Men - What Is Your Circumcision Status - How Do You Feel About IT

[Danny]

This was a decision we had to make with our first baby boy - there was a debate at the time among our friends and others in the 80s about which way was the best.
We finally decided it was best to do the cut
The women found it more to their liking...and well I've always thought if the women we knew liked it than you want to have what they like...and besides I was already that way and why wouldn't you want to have the man child be the same as you... and there was some thought at the time that uncircumcised guys had more health issues

 

[Marshac]

My college roommate's member had some issues- his 'sheath' (his name for it) wasn't growing large enough or something, and would crack, bleed, and cause him pain. He was circumcised freshmen year, and pretty much stayed in bed for days popping percocet after the surgery. Once he was able to walk around, he kept complaining about the sensation of his pants rubbing.... he didn't understand how 'cut' guys could deal with it. Eventually he became desensitized and was ok... walking to class was no longer the problem it had been.

He liked his 'sheath' prior to surgery, although once he had it sliced off, he never seemed to lament its loss... even after going through several 'girlfriends' freshmen year, the summer after freshmen year, sophomore year, etc. Was it better with? He never really said, although he was the type of guy that would have said something if it was. On the bright side, should he wish to recant his sinful ways and convert to Judaism, the hard part is over with.

 

[cube_rat]

Dan Tien? Is that you?

 

[HFWR]

A cut above...

 

[astromeria]

My first husband wasn't, second husband was. It's all good 8) :

 

[Nords]

This was a decision we had to make with our first baby boy - there was a debate at the time among our friends and others in the 80s about which way was the best.

Sorry, I'm gonna have to go with the evidence-based-medicine results on this one. It seems a little hypocritical to get into an uproar over the third world's "equivalent" female mutilation while accepting that this is somehow "good" for guys.

Rich, any idea where we'd find the data?

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Sorry, I'm gonna have to go with the evidence-based-medicine results on this one. It seems a little hypocritical to get into an uproar over the third world's "equivalent" female mutilation while accepting that this is somehow "good" for guys.

Rich, any idea where we'd find the data?

To quote Jack Bennie, oh, cut it out.

Astro got it right: it's all good. Here is a chapter from a standard medical text (Shoemaker, C., UTDOL, 8/06), edited by me for brevity. Bottom line, no big deal either way. The hygiene thing influences a lot of parents.


BENEFITS

Reduction of urinary tract infection — Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are uncommon in males; the greatest risk is in male infants less than one year of age. All studies have demonstrated that uncircumcised boys have an increased risk of UTI, averaging three to twelve-fold higher than in circumcised boys...

Penile cancer — Squamous cell cancer of the penis is a rare disease; the age-adjusted incidence in the United States is less than 1 per 100,000 males, comparable to other developed countries ... The rate of penile cancer is at least three-fold higher among uncircumcised men [16,17]; in such men, the risk of penile cancer may be as high as 1 in 600. Neonatal, more than adult, circumcision appears to protect against this disorder ...

Cervical cancer in partners — Cervical cancer may be more common in the sexual partners of uncircumcised men. In one study, as an example, sex with either uncircumcised men or men circumcised after infancy increased the risk of cervical cancer four-fol. Since virtually all cervical cancer is associated with persistent human papillomavirus infection (HPV), one link between this cancer and lack of male circumcision appears to be a higher risk for acquiring or transmitting HPV infection in uncircumcised men ...


Reduction in penile inflammation — Penile problems such as meatitis and balanitis (ie, inflammation of the glans) can develop whether or not circumcision has been performed. Most, but not all, studies describe these problems more often in uncircumcised men

Chronic inflammation may cause scarring and secondary phimosis (ie, nonretractile foreskin), which sometimes requires surgical intervention...

Reduction in infection — The literature describing the relationship between circumcision and sexually transmitted infections (eg, syphilis, gonorrhea, herpes simplex) generally suggests that circumcision protects against these diseases [34,35], although contradictory data exist [36]. ...

Most reports have described a reduction in the risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in circumcised men [37,38]. A review of 30 epidemiological studies, as an example, found an increased risk of HIV infection among uncircumcised men ranging from 1.5 to 8.4 in the 22 series that showed a significant association [37]. Methodological problems with these studies may have overestimated the causal relationship [38,39]. However, a subsequent trial in Africa randomly assigned 18 to 24 year old men to a group who would be offered circumcision (intervention group) or to a group not offered circumcision (controls) [40]. The intervention group had 60 percent (range 32 to 76 percent) fewer new HIV infections over 18 months follow-up than the control group [40]. The investigators controlled for behavioral factors, condom use, and health-seeking behaviour. ...

