Circumcision: An Unkind and Unnecessary Cut
Yesterday, I was asked (again) if I would like to start doing circumcisions in my office. Again, I refused. I do most of the surgical procedures in the office, but there is something about snipping of the tip of a newborn baby's foreskin that has always bothered me (Perhaps not as much as it bothered the baby!) This is just one of the many reasons why I chose not to circumcise my own son.
In the modern world, circumcision is medically unnecessary. The argument that fathers want their sons to "look like them" or the other boys is not a good enough reason. Besides, fathers and sons do not really compare their penises, and school locker room displays and group showering has become less common.
Circumcision became very popular at the turn of the last century when it was believed that it would prevent masturbation. (Yeah, that worked!) As a collector of old medical books and memorabilia, I have read many references on this subject. One reference (Dr. Foote's Home Medical Advisor - 1898) even had a drawing of dehydrated-looking testicles that were "ravaged by masturbation".
More and more parents are coming to this realization and are opting to leave the foreskin intact. They prefer the uncut version. In my pediatric practice, I see about 50-60% of boys being circumcised, and deal with many parents who are still not sure of their decision to Circ or Not to Circ.
Before I go further, let me say this: I suspect that my stance against circumcision is going to generate a lot of comments, both pro and con. Since circumcision is such a personal and often religious, decision, it is not my intention to open those delicate doors. This entry is not a commentary on religious tradition.
Circumcisions, when done correctly, are certainly safe, but complications such as infection can happen. Although extremely rare, infant deaths have been reported as a result of a routine circumcision. In the office and hospital, we routinely anesthetize the foreskin before cutting it off. In the past, anesthesia was not done; the foreskin was just quickly cut.
The people who say babies did not feel the pain of circumcision are total fools, and I am pleased that this most clinicians use local anesthesia.
Circumcision is performed many different ways, from using a bell device to simply cutting off the foreskin with a scalpel. New parents have a lot to deal with, but they are usually unprepared for this procedure (if they are brave enough to watch). New parents are also unprepared for the post-surgical appearance of a recently-circumcised penis.
Even weeks later, parents ask me to look at the circumcision and say; "Does that look right to you?" Some are concerned about the raw appearance; some are worried that there is too much foreskin remaining, or not enough. Either way, the penis becomes a major topic of conversation for those first few weeks.
Religious covenant aside, circumcision is purely a cosmetic procedure. Whether you want the penis to look like it is wearing a helmet or sporting a turtle-neck sweater is really a personal choice; a choice made solely by the parent(s). I hate to say it, but 'ol one eye is really not that attractive anyway.
If you believe in God, then why would the Creator of Life leave some extra foreskin for medical providers and Mohels to lop off? If you believe in Evolution, then why would a seemingly-useless piece of skin remain intact after millions of years of evolutionary change? Most of the men on this planet have their foreskins intact.
Some plastic surgeons are now cosmetically creating new foreskins for those men who lament its demise as an infant. There is strong evidence that men with intact foreskins have greater penile sensitivity and thus have increased sexual pleasure. Maybe that is true, but sexual pleasure is predominantly between your ears, not your legs. Enjoyment of sex is really in the minds of the participants.
Jews have been circumcising little boys as a covenant to God for over 3000 years. According to the Bible, Jesus was circumcised according to Jewish custom and tradition. I often get a kick out of Renaissance paintings depicting Adam, sporting both a circumcised penis and a belly-button! If man was created in the image of God, I want to meet the entity that circumcised God!
In an era before driver's licenses and ID cards, perhaps circumcision was away to definitively identify members of your tribe. In the pre-underwear world of Jews and Gentiles, it was really easy to identify the real Jews. Circumcision is a sacred religious tradition, but it certainly made identification easier for the Romans and tragically, the Nazis.
Some still believe that the main reason for this practice was cleanliness. Granted, in the remote past, men did not have an intimate relationship with soap and water. Even a minor infection of the foreskin could have got out of control and resulted in a life-threatening event. An infection of your toe or finger or lip could have resulted in the same scenario.
No one suggested that we cut off fingers so they won't get infected. Penises are anatomically designed to be relatively trouble-free. Now, don't take the comment wrong. Penises do cause a considerable amount of trouble on this planet, but not usually in the medical sense.
There may be a new argument in favor of circumcision in some populations that is difficult to ignore. In Sub-Sahara Africa, where AIDS is rampant, uncircumcised men seem to contract HIV more often than circumcised men. Why? It is felt that micro-tears under the delicate mucosal surface of the foreskin may provide a route for contracting this deadly infection.
In these countries, it may be best to encourage circumcision, but will we see little boys dying of infections caused by the procedure itself? In fly and vermin-infested areas where sterile conditions are difficult to maintain and antibiotics are few, ANY intentional opening of skin can be problematic.
Muslims also routinely practice circumcision. Shockingly, some African and Middle Eastern Muslim sects even practice FEMALE circumcision -- a barbaric practice that removes the outer labia of little girls (and sometimes, the clitoris); performed without anesthesia, often by a barber. This practice is thought to assure virginity. There are some worldwide efforts aimed at stopping this horrible mutilation practice.
As new parents, you have an obligation to make an informed decision about circumcision for your infant sons. Regardless of your final decision about this cosmetic procedure, you owe it to your sons to choose wisely. Or, pray that you just have daughters.
Other Circumcision Information Resources:
Related Topics: Doctors Now Ease the Pain of Circumcision, Deciding about Circumcision
Technorati Tags: circumcision, infant circumcision
In the modern world, circumcision is medically unnecessary. The argument that fathers want their sons to "look like them" or the other boys is not a good enough reason. Besides, fathers and sons do not really compare their penises, and school locker room displays and group showering has become less common.
Circumcision became very popular at the turn of the last century when it was believed that it would prevent masturbation. (Yeah, that worked!) As a collector of old medical books and memorabilia, I have read many references on this subject. One reference (Dr. Foote's Home Medical Advisor - 1898) even had a drawing of dehydrated-looking testicles that were "ravaged by masturbation".
More and more parents are coming to this realization and are opting to leave the foreskin intact. They prefer the uncut version. In my pediatric practice, I see about 50-60% of boys being circumcised, and deal with many parents who are still not sure of their decision to Circ or Not to Circ.
Before I go further, let me say this: I suspect that my stance against circumcision is going to generate a lot of comments, both pro and con. Since circumcision is such a personal and often religious, decision, it is not my intention to open those delicate doors. This entry is not a commentary on religious tradition.
