circumcision?

Question

what exactly is the purpose of this and is it common? pro's and cons? advice on this decision?thanx so much

Answer 1

we did it b/c well...its whats normal for us...my brother is, my husband is...and now my son is plus i have heard an uncirm. sized penis is hard to clean and i dont want to have to chase down my son when he is like 8 and make sure he cleaned it good so no infection starts, plus changing his diaper now at 16 months it would be near impossible to hold him down all the time to make sure its super clean....i dont get the whole "they wont like it when they are older thing" b/c if you have it done as a baby they will not know the difference...

Oh and my son had it done the morning after he was born and our dr said that he never even woke up...so it must not have been too painful for him!

and how will they know if there is a decreased sensation when having sex when its all they know....i dont get it...plus i am not looking out for my childs sex life...i am looking out for his health (i dont want him to have to deal w/ infections....)

Answer 2

Pros-almost none. A foreskin is no more a breeding ground for bacteria than a woman's vagina. In fact, women are MUCH more likely to get infections down there than any man cut or not. Some studies have shown that women who were "circumcised" have a lower chance of infection. So why, then, do women not line up around the corner to have it done?

Cons-too many to name. NO HEALTH ORGANIZATION IN THE WORLD recommends circumcision for newborn babies. Believe what you want about STD's, AIDS etc, but it has been proven that condoms are far more likely than circumcision to prevent these diseases. One study pointed out that condoms are over 99% effective in preventing AIDS transmission in couples where one of the partners were infected with the virus. Bottom line: don't believe the hype. Circumcision has been touted over the years to have MANY different benefits from "sanitary" reasons, to even being able to cure mental illness.

Answer 3

PLEASE: Watch one being done before deciding

What is the purpose of circumcision?
-Religious beliefs
-It was thought to stop boys from masturbating.
-Circumcision was first used to protect men against infection and/or irritation due to dirt or sand getting underneath the foreskin.

Is circumcision common?
U.S. - Yes
Rest of the world - No
82% of the world’s population of men, aren’t circumcised

Good long term results -
Some woman like it
(Some research says) Side effects of STD's not as bad
(Sometimes) Not as sex crazed at puberty

Neutral long term effects -
Easier to clean (but when there young you can say that it feels good if you wash it they never stop cleaning it)
Only about 20% - 60% depending where you live are circumcised today he won’t be left out.

Bad long term results -
Not so much in the US but in other country’s males are
bullied for being circumcised
(Some research says) Higher chance of getting STD's
Head of penis desensitized
Having to push harder during sex
Almost all circumcised males need lubricant
Partner is less likely to have an orgasm
Foreskin can (sometimes) bleed during masturbation
Circumcised males can have resentment to there parents
The doctor can sometimes stuff up (1/100 loose there penis)
You can't go to Antarctica (high chance of getting frost bite
on the head of your penis)
Circumcised babies are more likely to get infections because of the nappy holding the urine and poo directly up onto the head of the penis.

There is research out there saying it protects against HIV and other infections but the thing is there have been tones of tests and they go both ways there is no solid answer to weather it protects or it doesn't I would say it makes no difference. They talk about this in Penn & Teller bullshit S03 EP01 Circumcision


My advice - I wouldn't do it today, I am circumcised I don't like it and I wouldn't do my sons. In the 1800's when men had baths once a month they used to have problems occasional, but we have baths every day and if your son does get an infection there is antibiotics out there and they are a lot cheaper then having half your sons penis cut off. When your son grows up he can always walk in to a hospital and he can do it to himself its his body don't make the decision for him. I wish I had the decision I wasn't even given a chance.

Answer 4

The original purpose was religious. Now, it's mainly done because of the ease of keeping clean and to look "normal". It used to be that most boys were circumcised as infants, but I saw something recently where it was only about 50%.

The main advantage is that it's much easier to keep clean.

The main disadvantage MAY be some decreased sensitivity during sex due to the skin being exposed all the time. However, this is very difficult to prove because each man is different to begin with and most can't say what it feels like the other way. Plus, I doubt the sensitivity issue would be the same if a guy had it done as an adult rather than as a baby.

There is something to be said for leaving the foreskin alone and letting him make his own choice when he's older, but the procedure is likely much more painful and traumatic for an adult than for an infant. I doubt that it's painless for an infant, but their nerves are not fully developed and they would not remember the pain later on. But you can probably request the doctor give a local anesthetic at the time of the procedure.

Answer 5

It is done a lot for religious reasons and a lot for hygenic reasons. It is claimed to be hard to keep clean and therefore subject to infections etc.

I, myself am 62 and I am not circucised. I have never had any problems with infections. It is not hard to keep clean. Just when you bath or shower, always pull the foreskin back and clean well there with soap and water.

In an uncircumcused person, the head of the penis stays very sensitive when the foreskin is pulled back, so it should make sex even more enjoyable to the male.

