin comes in contact with urine and stool. This pain usually fades within 3 or 4 days but may persist for up to 2 weeks. Keep in mind that even though your baby's penis will usually start feeling better after 3 days, it may look worse. The penis will usually look like it's getting better at around 7 to 10 days after the procedure.
* The baby to be irritable. Your baby may not sleep as well and may seem fussy while the circumcision site heals.
* A thin yellow film to form over the circumcision site the day after surgery. This is part of the normal healing process and should disappear in a few days.

Answer 5

Things he can expect:
http://forums.govteen.com/showpost.php?p=3069995&postcount=2

I also encourage you read:
http://www.mothering.com/articles/new_baby/circumcision/protect-uncircson.html

It takes about a week or two to heel. The procedure itself isn't painful (because unlike newborns, they use pain control) but the healing may be uncomfortable.

Why is he having trouble urinating? If it sprays, tell him to slide it back when peeing. As for hygiene, it shouldn't be that difficult to get a boy his age to rub the head of his penis; it feels good, haha.

Does he have a tight foreskin? If so, consider getting this cream for him (you may have to ask different doctors); it's a lot safer and pain free.
http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S1677-55382005000400012&script=sci_arttext

It's: 0.05% betamethasone

I personally had a tight foreskin but once I got it loose (phimosis is common the younger they are, with newborns almost 100% being unable to slide it back, but by puberty it usually slides back in almost all guys) I've never had any problems since. =)

If it looks tight, you should look for that cream, it works in 95% of cases when applied for like a month. If it doesn't look tight and just doesn't slide back (normal with younger children) tell him to slide it back each time he showers, and it will improve gradually (it's natural stuff that holds the foreskin to the head).

Answer 6

He will suffer pain and bruising and swelling for quite a while. He is also likely to suffer psychological damage unless this is absolutely necessary; that is if he has had repeated painful infections or something like that. If a doctor has just said that he can't retract his foreskin so he needs to be circumcised don't believe it. A non-retractable foreskin at six is well within normal parameters. Get a second opinion from a foreskin-friendly doctor or just leave him alone and teach him to gently stretch it, with no pressure. Nocirc offers referrals to such doctors in the USA. See my stretching instructions for more information too and have a look at the Mothering Magazine article about doctor pressure to circumcise boys for spurious reasons.

Answer 7

why are you cutting off part of him ..is it medical or are just mutilating him..are you going to get circumcised..come now ..joy him..whats good for the goose is good for the gander...he will remember it for ever and I hope it doesn't have any long time effects on him , this might be the thing he ends up hating for..may be not today but when he needs to use it for sex ..it might hurt..scares don't All ways heal properly..if it any medical maybe you should let him decide its his body after all...his nerve ending..his penis..his life..

Answer 8

"god" gave us a lot of things we don't necessarily need or even use. So just because we have a foreskin doesn't mean anything. I'm glad I was circumcised and had my son done. Cleaner and easier to manage later in life. Plus most women prefer it.

Answer 9

Please get a second opinion. A lot of doctors recommend circumcision when there are actually other good alternatives because it is easy for them (not their penis that's being cut) or profitable. Or they are circumcised themselves so don't really understand the importance of foreskin to a healthy boyhood/manhood.

I'm not saying don't do it, as I don't know all the details. Just, please, please, ask another doctor (not Jewish or Muslim, as they are likely to be pro-circ) for a second opinion before you permanently change your son's body. It WILL be painful, and the psychological consequences could be severe.

Answer 10

I strongly recommend you DO NOT proceed.
At 6.5yrs he has no idea of why God gave him a foreskin.
At 6.5yrs he is not ready to see and ugly red scar on his penis.
I do not believe your should encourage him to mutilate his penis.
Man has had a foreskin for 10s of thousands of years but only recently decided to cut it off.
This is true of all male animals .
Dr Rob points out the statics NO longer support the concept and neither does common sense.
www.norm.org
PS: You will be spending your money or the insurance Co's to pay for a unnecessary surgery.