Circumcisions, when done correctly, are certainly safe, but complications such as infection can happen. Although extremely rare, infant deaths have been reported as a result of a routine circumcision. In the office and hospital, we routinely anesthetize the foreskin before cutting it off. In the past, anesthesia was not done; the foreskin was just quickly cut.
The people who say babies did not feel the pain of circumcision are total fools, and I am pleased that this most clinicians use local anesthesia.
Circumcision is performed many different ways, from using a bell device to simply cutting off the foreskin with a scalpel. New parents have a lot to deal with, but they are usually unprepared for this procedure (if they are brave enough to watch). New parents are also unprepared for the post-surgical appearance of a recently-circumcised penis.
Even weeks later, parents ask me to look at the circumcision and say; "Does that look right to you?" Some are concerned about the raw appearance; some are worried that there is too much foreskin remaining, or not enough. Either way, the penis becomes a major topic of conversation for those first few weeks.
Religious covenant aside, circumcision is purely a cosmetic procedure. Whether you want the penis to look like it is wearing a helmet or sporting a turtle-neck sweater is really a personal choice; a choice made solely by the parent(s). I hate to say it, but 'ol one eye is really not that attractive anyway.
If you believe in God, then why would the Creator of Life leave some extra foreskin for medical providers and Mohels to lop off? If you believe in Evolution, then why would a seemingly-useless piece of skin remain intact after millions of years of evolutionary change? Most of the men on this planet have their foreskins intact.
Some plastic surgeons are now cosmetically creating new foreskins for those men who lament its demise as an infant. There is strong evidence that men with intact foreskins have greater penile sensitivity and thus have increased sexual pleasure. Maybe that is true, but sexual pleasure is predominantly between your ears, not your legs. Enjoyment of sex is really in the minds of the participants.
Jews have been circumcising little boys as a covenant to God for over 3000 years. According to the Bible, Jesus was circumcised according to Jewish custom and tradition. I often get a kick out of Renaissance paintings depicting Adam, sporting both a circumcised penis and a belly-button! If man was created in the image of God, I want to meet the entity that circumcised God!
In an era before driver's licenses and ID cards, perhaps circumcision was away to definitively identify members of your tribe. In the pre-underwear world of Jews and Gentiles, it was really easy to identify the real Jews. Circumcision is a sacred religious tradition, but it certainly made identification easier for the Romans and tragically, the Nazis.
Some still believe that the main reason for this practice was cleanliness. Granted, in the remote past, men did not have an intimate relationship with soap and water. Even a minor infection of the foreskin could have got out of control and resulted in a life-threatening event. An infection of your toe or finger or lip could have resulted in the same scenario.
No one suggested that we cut off fingers so they won't get infected. Penises are anatomically designed to be relatively trouble-free. Now, don't take the comment wrong. Penises do cause a considerable amount of trouble on this planet, but not usually in the medical sense.
There may be a new argument in favor of circumcision in some populations that is difficult to ignore. In Sub-Sahara Africa, where AIDS is rampant, uncircumcised men seem to contract HIV more often than circumcised men. Why? It is felt that micro-tears under the delicate mucosal surface of the foreskin may provide a route for contracting this deadly infection.
In these countries, it may be best to encourage circumcision, but will we see little boys dying of infections caused by the procedure itself? In fly and vermin-infested areas where sterile conditions are difficult to maintain and antibiotics are few, ANY intentional opening of skin can be problematic.
Muslims also routinely practice circumcision. Shockingly, some African and Middle Eastern Muslim sects even practice FEMALE circumcision -- a barbaric practice that removes the outer labia of little girls (and sometimes, the clitoris); performed without anesthesia, often by a barber. This practice is thought to assure virginity. There are some worldwide efforts aimed at stopping this horrible mutilation practice.
As new parents, you have an obligation to make an informed decision about circumcision for your infant sons. Regardless of your final decision about this cosmetic procedure, you owe it to your sons to choose wisely. Or, pray that you just have daughters.
Other Circumcision Information Resources:
Related Topics: Doctors Now Ease the Pain of Circumcision, Deciding about Circumcision
Technorati Tags: circumcision, infant circumcision
90 Comments:
I find it contradictory that you don't want this entry be about religious tradition, but then go on to analyze why God gave us foreskin in the first place.
I honest to God have no clue what the big deal is about all this. My boys were born in the early 70s. It was just pretty much understood that your boys would be circumcised. I really don't even recall a conversation about it with anyone. you had a boy, they got circed. Now, my husband was circed and I can promise it didn't seem to cause him any problems that I could ever tell nor do I hear any complaints from my sons or DIls. I think this is just something that has arisen out of the fact that we seem to be incredibly bored and must find things to constantly whine about.
You made a reference that we don't cut off fingers or toes to keep them from gettng infected. Well, we don't cut off penises either. I think it is removal of some skin. There seems to be a difference there in my opinion.
Many religious practices were also beneficial to one's health. I believe this is still true today, even though modern hygenic practices have made them less essential. Circumcision is risky-my son had some pretty serious complications, but nothing lasting. Part of this was because he was a preemie, and part was because it was done at the same time as a hernia repair (at 4 months of age). Still I think it makes for easier cleaning and less transmission of STDs.Female circumcision is nothing but mutilation and brutality and has no reason except for abuse and control. Marilyn in OKC
You didn't mention that in some places in africa, a teenage boy does not become a man untill he is circumsized...Without anesthesia. They are taken out to an isolated area, the foreskin is cut off, and they are supposed to live there alone untill the woud has healed. If they get an infection and seek medical treatment, they will never be consided a man.
Pushing controversial buttons is always risky and I pondered this topic for some time. I do not intend to influence anyone's personal decision, but rather have people consider the implicatons of their decision to circumcise. For some, the decision is easy: religion. For others, it is also simple: tradition. But, for those teetering on the circumcision fence, I encourage you to do your OWN research and make an INFORMED DECISION...BEFORE the birth of your son.
It's really okay NOT to circumcise.