Hope this helps. Any more questions just email me.

Answer 6

Parents who choose circumcision often do so based on religious beliefs, concerns about hygiene, or cultural or social reasons, such as the wish to have their son look like other men in the family.

If you do opt for circumcision, it's best to perform the operation within the first 2 to 3 weeks after birth, as it can become more complicated as a child gets older. But the procedure is usually performed during the first 10 days (often within the first 48 hours), either in the hospital or, for some religious ritual circumcisions, at home. If you decide to have your son circumcised at the hospital, your pediatrician, family doctor, or obstetrician will perform the procedure before you bring your baby home. The doctor should prepare you by telling you about the procedure he or she will use and the possible risks. On the plus side, studies indicate that circumcised infants are less likely to contract a urinary tract infection (UTI) in the first year of life. About one out of every 1,000 circumcised boys has a UTI in the first year, whereas the rate is one in 100 (at most) for uncircumcised infants.

Circumcised men may also be at lower risk for penile cancer, although the disease is rare in both circumcised and uncircumcised males. Although some studies indicate that the procedure might offer an additional line of defense against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), particularly HIV, the results of studies in this area are conflicting and difficult to interpret.

It's also easier to keep a circumcised penis clean, although uncircumcised boys can learn how to clean beneath the foreskin once the foreskin becomes retractable (usually some time before age 5). However, some uncircumcised boys can end up with infected foreskins as the result of poor hygiene.

Some people also claim that circumcision either lessens or heightens the sensitivity of the tip of the penis, decreasing or increasing sexual pleasure later in life. But neither of these subjective findings has been proven to be true.

Although circumcision appears to have some medical benefits, it also carries potential risks - as does any surgical procedure. These risks are small, but you should be aware of both the possible advantages and the problems that can be associated with the procedure before you make your decision. Complications of newborn circumcision are uncommon, occurring in between 0.2% to 3% of cases. Of these, the most frequent are minor bleeding and local infection, both of which can be easily treated by your child's doctor.

Perhaps one of the hardest parts of the decision to circumcise is accepting that the procedure can be painful. In the past, it wasn't commonplace to provide pain relief for babies being circumcised, but because studies have indicated that it benefits the infant to receive anesthesia, most doctors will now provide it. Also, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends the use of pain relief measures for circumcision. Even up until recently, though, anesthesia hasn't been universally used, so it's important to ask your doctor ahead of time what, if any, pain relief will be utilized with your son.

Despite the possible benefits and risks, circumcision is neither essential nor detrimental to a boy's health. The AAP and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) do not endorse the procedure as a way to prevent any of the medical conditions mentioned previously. The AAP also does not find sufficient evidence to medically recommend circumcision or argue against it.

Now, on a very personal level....I think circumcision is an unnecessary and barbaric procedure, and would never subject a son of mine to it.

Answer 7

Circumcision is now considered cosmetic surgery. Some religions have guidlelines about when it should be done. Some people say that it's cleaner to circumcise. I don't understand how cutting off the tip of the penis, then leaving it in a dark, wet, poopy diaper can prevent infections. I would like to see someone come up with some hard evidence about it. I've never heard of an intact baby getting an infection, but circumcised babies do get infections. In the US, about half of the babies being born right now are being circumcised, and the rate is dropping every day. I think circumcision is mutilation--the foreskin is there to prevent infection and provide lubrication during sex. If you don't clean it, it will get infected, but that goes for every body part. I get lots of ear infections and I've never considered cutting it off!

Circumcision supporters!!!! I'm calling you out! Where is the research that supports the whole cleanliness argument? Can anyone prove that infants have fewer infections because they are circumcised? Facts only, please, not anecdotal evidence from your neighbor's sister who has three boys.

Answer 8

Circumcision is surgery that removes some or all of the foreskin (prepuce) from the penis. The word "circumcision" comes from Latin circum (meaning "around") and caedere (meaning "to cut").

Circumcision predates recorded human history, with depictions in stone-age cave drawings and Ancient Egyptian tombs. Theories include that circumcision is a form of ritual sacrifice or offering, a health precaution, a sign of submission to a deity, a rite of passage to adulthood, a mark of defeat or slavery, or an attempt to alter esthetics or sexuality. Male circumcision is a religious commandment in Judaism, expected in Islam, and customary in some Oriental Orthodox and other Christian churches in Africa, though it is not prescribed by the major Christian denominations. It is not requirement of the other great world religions.

Circumcision is customary in Muslim countries, the United States, the Philippines, South Korea. and Israel. Genital integrity supporters condemn infant circumcision as a human rights abuse and a genital mutilation like female genital cutting, while advocates of circumcision regard it as a worthwhile public health measure, particularly in the control of HIV. Circumcision may also be used to treat inflammation of the glans and penile cancer. Using circumcision to treat phimosis is debated in medical literature.

