are there any benefits in being circumcised?

Answer 1

Not really. A lot of the health benifits people say are not real.

Here is a list of a lot of disadvantages, all aptly sourced:



Circumcision is generally the forced removal (cutting off) of the foreskin of the penis.
Here is a video of the operation peformed on a child. Watch it if you want to learn more.
http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=352478&fr=ybr_sbc
As you can see, the child is absolutely screaming during the process and it is easy to understand why.


The foreskin is the most sensitive part of the penis and therefore very significant during sexual intercourse. Circumcision removes as much as 75% of sensation [ http://www.nocirc.org/touch-test/bju_6685.pdf ].
The foreskin reduces the force required by the penis to enter the vagina. It also increases the sexual enjoyment of the female partner. Here is a study to back this up: http://www.cirp.org/library/anatomy/ohara/
The foreskin keeps the glans soft and moist and protects it from trauma and injury. Without this protection, the glans becomes dry, calloused, and desensitized from exposure and chafing.
Specialized nerve endings in the foreskin enhance sexual pleasure.
The foreskin may have functions not yet recognized or understood.


Performing circumcision on a child can and does result in the deaths of children due to blood loss and/or failure of the immune system.
It can and does result in very significant scaring.
It can and does result in sexual problems later in life.


The idea that it provides better hygeine is flawed and is simply a matter of performing good genital hygeine. The study that you are less succeptible to aids if you are circumcised is flawed. Here is a discussion of the report and its methodology by "Doctors Opposing Circumcision": http://www.doctorsopposingcircumcision.org/info/HIVStatement.html . A condom is still required to prevent transmission of STI's.

Men may often feel a need to justify their own circumcision by the generation of claims of health benefits.[ http://www.cirp.org/library/psych/goldman1/ ]
"The medical literature is full of protective claims for various diseases, such as sexually transmitted disease , male and female cancers, and urinary tract infection. All such claims have been disproved."[ http://www.doctorsopposingcircumcision.org/info/HIVStatement.html ]


Studies about the rate of transmission of aids with respect to both male and female circumcision have been conflicting.
A collection of said studies can be found linked from here:
http://www.mgmbill.org/aids.htm
Furthermore:
"The United States has one of the highest rates of male circumcision and also one of the highest rates of HIV infection in the developed world, suggesting that circumcision is having exactly the opposite effect. Conversely, Finland and Japan have some of the lowest rates of circumcision and also some of the lowest rates of HIV/AIDS."
Condoms have been proven to be an effective means of combatting AIDS.
Are you aware that Stallings study also shows that female circumcision also reduces HIV transmission? [ http://www.ias-2005.org/planner/Abstracts.aspx?AID=3138 ]
Female circumcision type II is the removal of the prepuce, part of the clitoris and the labia. Because of the function of the male foreskin, male circumcision is comparable to type II female circumcision. [ http://www.mgmbill.org/mgm101.pps ]
We do not nor should we circumcise girls.
Do not do it for hygeine issues. It is a trivial task to ensure good genital hygeine.
The vast majority of the world(83%) is not circumcised.
There is no good reason to perform male genital mutilation.

See these sites specifically:
http://www.doctorsopposingcircumcision.org/
http://www.mgmbill.org/
http://www.nocirc.org/
http://www.mothersagainstcirc.org/
http://www.noharmm.org/

Here is a tracking of circumcision news articles which is kept very up to date:
http://www.cirp.org/news/

Have a look at this website:
http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/9712/23/circumcision.anesthetic/

Have a look at these videos:
http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=137650&fr=ybr_sbc
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1736954830543671382&sourceid=searchfeed

Answer 2

It depends, but in the vast majority of cases there aren't any significant benefits of being circumcised. There are, however, many supposed benefits of circumcision - most of which have been easily dispelled.

Circumcision can only really benefit if there's a problem with the foreskin that couldn't be resolved otherwise (particularly severe painful phimosis or recurrent & frequent irritations/infectons). Such cases are rare as there are a large variety of treatments at every stage of the problem that circumcision is usually a last resort.

There's the belief that circumcision makes the penis cleaner and easier to clean. As long as an uncircumcised guy maintains good genital hygiene, the foreskin and penis are not dirtier compared to a circumcised penis. And proper hygiene of the foreskin is very easy unless there's a problem with the foreskin (link 1). So circumcision for hygiene's sake is really overkill, particularly in a modern industrialized society.

There's also the belief that circumcision reduces infections. There's a statistic that says uncircumcised infants have a 1 in 100 chance of getting a UTI whereas circumcised infants have a 1 in 1000 chance; but this only applies to the 1st year of life. Girls generally have somewhere like an 8 in 100 chance. The vast majority of UTIs are easily treatable with antibiotics, especially if caught early. Furthermore, the chance of complications/risks from the circumcision procedure nearly equals the probability of getting a UTI, so there isn't a net benefit. Again, good hygiene helps to minimize/prevent such infections.