First, I like the way you write - informative with a comical twist. Your point is well taken. It's unnecessary, so just consider that when you make your decision. Got it! One thing I worried about with my son was his future acceptance with society and particularly with his partner. While I'm not speaking for all mothers & fathers in the US, I would just bet that a lot of them feel this way too. I didn't want him to feel awkward, ashamed, etc...and to resent us for not allowing him to undergo the procedure. Yeah, yeah, if we bring him up with enough self confidence, blah, blah, then he will rise above his insecurities. Very true in MOST CASES. BUT, we are talking about his MANHOOD, MANHOOD, MANHOOD here, a very private thing that will happen to be a huge part of his identity from his adolescence on. My point is that while circumcision is unnecessary, it is only some skin removal, (not a whole finger, toe, arm, or leg) that will in the long run most-likely save him a ton of embarrassment. I realize that if no one stops, this will continue. Although, I am not willing to start the band wagon. Some would call it a weak move; however, I would call it caring parents who put more emphasis of the long-term effects of my son's emotions given the fact that it’s a safe simple procedure. And no, if every one jumped off of a bridge, I wouldn't and I wouldn't let or expect my son to either. On the contrary, if everyone stopped circumcising their sons, I would. I'm hoping everyone will be educated on this sooner or later, thus, together, we will no longer make the unkind decision to cut.
My husband was uncirced. When he got into his early 40's, the skin around his penis began to become very tight and it was hard to push it off of the head, I think it is called phimosis, which is tightening of the skin. He had to undergo a circumcision at age 42, it was very bad and scary for me, because he had a lot of bleeding and he was given sulfur to inhaled to keep him from getting a normal erection in the morning because of the possibility of it ripping the stitches out. He did not like to have that procedure done, but he had no choice at that time. I don't know if this is normal for every man who does not have a circumcision, but I know he had it done reluctantly. After the initial shock, he seemed to be okay with the difference. But, I just wanted to let people know what else might happen if a man is not circumsized.
I enjoyed your story but less enjoyed the comments. I can't believe people still think that way!
My husband wasn't circ nor my two boys. It wasn't even a topic I wanted to get into with my boys. It is unnecessary and painful. Just teach them to clean it well and you are good to go. My husband is now in his 40s and have had no problems with his penis, and I must say I haven't had any problems with it either. Parents there is no need to do this to your boys. educate yourselves!
My dear departed father was a pediatrician. He felt that the procedure was cruel and unnecessary punishment for being born male. My former husband was circumcised and screwed up in more ways than one could imagine. If we removed everything that is hard to clean, none of us would have ears.
When my 6 year old was born, we lived in a big city with a famous medical center, and circumcision was about 50/50 according to my pediatrician. We did not circumcise. We moved to a smaller town by the time my 4 year old was born and we had to tell about 10 different people in the hospital that we were not going the circumcision route. I was sure that by the time I left the hospital my son was going to be taken off and circumsized without our knowledge. It was that bad.
I do believe that we become defensive over which way we choose to treat circumcision. On many message boards its as controversial as bottle vs. breast, work vs stay at home, vaccinations or not, etc...
I would like to thank the doctor personally for writing that it is OK not to circumcise. Living in the climate of my current town makes me sometimes question the decision we made, so reading articles like this make me proud that we had a decision to make and we made it based on our choice...not others.
From a female standpoint, I know of many women who have constant bladder infections after being with an uncircumcised male. I personally find the uncircumcised penis unattractive, and from a personal sexual partner point of view, it's much more difficult to please the uncircumcised male.
As a nurse I have seen many men that have needed circumcisions due to phimosis or other reasons even up to the age of 90 and older. It is an extremely unpleasent procedure for grown men to go through. I have also taken care of men that either did not or could not due to mental or health reason, clean appropriately and it is disgusting. As you know females like to talk, and I have heard many women say they would not ever date a man that was not circumsized. I had my son cicumcised for those reasons. His father was upset later after watching an anticircumsision show and said he would not have allowed it if he had seen the show before our son was born. I asked him if he remembered being circumsized to which he replied no, and I said our son would not either. I guarentee you the older males remember it. An ounce of prevention is worth a pond of cure.
I was circumsised at the age of 21 because my foreskin had worn out and everything would "pop out of the nest" at unexpected moments. I can attest to the fact that model 2 is much improved in every way. Peeling off the bandages was just a painful inconvenience for a lifetime of straight shooting bliss. As for the people that feel a loss of their foreskin, I say that they need a new hobby. If they weren't obsessing about what they lack in their penis, they would be obsessing about something else.
Thank you for your attempts to debunk the myths surrounding male circumcision.
Up until roughly 10 years ago I was of the belief that my future son(s) would be circumsized. My reasoning for this was "tradition" and I gave no thought beyond that.
Over the years I heard many people discussing this matter and my thoughts began to change especially after listening to the Dr. Dean Edell radio program. He is against this procedure (at least for non-religious reasons) and made some wonderful points that caused me to ask questions of myself and those around me.
I found out that my father was uncirced. I asked my mother why I underwent the procedure and she said that the doctors recommmended that she do so for hygiene. Note, she didn't do so for tradition. In fact this tradition didn't start catching on until the late 50's. The reason I mention this is that for those people that intend on circumsizing their sons purely on tradition alone consider that this "tradition" only goes back 2 or 3 generations.
I had this revelation before the birth of my one and only son 5 years ago. I have had discussions with friends and one of them decided not to circumsize his son based on our investigations together.
Taking care of my son's penis is not a difficult task. In fact, he's already learned to properly clean himself. I have more of an issue with myself given that my circumcision left a slight pocket in which bacteria can collect (causing the condition that snipping me was supposed to avoid).
I am not bitter about being circumsized but I am glad that I've given my son the choice if he decides to have it done in the future. True, if he decides to have it done then he'll remember the procedure. But, he'll also remember every other procedure he has during his life such as tooth extractions, fillings, broken bone resettings, etc. We are not doing our sons a favor by having this procedure done when they "can't remember it".
As for the "ounce of prevention" argument ... that applies only to conditions you know you can control and do not themselves have great risk for complication. For instance, the medical community no longer routinely removes tonsils to avoid a potential problem in the future.
I highly agree with the doctor on this subject. I have 3 son's and none of them were tortured shortly after entering the world. I seen the babies that were screaming until they couldn't breathe when they were circumcised and i refuse to put that pain on my child because it's just what you are supposed to do!! It's up to my boys when they get old enough, if they want it removed then they can do it. But I am happy I did not put unnecessary stress and horrible pain on my children when they had no voice to speak....They may not remember it, but them sure the hell feel it and I personally think it is the cruelest thing you can do to your child for no apparent reason. Teach your child how to be clean, don't start cutting things off. There's a reason they were born with it.