Answer 9

So, by now, you've received the absurd foreskin phobic rationale. Such as...
"hygiene"
Because we all know how hard it is to get a boy to touch his penis. Especially in the shower. Americans are the only 1st world nation that is still under the impression that all boys are too retarded to wash their genitals (85% of the rest of the men in the world are intact. http://www.circumstitions.com/Maps.html )
An open wound in a poopy diaper is not hygenic. And girls are MUCH harder to clean and far more prone to yeast infections and UTIs, but it is frowned upon to trim them up for "cleanliness." Condoms help prevent STDs and AIDs, not surgery, Otherwise the USA wouldn't have such appalingly high rates of circumcision and HIV.

"teasing"
You cannot surgcially prevent narrowmindeness. There will always be something a child could be picked on for. But, we don't get them preemptive nose-jobs, or bleach their skin, or get them liposuction etc... How about simply teaching them to love their body, instead of cutting bits off because they "might" be teased. If it beomes and issue a simple "dude why are you checking out my penis?" should suffice.

"look like daddy"
no baby should have his genitals altered because of a father's ego. No man should become a father if he is unwilling to simply say "grandma had the doctor do surgery on mine" to his son, should the subject of foreskins ever come up. No baby's penis will look like his fathers unless daddy packs his shorts with ice to shrink his up, or gets the baby a pubic hair transplant.
"I know a guy..."
The horror stories you will hear about the dangers of boys having fully functioning, hwole genitals are based in mythology and ignorance of how to care for an intact penis (simply wipe like a finger until it retracts naturally, by which time it should only be the concern of the owner of said organ.) Most of these mysterious "infections" (that strangely enough, in a boy, require surgery, wheras in a girl would require antibiotics or some monistat) are caused by premature retraction of the foreskin, which tears the natural adhesions that are there to keep foreign matter out of the meatus.
And if an 80 year-old man has trouble keeping clean, it is the burden of his caregivers to provide cleaning. They wouldn't pull out all his toenails because those are hard to clean right?

the "they don't feel it" or "they won't remember it" paradox
http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/9712/23/circumcision.anesthetic/
http://www.circumcision.org/response.htm
http://www.stopinfantcircumcision.org/BrainVisualizationArticle.htm

And finally..."it looks better"
This is the most disturbing thing a mother can say. No adult should EVER be allowed to carve her SEXUAL preferences for a scarred penis on a her BABY! The human glans penis is only supposed to be completely visable during sexual arousal.

Please understand that circumcision is a cure desperately in search of a disease. Did you know it used to "cure" epilepsy, masturbation, spinal paralysis, club foot and various eye problems? http://www.icgi.org/medicalization/



There is no sound reson to have cosmetic, surgical penis reduction surgery performed on any newborn.

Not your body, not your choice!

Answer 10

Circumcision started out as a Jewish ritual as far back as Biblical times and it was performed purely for religious purposes. HOWEVER, now it is recognized as having health benefits regardless of your religion.

Health benefits:

1. Less chance of infection under the foreskin of the penis. That foreskin can be a bacteria collector and if you choose not to circumcise, you must very carefully pull back the foreskin with diaper changes to clean the skin underneath.

2. Adult men can have to have circumcisions later in life because of the foreskin becoming too "tight" for their penis. Of course, this does not happen in all men, but for those that face it--OUCH! Can you imagine having to do that as an adult?!

Aside for the health benefits, there are also cultural things to consider (though these may be unimportant to you and your family). Certainly circumcision is more common in the US today than non-circumcision. That means if you don't circumcise, your son will be the one in the locker room that looks different from the other boys. He will also look different to women who see him naked and this may cause him some self-consiousness.

I am pregnant with #2 (first was a girl) and have decided that if this one is a boy we will circumcise, but our decision is not based on religious beliefs. I simply don't want the risk of infection. You can talk with your pediatrician about all of the pros and cons before making your decision too. It is a very personal choice.

Good luck!


PS: One more thing to consider...is your husband circumcised? Does he "hate his mother" as one person implied would happen? Is it important to you that your son and his father have the same appearance to their anatomy? Just some more to think about :)

PPS: My husband is circumcised and has never hated his mother for it. He hates her for plenty of other things, but none of them involve his penis!

Answer 11

pros: lessens chance of infections later in life because there is no extra skin fold to harbor bacteria (supposedly this helps reduce the chance of getting AIDS, but i'm not sure about that)

cons: is viewed as an elective surgery and not paid for by some insurance companies

personally, i've been with men both circumsized and not...i have never noticed a difference sexually, but i have noticed a huge difference with infections, such as yeast infections, when i am with uncircumsized men.

I gotta add this: a friend's husband who is almost 60 years old just got a circumcision and they both agree that sex is BETTER.