And then there's the belief that circumcision reduces the rates of contracting STDs, including HIV. For most STDs there's no statistical difference between circumcised and uncircumcised men. Furthermore, while recent studies seem to show a reduced rate of contracting HIV if the man's circumcised, this benefit is essentially negated with good genital hygiene (link 2). In any case one thing's clear: good genital hygiene + safe sex >>> circumcision.

Lastly, there are some potentially significant disadvantages of circumcision. The foreskin contains many nerve endings that would be removed in a circumcision; these nerve endings may contribute to sexual sensitivity (link 3). Furthermore, several studies have indicated that the foreskin may play a role in the sexual satisfaction/pleasure of both the man and woman (links 4, 5, 6).

In summary, as long as the foreskin's working normally, one practices good genital hygiene, and one practices safe sex, it's usually more beneficial to be uncircumcised; however, in instances where any of these three conditions aren't possible or are compromised, circumcision may have some benefits. See remaining links for more discussion.

Answer 3

The only benefits go to the unscrupulous doctors, who make money from mutilating males, especially infant males. They convince the parents to circumcise their son, and charge them for it. Then they turn around and sell the amputated infant's foreskin for use in several things, including some very expensive cosmetics. Besides being biased for monetary reasons, many of the same doctors belong to the religions that try to impose circumcision on all males. The infant's rights are ignored in the matter, infants cannot defend themselves against being strapped down, assaulted and mutilated by a penis butcher. Infants cannot complain. Infants cannot bring charges against those who assault and mutilate them. Infants cannot bring suit. Circumcision is neural and vascular damage to the penis. Circumcision has no standards, and is frequently botched and sloppily done. The scars from the wounds to the penis vary wildly in depth and location, as evidenced by the scars, which can appear anywhere from just below the glans to 1/2 or even 2/3 of the way down the penile shaft. Some penises even look as if someone had taken a potato peeler to them! The adverse effects and complications resulting from the mutilation of circumcision are never disclosed by the doctors, and are in fact suppressed. Circumcision is dangerous and risky, and can cause death, permanent sexual dysfunction, and other complications. Circumcised newborns are 12 times more likely to acquire drug-resistant Staph infections. Obviously, open wounds to the penis of a newborn in the inevitable dirty diapers is less than hygienic, for those uninformed individuals who think that circumcision is "cleaner." Female circumcision of minors is illegal in all civilized countries, and male circumcision should be the same. Where is equal protection under the law for males? Mutilating babies is wrong. It is a violation of the body, a violation of human rights, and an atrocity. "As long as people believe in absurdities, they will continue to commit atrocities." -------------------------Voltaire It's absurd to think that damaging a penis will make it feel or function better. Circumcision is a fraud and a hoax. A foreskin is not a birth defect; it is a birthright. ERIC

Answer 4

ADVANTAGES OF BEING INTACT:
--Circumcision cuts WAY down on sexual enjoyment for the man due to loss of nerve-rich foreskin. A new study proves conclusively, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that circumcision decreases sensitivity for the man. http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1464-410X.2006.06685.x
--Getting cut causes the glans (head) to develop a keratinized layer to protect from rubbing on clothing, further cutting sensation. Many cut men are unable to ejaculate during intercourse and have to finish by hand. Intact men can go all the way.
--nine out of ten women who have had both prefer intact penises: http://www.healthcentral.com/drdean/408/60750.html That's really pretty definitive.
--foreskin makes masturbation more fun - and better for your partner to play with.
--Circumcision hurts -- a lot -- when it's done, even if you are too young to remember it. Have a look at http://www.cirp.org/library/procedure/plastibell/ -- is this any way to welcome a child into the world?
--Circumcision, like other surgery, has a chance of complications. Each year a few baby boys have to have their entire penises amputated and undergo surgery to make them into fake girls. And a few die.

ADVANTAGES OF BEING CUT: Circumcision has NO advantages that are not fictional or only relevant in a few areas
--You can be just as clean if you are uncircumcised. Wash. It's THAT simple. Even if you're cut, you still need to wash.
-- If you're sleeping around, you need to use condoms regardless or you will get diseases.
--Some studies have shown a lower rate of cancer of the penis in cut guys, but this cancer is so rare that it's hard to get a good statistical sample. More boys/men die each year from botched circumcisions than from cancer of the penis.
--The US has the highest circumcision rate in the developed world and also the highest AIDS rate in that group. http://www.circinfo.org/hiv.html

Answer 5

No. Ignore any b.s. about cleanliness or stds, consider this-- out of over 3 BILLION males on the planet, only a majority of men in the US and jews and muslims are cut, over 2 BILLION are natural and function just fine. It is a barbaric cultic act that the US doctors took up practicing at the beginning of the 1900's, at one time 90 percent of US males were mutilated at birth, the rate is now down to about 55 percent, in Canada it dropped from 80 percent to less than 20 percent. So in about 10 years or so, the majority of young men in the US and Canada will also be uncut. Natural is the coming thing.