My 5 year old son was born with a birth defect causing the foreskin to 1) not fully form and 2) was attached to the head. I listened to the docs and didn't have him circumcised to this day I wished I had gotten a second opinion, because later in his life he may choose to have it done and than how is that going to affect him.
Remember what you deem wrong or ungodly may not be to someone else.
I wish the good doctor would also address the possibility of multiple urinary infections. My five year old grandson spent too much time in the urologists office with severe infections despite excellent informed hygiene. He had to be circumsised just a month ago, and the mental trauma and pain made me realize the new trend towards no circumcision should come with a LOT of warnings. For shame that you are making such "hoopla" over a minor painless( when done properly) surgical procedure on a newborn. It may be "preppy" and "new age" NOT to have it done---but please consider the ramifications for having it done on a youngster.
i agree with antonio....you're god argument is laughable. furthermore, you've discounted that studies have proven that removing the foreskin of the customers of African sex workers reduced the risk of HIV being spread amongst the population. also, foreskins make the area harder to clean and as a result if your partner has an uncircumcized penis, the risk of you getting vaginal irritations/infections increases. i know this from personal experience. sorry men, but i say cut them off. getting rid of the foreskin does everybody a favor who wants to have sexual relations with you.
Interesting...a lot of "I think" and "I believe", but no true discussion of the facts. Typical of any woefully underinformed pseudodiscussion of a medical subject.
The health benefits of circumcision far outweigh the perceived "harm" to the male infant. This five minute procedure reduces his risk for urinary infection from 10% to 1% in the first year of life, reduces his chance for contracting sexually transmitted diseases as an adult IN AMERICA(as well as then transmitting disease) and ELIMINATES the chance of penile cancer.
As for the "doctor" who writes this blog, circumcision is not purely cosmetic, especially for newborns. Hygeine is not possible in newborns since the foreskin has not fully separated from the glans penis. Urinary tract infections in infants can be devastating and I would wager that more infant deaths have occurred from urinary sepsis than from circumcision infection.
Penile cancer, while rare, only occurs in uncircumcized men. This preventable cancer is also thought to possibly be related to Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) the same virus that is known to cause cervical cancer in women. This is the same sort of sexually transmitted disease that he will be at increased risk of contracting during his adult life, and NOT JUST IN AFRICA (what a highly eurocentric and dare I say racist sentiment to promote that only Sub Saharan African men be circumcised....do you think that HIV does not occur in the USA?)
So when you listen to the empassioned diatribes of the underinformed and overzealous, remember that their personal agenda rarely has any scientific basis, only bias.
As for the woman who claims her former husband was circumcized and screwed up because of it, nice non sequitor arguement against circumcision...
1. My ex-husband is a screw up.
2. My ex-husband was circumcized.
3. *magic thought dust goes here*
4. Circumcision makes people screw ups...
I could just as easily tell you, truthfully that John Wayne Gacey, Ted Bundy and all other major American serial killers were not circumcized....
...so you wish to raise a society of psychopathic sadistic killers?
Vomitous mass of non-thought follows this post ->
I agree with everything the above poster said - they just got to say it before I did.
Also, my fiance is VERY glad he is circumcised, and vows that if we have any male children, they will be also.
And prior to him, all of the men of my past were circumcised, and seemed to very happy about it for numerous reasons.
I'm not saying anyone SHOULD or SHOULDN'T give their boy the snip - that's entirely up to you.
But if for any reason, they have to undergo the procedure as a child, adolescent or adult, it will be terrible and they WILL remember it.
My husband is circumcised and I would not like it if his penis were any more sensitive than it is already. We have enough problems with timing as it is.
Recent results have shown that men/boys who have been circumcised have a lower risk of getting and transmitting HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. As a matter of fact, at the latest HIV/AIDS meeting in Washington DC there was quite a bit of talk about the finding that cirumcision helps to prevent this from happening. Obviously in America it is much less of a problem than third world countries but doing a simple procedure that decreases the possibility of the transmission of a deadly disease shouldn't be such a huge issue.
Many of the posters state that the removal of the foreskin prevents penile cancer. The removal of a lot of organs can prevent cancer, but that isn't always the best route. Just as many people said that they know people who have had to be circumsised as an adult, I've known many women who have had to have hysterectomies or other surgeries of the female reproductive organs. Removal for cancer prevention isn't always the right thing.
Thank you Dr. Moser, for writing such an enlightened post. Today I visited a friend in the hospital who has a week old baby in the neonatal unit. Her baby weighs 4 pounds. The nursing staff has instructed her and her husband not to touch or cuddle the baby because it takes away too many calories from him and he has to gain weigh before he can go home. They are complying...she didn't even stroke his head. Yet today they circumcised him. This seems crazy. How can loving touch from his mother use up "too many calories" but a stranger cutting his penis with a razor sharp scalpel be okay? How can it be in the baby's best interest to do an unnecessary surgical procedure when he's so fragile?
I want to thank you for this article. I wish more people would read it and be informed as to the choice that they have when making this decision about there sons. You did not go into the potential accidents that have happened in the past and I read a story about a young man being circumcized as a baby and they cut off too much leading that persons life being colored by a barbaric, ignorant practice that should be banned. I have two boys 9 and 6 and neither will be circumsized and I hope they never put their children through this hanous ignorant act. Religions with their dogma are creations of man and cannot keep man and woman from having faith in God and the Resurrection of Jesus.
I believe it's true about circumcision. I bet most criminals are circumcised!! I've been with circumcised and uncircumcised men. Sex is better and they're not unsatisified pointing fingers to the "all your fault" characteristics of circumcised men. If a woman gets dry during sex then you're a dried- up old woman. I'm not saying all circumcised men are violent; my brothers are all circumcised and are angels. I'm just talking about a factor that could trigger a person being violent or non-violent. So to speak the "camel that breaks the back". Criminals are already nuts but being not satisfied during sex could lead to violence on women. I may be totally wrong on this it is just a theory but a heated one!!! I don't know if men are circumcised in other countries and could eliminate the violence theory. It is just my thought and Lord knows I'm not a man hater. Circumcised or not; love not sex is a factor on a female's relationship with men. I'm not saying a circumcised man means bad sex; it also depends on his personality as well. That is why I truly believe a woman should remain a virgin until marriage and men as well so there will never be any outside attractions to compare each other with during love-making.
I think you (the above poster) may be confused. An earlier post mentioned that most, if not all, American serial killers were NOT circumcised, not the other way around. Did you think that she meant that they were?
Also, you try to point out that uncircumcised men get more pleasure out of sex than circumcised men. Where are you getting this information? I wouldn't dare to try to guess which population gets more pleasure, because there's no way of knowing that for sure. However, what I do know is that millions of circumcised men get plenty of pleasure out of sex.
I wish that more men would ring in on this topic. This discussion seems to be primarily filled with posts from women.
I have never known any circumcised man that had a normal, no-complications circumcision that has said that he wish he were not circumcised. However, I do not personally know any men that are uncircumcised (unless they haven't divulged this personal information), so I cannot say if they have wished that they had been circumcised at birth.
There was a male that posted earlier that said he chose to be circumcised at the age of 21 and was very happy with his new circumcised penis. I would like to hear more comments either way from the males.
Now obviously, if a man was circumcised at birth and his circumcision was not done properly, then he'll probably be concerned about whether it was the right thing to do or not. And I'm sure he'll wonder whether or not he should have his own children circumcised.
It really appears that on the whole, men who had a normal circumcision are happy to be circumcised and men who were not circumcised seem to be happy that they were not.
I don't think either decision will ruin your child's life. Do your research and just be prepared with what comes with either choice.
And please, please stop bringing religion into this. Neither being circumcised nor uncircumcised has anything with your faith or lack of faith in God. Rest assured, He will not smite you down for having or not having your foreskin.
A well-written and necessary article. I wish more agreed.
In 1960, I was circumcised at age 10, to avoid the [at that time very real] "locker room trauma". Man, was I GLAD of that!! Until my circumcision, I definitely felt "cut off from the tribe" .. the fact that my dad was uncut wasn't nearly as big a factor as that all my peer group WAS cut. Nowadays, with the percentages being much nearer equal, I suspect the "trauma in the locker room" is substantially lessened. However, I still feel that circumcision is a good choice, for cleanliness reasons.
I also think there is a "sensitivity issue" involved. However, I personally feel that my penis is plenty sensitive [even after 45 years of my exposed glans penis rubbing against my clothing, drying out, and all the other "problems" the anti-circ group warns you about] .... I feel that when I am sexually engaged if I have "lost some sensitivity" that is a GOOD thing, as it prolongs the highly enjoyable sexual event. I tell you this: If I had a son he would be circumcised!
I could just as easily tell you, truthfully that John Wayne Gacey, Ted Bundy and all other major American serial killers were not circumcized.
Nonsense. Prove it. I could just at easily "truthfully" tell you that they were circumcized.
And I'd have the statistical evidence to back it up.
Circumcision = evil. I am a circumcized male and I think the practice should be abolished and it is the cause of many problems.
I was circumcised at eight and have never looked back to losing my foreskin with any regret. Back then in the UK the circ rate was about 50/50 so plenty of my friends had lost their foreskins too. I found my 'new' penis easier to clean and more pleasing to look at. Sure, it took time to get used to the tickly mild discomfort of the exposed glans rubbing on underwear; something a boy cut in infancy doesn't have to experience. Growing up circumcised is normal for him and no man I've ever questioned who was so 'done' has ever said they wanted it any other way.
When in my teens, girls suddenly became attractive and it dawned that my penis had a purpose other than hitherto, I did slightly worry that my unnatural state would put them off. Not a bit of it. I have not been wildly promiscuous, but the few women with whom I had the pleasure all firmly declared their preference for circumcision.
Unfortunately when my own sons were born all doctors we tried refused the prophylactic circumcision we requested. My DW and I resented their judgmental attitude and the consequence of having to raise them intact and dealing with the foreskin problem that arose for one of them.
I do wish doctors like yourself would try to understand that most men are happily circumcised and their womenfolk like them that way too. By all means leave your sons intact if you wish them to be so, but please oblige or refer to someone who will those parents who think otherwise.
In my opinion, being uncirced has not caused me any problems, and for those that did have problems they dont know how to clean up, this shows how lazy americans are, we preform a surgery so that we can be lazy and not have to clean our penis that good. But as stated before it should be up to the person if they want to be circed. And fo the locker-room comments, why would another guy look at your penis, if he says anything about it then all the other guys will make gay jokes about him. im a highschooler so i know these things, he will get picked on.
High School truma Nah none I played football 2 years showers w/circumcised teens none picked on me for that. But should i get a Circumcision????I for one dont know which is better to have sex with yet a circumcised or a uncircumcised.
I LOVE UNCIRCUMCISED PENISES.
As a woman whose first two partners were uncirced, I have a special soft spot for foreskin. There were never any cleanliness issues, b/c (surprise!) the men just cleaned their penises properly. A dirty penis is a dirty penis, foreskin or no. The women I know who dislike foreskins (unfortunately, that's most of the women I know) have had very limited experience with them, often after their sexual preferences have already been fully formed. In my personal opinion, sex (oral and vaginal) with an uncirced penis is MUCH more pleasurable. Seriously. I have not had the good fortune of being with an uncut man since those first 2, and I miss foreskin terribly, I must say.
WOW Thank you, You just saveed me a Circumcision now knowing that its better with an uncircumcised I'll keep it like it is. I dont have any trouble keeping it clean i dont understand why people do.
I am 25 years old and am uncut. Personally I don't think that it matters either way. I have never had any women complain about it and most women can't even tell the difference when fully erect. The only times that it has effected my life was when i was much younger in the middle school locker rooms. Occasional comments were made by other students and it did make me contemplate having the procedure done. I became somewhat nervous about having sexual contact with a girl as a result but I was only 12 or 13 and just beginning puberty. By the time I reached 16 and had my first sexual experience I did not care anymore and have been completely comfortable with myself ever since.