Answer 6

U should notice all of the women who are voting for u to get circd have many votes of the thumbs down. I'm not trying to insult them, it's just that our culture is not educated on the benefits and functions of foreskin. Alot of women have not done there research or been w men of both kinds, were the only country who circ's as much as we do and that again is because we r uneducated. The circ rate is actually going down. I wish everyone would read this site. And really give themselves a chance to be more open minded, it would do us all a world of good. Think very carefully if u ever have a son

Answer 7

The same as having the thumb missing in a hand.
You still have fingers and can do as well,but is not the way was supposed to be.In fact all motion/action would change.

Answer 8

In depends what problems you're having. Some problems can be eliminated with that surgery, but there are almost always other means you can fix that.

Here are the risks of circumcision. You have to weigh those in with the 'benefits' that you'd get. If you're not having problems with your foreskin, removing it would get you almost no benefits (and if unlucky you could fall into those risks).

Overall, both types of guys have about the same levels of satisfaction (uncircumcised guys more by one point or two; see question 17 in link below) but the difference comes it where about half of circumcised guys said they would have rather chosen; I guess that's why circumcision rates are falling a lot (and the USA is the only advanced nation to do it).
http://www.jackinworld.com/library/surveys/survey5.html
http://www.jackinworld.com/qow/q15.html

Less sensitivity / pleasure (due to constant rubbing of the head)
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1464-410X.2006.06685.x
http://www.circumstitions.com/Sexuality.html#sorrells

More difficulty with masturbation (since the already-lubricated foreskin wouldn't be there to rub the head with)
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1464-410X.2006.06646.x

Meatal stenosis (when the urethra opening gets irritated due to constant rubbing and closes up); not found in uncircumcised guys
http://www.drgreene.com/21_1137.html

Higher erectile dysfunction rates
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=14979200&dopt=Abstract%7C

Again, less sensitivity
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=11956453

Shorter penis (a guy who was circumcised posted about that this morning; he went from 7 to 5 inches) caused by skin pulling it back due to tightness
http://drgreene.org/body.cfm?id=21&action=detail&ref=1125
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ArmhXebGWe5O6RYIziPL7c7sy6IX?qid=20070515070130AAgFvkC&show=7#profile-info-V0U4aWi3aa

Skin bridges (where pieces of skin attach to the head, like bridges)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?itool=abstractplus&db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=abstractplus&list_uids=6728346

And those are the major ones. Those are risks; they're not guaranteed, just like the risks for being uncircumcised are not universal. Everyone's different. I've provided you with the links so you can compare the rates and such, some are common, with the masturbation difficulty in the 63% range, while others are less common, like meatal stenosis (around 10%). I guess that's why circumcision is becoming less popular; only the USA is the last remaining advanced/industrialized nation to do it, and our rates are falling (to as low as 14%).
http://forums.govteen.com/showpost.php?p=3069995&postcount=2

As far as STDs go, studies have found it for both ways. Here's one that found that circumcised guys have higher rates, for example:
http://www.menweb.org/msnbcirc.htm

My view is that if you have a lot of partners and practice unprotected sex, you're bound to eventually get an STD, but if you're clean and smart, you'll generally be safe.

As far as HIV/AIDS infections go, when comparing industrialized countries, the USA has the highest level of circumcisions, yet we still have the highest level of HIV/AIDS infections. That's using CIA statistics (uncircumcised Europe and Japan have lower rates):
https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2155rank.html

And the American Cancer Society has already said that circumcision does not prevent penile cancer.
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_2X_Can_penile_cancer_be_prevented_35.asp

As far as cleaning goes, you just pull it back and rub the head. It only takes a few seconds and feels good (you're rubbing the head after all). That's never been an issue for me (and it seems like it isn't for the rest of the world).

So as you can see... there's plenty of both. =P

Answer 9

no...its like getting your dogs ear tips lopped off..its just for looks...but you dont have to wash as thoroughly...the foreskin is like a pen*is coat...it keeps you from rubbing against things and desensitizing you thingy...but youll get better jobs in porn if you are circumsised...so..its kind of a toss up

Answer 10

only if you have problems with your foreskin. I prefer an uncircumcized guy though and Ive tried both. just easier to play with and dont need lubes. hes always been clean, too and when hard they dont look that different since the foreskin slides back