It is immature to discriminate against anybody based on a surgery that they had or did not have. Especially because in most cases it is done on infants that have no choice in the matter. Kids will always find things to heckle their fellow classmates, whether it be their large nose, weird hair cut or even if they wear glasses or not but thats just a part of growing up. Anybody that circumcises their son because they don't want them to get made fun of, or because they fear that it will complicate their relationship with women must be shallow and immature themselves. However, there are plenty of acceptable reasons to have the operation done. Any reason involving tradition is perfectly fine since it represents something. Any medical or health reason is fine too, but it should be understood that the only reason that a circumcised penis is cleaner, is because there isn't a layer of skin that can store bacteria. But, it isn't rocket science to keep it clean. And in relation to STDs being more likely in uncircumcised men, I am not sure of the statistics on that. But I am sure that it isn't extremely difficult to stay away from STDs. It's a risk that you take when you have frequent multiple sexual partners or be with somebody else that has. Overall, it shouldn't be a big deal and regardless of cut or uncut, it shouldn't be a big impact on anybodies life.
okay, I just want to say that as a female I prefer my men uncircumsized. I like the extra sensitivity it makes it more sensual. I think the foreskin is their for a reason, health wise and sex wise. I understand if its for religious reasons but just to have your kid fit in is a really stupid reason to deprive him of and part of the body. Would you remove your eyelids? They do the same thing as foreskin. Eyelids keep your eyes moist, foreskin keeps your phallus moist end of story. The foreskin produces a liquid that destroys the walls of bacteria, keeping it cleaner. Hmm I think the eyelids do a similar thing. So if the foreskin is useless so are our eyelids.
I myself am uncut and as I grew up, I came to respect my mom even more for standing up against all of her relatives ( my grandmothers included) who tried to tell her otherwise. As far as hygiene is concerned, it is a non issue, one talk from my dad in preschool set me straight. All this talk of circumcision preventing HIV in Africa and elsewhere completely ignores the facts that condoms make this argument moot. As far as issues with sexual partners, if you think there is something wrong or disgusting with the way my NATURAL penis looks, then you don't deserve me as a partner.
i totally agree...and i am a little surprised that the above comment is the first to use the word "condom" its not that hard of a concept you use a condom you will prevent infection..you want to be with a person without a condom go to the doctors and get eachother tested then have sex...my brother now 18 and my son now 4 are both are not circumsized and have never had any infections. i am 21 and happily married to a man who is circumsized and now i am preggo with twin...boys. the decision to have them circumsized or not weighs heavy with me. to do it for conformity i say thats crap my brother was on the football team all four years in high school and was never made fun of once (i asked him for his advice when i started wondering what to do) my son has never had an infection and seems totally fine with the fact that he looks different from daddy, but he is still young. my hubby and i have had many a conversation about who is right and who is wrong...its really hard i feel like the only reason he cares is because when he was in school it was not "cool" to be uncirced but that is not the case now. he used to make fun of boys in the locker room and now he is afraid that some kids will do the sam to his children.
i think it is harder for us as parents to let go of the stigma and make a medically rational decision. it is controversial because the fathers and mothers of these little boys were either the bullys in the locker room/bedroom or the ones getting bullied.
It seem that half the people hear have done there home work, while the other half would still rather only believe than to truly know truth, the truth of the matter is we live in a time where people will kill and torture each-other over nothing more then for what they believe in, when do people wake-up from this dark age and say no more! when dose man kind evolve past his violent past of wars,hatred,and disrespect for life the way life was meant to be, we live in a world of plenty yet act as children fighting over who will get the biggest piece of pie, only to find that your eyes wore bigger than your stomach and that there wore some who did not get any, every day in the U.S. 100s of intersex baby's are born and mutilated to look more like girls, this is as wrong as wrong can be, the last thing a baby need is his or her or there intersex body parts to be mutilated on, we all start out the same sex, and some are born that way, nature does not draw a line between male or female,today nether shall we. www.mgmbill.org
I've read all the comments and I wish to say that as a circumsized GAY male of 60 some odd years, and having had a live-in partner for 31 years, both being monogamus, I don't regret having been snipped. Both my partner and I always enjoyed the 'prettiness' of the cut penis. Sure, a personal opinion, but definitely, for us, a more sensuous look, much cleaner and neither of us ever felt we were lacking in sensitivity. When it came to watching porn we preferred the cut models. I truly feel that there are circumsized men who feel exactly as we do and therefore wonder just what is the big deal? If you're cut at birth you don't know any different and vice-versa. Certainly it's better to have been cut at birth than in later years but let's face it...gay or straight, circumcision is a choice of THE PARENTS, right or wrong, whether for religious reasons or other reasons. It's neither barbaric or necessary but if done in hospital there is nothing wrong with being shorn of the foreskin. There's nothing wrong with keeping it either. As one grows up it can become a personal choice to either be snipped or surgically have the foreskin be reattached. Such a hoopla over all this I simply do not understand. Our parents certainly will do what they THINK and FEEL is best for their child. They shouldn't be made to fret over cut or uncut. It's a choice people, get over it!
I am not circumcisied and if I don't wash my penis everyday a smell and fungus appears. Men who don't have foreskin never have to worry about this problem. What about having sex with your wife or girlfriend she refuses oral sex because of the smell under the foreskin.
One case-study: As a single, 33 yo female physician, I have had more than a few sexual partners in my search for Mr. Right. I can tell you with certainty, an uncircumcised male has a malodor, the erection is not as complete, and there is a very high incidence of the partner's developing BV, candidiasis, or a UTI. (All snickers aside about risks of unprotected sex and promiscuity, this "field" study should not be disregarded)
I am a 79 year old male and has never been circumcise. I have never had a kidney infection or urinary tract infection. There has never been a problem with proper hygiene. My sex life has been fine. I (so far) have never had a problem getting a erection or in keeping one. If we were to subscribe to the theory that if you don't have a foreskin then you will never have a penial infection then women should at birth have there breast remove there by preventing them getting a infection of the breast or cancer of the breast.
Wow! What a lot of reasoning! When my son was born in 1973 it was the norm to perform a circe - I refused vehemently for my boy. In my family being cut has caused problems from too much skin being removed causing painful tears when an erection would be 'exercised'!
Aside from this it has been my experience that whether a penis is circumsized or not has little do do with cleanliness, rather it has to do with the proper training of 'the other brain'.
I too preffer the extra play of an uncirumcised penis.
If you believe that God has created us, you must do as He says! He has ordered circumcision!And if you argue that if He had wanted it, He would have created us the way he wanted, I would say it's a test...are you going to obey his order or not? You can't put religion aside as you have mentioned in your article...because these are the orders of our creator! He knows better than any human scientist! How many orders has He given and were later proven to be true by scientists?? You have even mentioned an example: " uncircumcised men seem to contract HIV more often than circumcised men" How could you then claim that it is unnecessary?!!
These days, in the USA at least, circumcision is the infant's first cruel introduction to HAZING. Parents are supposed to have an instinct to PROTECT their childern; where does that instinct go while the baby is screaming in pain because the parents think they're smarter than God?
Dr. Rod Moser, Your article is an interesting read.You have failed to dicuss the subject from purely scientific view, based on evidence based medicine. I guess the religious aspect has been a heavy agenda in your denial of the same.
You have nicely wrapped up the issue, but I guess this will go on and on till the evolution removes this vestigeal skin.
As for the safety, I have done nearly 5000 cicumcisions in Saudi Arabia where I was trained to do so as an RMO. i Aways used the plastibell by Hollister. In Holy Family Hospital in Pakistan, I did about 1000 with GOMCO CLAMP.
Sir I can assure you that I didnt have a single problem except an occasional bleed, which was simply taken care of.
Whats more, all these cicumcisions were done without anaesthesia and infant was sent home after he had passed urine. I have followed a lot of those kids and it all looks fine and satisfactory....and yes..no regrets.
Simply an article of faith for us muslims and jews.
Ah, well, thankfully it is still a choice we parents can make. My husband is circumcised, as is our son. My husband said there was no question in his mind that we would have the procedure done for our son, and he himself is glad his parents had it done for him (as this was the mid-60s, it was pretty much automatic where he was born, anyway). As a wife, I also am personally very glad his parents opted in favor of it, as I expect our son's future wife will be.
We would do it over again if we had to, and we would encourage our children to have it done when they become parents.
As far as the pain of circumcision, I am circle-ized as my brothers and I playfully referred to it as boys, and I have no recollection of that pain as a lasting and damaging psychosis.
There were 4 of us boys. Mom and Dad went 50 50 on us for the procedure. 2 of us, 1 of each, are divorced and the other 2 are happily married. So as far as it being a catalyst for being screwed up in relationships- we're all equally in that boat- That relationship aspect has more to do with what partners have between the ears and communicating with our mates than a hood or a helmet below the belt.
I was born in December of 1951 and (thankfully) my parents decided to let me be entirely whole. Never had a problem and hopefully never will. As a child, I DID feel that I was 'different' because Mr. Happy did not look like everyone elses but soon found out that there might have been a benefit. Larger girth without the use of applainces or drugs.
I left my own son alone I I hope that he does the same. No medical need for 'the cut' anymore.
I was not circumcised because my mother said it looked like it would hurt too much so I had to endure urine stained underwear(the foreskin retains urine) and recurrent infections when I failed to clean it properly.
Then we I was old enough to have sex it was painful because when the foreskin retracted it felt like a rubber band on the end of my penis.
I finally had it done in my early twenties which involved an expensive hospital stay and a painful two week recuperation period but now I enjoy a clean penis and great sex!
Note that the 2 week re-cuperation period experienced with men is not as long in newborns as that time period happens to coincide with the time when the child has a naturally high clotting and hemoglobin factor and stops bleeding and heals faster...
This IS medical FACT.
What do you call the useless skin around the penis?
A man.
(LOL. I couldn't resist telling that joke.)
Seriously, nothing is more shocking or disgusting than an uncircumcised penis! Anyone that says they are happy they were not circumcised is lying. Thats just what they have to tell themself to cope with having a freak penis.
Some idiot about 5 messages back called it "hazing" please- that is just a pure and ignorant comment. Please make some kind of argument with scientific or study related results before you spew your verbal feces on a blog.
How do you leap from "parents not protecting their children" to the assumption that is "hazing"...
Someone please give that person a library card and please use it!
I'm Norwegian, born while my parents were in the US in 1970 - I was clipped automatically without my parents' consent, consultation, or even their knowledge. When my mother changed my diaper at two days old she saw the bandage & bleeding and pretty much lost it. The nurse was very flippant and said, "think of it as a piece of him is already in Heaven - it's like having your foot in the door".
In my teens there were 300 guys in gym class; I was the only one without a foreskin, and got a lot of Jewish jokes - it must have been the light blond hair & deep blue eyes :-)...
Since the 1980s the governments of the five Scandinavian nations have issued warnings to all females of child-bearing age to be aware of the US practice & advise the doctor firmly & frequently if they give birth to a boy and don't want him clipped.
The governments issue the advisory when the women are travelling to the US & give birth while here, I mean
I honestly cannot believe there are porple in this day and age supporting circumcsion of newborn males It is is an unnecessary cosmetic surgery. For women to say it is more attractive, then they must be extremely shallow individuals. Would you submit your infant to a nose job because it wasn't to your personal liking? Of course not! For starters, he may be your child, but it isn't your body. No one should be entitle to make that decision for another human except the person himself when he gets to an age of consent. We are talking about taking away someone's choice. How ironic that we are horrified about female circumcision, yet go to bat to support male circumcsion based on on inaccurate archaic information. The practice should be outlawed for all unless there is a specific medical reason.
When my son was born, I bowed down to the religious mores of my family and had him circumcised. Since then I have done more research and actively regret my actions to this day. A person's genitalia is an extremely personal thing and should be left to the beholder to keep or alter as they see fit. This is even more true in the case of hermaphrodites. Instead of doctors arbitrarily deciding an hermaphrodite should be male or female by the appearance of their abnormal genitalia, they should employ a simple genetic typing first. This is sure to read XX or XY and THEN, and only then, should surgery be considered to give the baby the genitalia appropriate to its genetically determined gender. Should we take this a step further and say no to fixing dogs' ears or lopping off their tales, just for aesthetic appearances? Yes, absolutely. What about tattoos and piercings? No, again that is a personal thing. The point is to leave it up to the beholder to alter the bod they were born with, whether they are human or not. And to my son, I am sorry, very sorry, that I took this decision out of your hands. I hope it does not negatively impact your life and that someday you will have a son and understand and forgive me.
My brother is upset at my mom for being "clipped". He chose not to circ his son and I did not circ my son, either. I felt that if female circumcision was genital mutilation, that there should be equal rights.
My promiscuous friend notes that un circ'ed men are more sensitive sexually and she would never circumcise a boy.
I have two sons, both circumcised. Without my knowledge or permission, or that of my husband. It was just done in the hospital and I was informed after the fact. They are 51 and 45 years old. I was ignorant enough to think that it was just a common medical practice that had to be done. Wow! The things the medical community has gotten away with all these years makes the mind boggle, doesn't it?
I'm a woman, so as far as sensitivity goes, I can't report one way or the other. I've only been with one man (just got lucky on the first try, not a religious thing) and being circumsized he's in favor of the cut. However, in highschool I had a couple of male friends who were un-cut. In my region atleast we're fairly open about our sexuality, and the topic came up in conversation more than once. Neither of them had any complaints, be it hygenic or dealing with girlfriends. One became rather ticked off when asked if he'd ever get circumsized.
I'm in college now, and there's actually an on-campus group dedicated to circumcision awareness and its effects upon the penis, I kid you not.
I've noticed that a lot of these postings seem to be from older women (no offense). These guys I'm talking about are in their late teens and early twenties, most probably sexually active (it is college), and a good chunk of the circumcised guys are not happy about their surgery being done without their consent.
I'm not professing a view either way; I don't have a penis (and if you really give a damn about a guy what his dick looks like shouldn't matter, or any other physical attribute). I'm just reporting on my age group.
(if this message pops up five times I'm sorry, I've never blogged and the page with my message and that damn verification box keeps popping back up)
At age 10 I could not urinate normally nor uncover the head of the penis. I was circumcised at age 10 fully awake, on a Doctor's table, with only a local anesthetic -- that I can assure you was inadequate! Given HPV, our knowledge of the statistical origin of most cervical cancer, and any common sense at all only total fools fail to have thir boys circumcised.
My 2 sons are NOT circumsized just like their dad. They are 3 and 6 and have never had a urinary tract infection and their dad showed them how to keep their 'pickles' clean. Personally for me, cut or uncut never made a difference for me sexually!
I'm 31 and not circumcized. I have 3 brothers and none of us were. I've never experienced any ridicule or embarrassment from it. I have never had any complications or problems. I am a little more sensitive than what I assume those that are circumcized are in the head area of the penis. I LOVE IT! And now that I'm married... it's a wonderful thing! I have heard of cases where the skin is almost chocking the penis, fortunately, that's not my case, even with a 3-inch girth.
I won't be circumcizing my children if God so blesses me with boys.
Thank you for the information doctor. And it's great to see so many different views and beliefs.
Have you ever seen a circumcision performed on an infant? Check out youtube.com, it is an eye opener. Many places use little to no anesthesia. They strap the child down, both arms and legs and then cut off the skin. Would you do this to yourself or even a family pet without putting them to sleep to ease the pain? Probably not! So why do it to our male children? You may argue that they cannot remember it, but are you sure? A children can remember smells and faces at an early age, although 30 years later they cannot tell you about those experiences. Does that really mean they don't remember it? I think we do not realize the trama we are causing our children. It is his body, shouldn't he be able to make the choice for himself when he is older and more informed. I have read the posts saying that older men experienced great discomfort having the surgery, well guess what... the baby does too!
I am a 29 year old un-cut male who had a condition at birth where the foreskin attatched to the penis head and did not allow a circ. to be performed. I am just fine with that. My penis has grown (no pun intended) to look "mighty attractive" says my wife. I have had NO problems with infections because I like showers. lol. There is probably some sexual benefits that you helmet heads might be missing..or visa versa! No complaints so far from my wife of 7 years that is 7 mo. pregnant! If anyone needs a skin graft in the future....i can donate.
i am 29 and am not circ. all girls i have slept with have no problems with an uncirc penis and seem to be more attracted to it
the comment that a woman wont date an uncircumcised man is total BS! Do you walk up to a man you are interested in and ask "are you circumcised?" My husband and his 3 brothers are not, and my brother-in-laws have absolutely no problem getting girls! I bet if you don't sleep with a man on your first date, then you might not know until you fall in love. Then what, he drops his pants to @#$% you and you see his penis and you say "oh... i thought you were circumcised... we can't have sex now..." and then you put on your whore clothes and go home?
For those who say that circumcision has medical benefits, you are just flat out wrong. The American Medical Association has studied it extensively and conclusively stated that there are no health benefits. They would not take this position if any of the reports of decreased infection or cancer were true. (Penile cancer, BTW is one of the rarest in the world - have you ever heard of anyone who had it?)
Men who have foreskins usually appreciate them. Just like the clitoris has a hood to keep it from being chafed, the head of the penis has a foreskin. Without it, the skin needs to thicken and lose sensitivity to handle the constant exposure. Also, the foreskin is very sensitive skin (with more nerve endings than any other part of the penis) that expands and covers the whole shaft when erect. When it's gone, it's replaced by a scar and skin is pulled from the stomach to cover the penis during an erection.
It's true that circumcized men are not ruined for life. But it's very clear that the decision is a toss up, made primarily for cosmetic or cultural reasons. This is proven by the fact that the vast majority of men in the world are not cut. The surgery can just as easily be done in adulthood. So, let your son make the decision for himself when he gets older. If he decides you should have cut off he can fix it, but if he decides you shouldn't have it's too late.
I think you are doing a disservice to males and their mothers making them more apprehensive than they should be about this procedure.
I think you should think about the diseases that could be spread by an uncircumcised penis before giving your personal and political opinions about God.
Most males I know and many females first off think an uncircumcised penis is more "scary" and uglier than a circumcised one. As a homosexual male, I find many guys squeemish about an uncircumcised penis because it may be dirty. Many older guys do not clean them as they should so they can spread viruses and diseases to men and women in the sexual act, whatever they may be.
Also, I have seen many that do not allow the head to come all the way out or hurt when erect. This can cause pain as well as sometimes catch urine in the foreskin which can cause infections and pass them on.
The scare of HIV is a lot more prevelant than you think or care to discuss in America as well as Africa. If a small surgery with painkiller can stop the spread of HIV in the United States as well as the world, it is a small price to pay for the benefit to men and women worldwide.
If there's a small bit of pain even with anesthesia, then so be it. We all will suffer some pain in our lives, big deal.
Instead of turning this into a political game, think of the benefit to the man not when he's five or six but when he's 18 or 30 etc.
Thank you for allowing me to offer my opinion.
I am a 39 year old male and I am not circumcised. When I was in my teens there were times I had wished I was circumcised just so i can be like my peers. But now, at my age...I don't think it really matters, in fact, I have met women that liked it; some have even said it was a turn on.
But people who masturbate/have intercourse often are prone to infections due to uncleansiness, so it would be more practical for one if you do.