Easier hygiene ...

RISKS — The rate of procedure related complications is approximately 2 per 1000 cases, with most of these problems readily treatable and causing no long-term effects. Unsatisfactory cosmetic results (too little or too much skin removed) is a common complaint....

Infection — Infection occurs in up to 10 percent of patients after circumcision [44]. It is usually mild and manifested by local inflammatory changes, which resolve with local treatment. However, ulceration, suppuration, or sepsis may occur and require systemic antibiotics and surgical debridement...

CONTROVERSIES — Every segment of society has an opinion regarding circumcision [1,2,54]. Small but vocal groups have proposed the theory that all men who are circumcised may be emotionally harmed but are unable to recognize their feelings. Other groups oppose circumcision on a human rights basis, saying the infant is not allowed to decide whether or not he wants to be circumcised [54]. Still others believe the procedure decreases sexual pleasure [55].

The medical community also has had varied opinions on male circumcision that are frequently updated and clarified as new information becomes available.

* The American Academy of Pediatrics, in its 1984 position paper, stated, "Newborn (male) circumcision has potential medical benefits and advantages as well as disadvantages and risks" [3]. As with many public health issues, risks of male circumcision are thought to be low and short-term while the potential advantages are considerable and long-term (such as protection against future diseases).

* The Canadian Paediatric Society issued a clinical practice guideline in 1996 which stated "The overall evidence of the benefits and harms of circumcision is so evenly balanced that it does not support recommending circumcision as a routine procedure for newborns" [9].

* In 1999 the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) established another task force to evaluate the medical research, ethics, and other issues related to circumcision of the male infant and concluded that "existing scientific evidence demonstrates potential medical benefits of newborn male circumcision, but the data was not sufficient to recommend routine neonatal circumcision. To make an informed choice, parents of all male infants should be given accurate and unbiased information and be provided the opportunity to discuss this decision" [4].

 

[Nords]

Thanks, Rich! If I had to do it all over again I wonder if I'd have the same decision made for me...

I don't think that I'm particularly squeamish, but there's just somethng so wrong about the juxtaposition of the words "penis" and "surgical intervention"...

 

[HFWR]

Sorry, I'm gonna have to go with the evidence-based-medicine results on this one.  It seems a little hypocritical to get into an uproar over the third world's "equivalent" female mutilation while accepting that this is somehow "good" for guys.

Rich, any idea where we'd find the data?

Not sure they're equivalent, unless, of course, your "surgical intervention" was performed by Dr. Lorena Bobbett...

 

[riskadverse]

I can't remember, I'll bet I didn't feel so good about it at the time.

 

[maddythebeagle]

Penile problems such as meatitis.......

sounds like some 3rd graders came up with the name for that condition.....

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

sounds like some 3rd graders came up with the name for that condition.....

Never thought of it that way.

Urethral Meatus ("me-ay'-tis") = opening

 

[FlowGirl]

Our little boy is due in 4 months and won't be getting cut. Aside from the fact that its normal in our families and I've never heard an uncircumcised man complain, I figure we can always change our mind in one direction but not the other.

 

[pfpelican]

My dad complained.  Way too late.  At about age 80, uncut, he developed a number of problems and had to have the foreskin removed.   

pp

 

[FlowGirl]

Heh Heh. I met a woman once whose son had a botched circumcision as an infant. Talk about ouch! Thankfully I think either way you decide to go complications are relatively rare. 80 years of use doesn't sound so bad to me.

In any case I've heard that one of the major problems with uncut boys is that doctors don't know how to take care of them. From what I've been reading, unless you can stop them, most pediatricians do forcibile retractions in order to: "just check whats underneath." This can cause all kinds of infections, adhesions, and scarring which later leads to the need to remove the foreskin.

 

[Arif]

When my son was born they took him away to do the circumcision and when they returned the doctor intern said he didn't cry at all. I though man, I've got a trooper on my hand. Well when we get home and remove the bandage it wasn't cut so we made an appointment later to get it done. He had the operation which lasted all of 30 minutes max. He still has more foreskin than I think is considered circumcised but I wouldn't put him through that again. The next cut will be his choice.

 

[grumpy]

For over 5000 years my male ancestors have all been circumcised. I respect the tradition.

Grumpy

 

[Mwsinron]

Not like I had much of choice. Im sure I screamed bloody murder

 

[haha]

I was never surgically circumsized. But sometime in my teen years, it spent so much time out that it just never went back.

So now, I am functionally circumsized.  I am also havinga gin and tonic, or I probably would not post this.

Ha

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

I was never surgically circumsized. But sometime in my teen years, it spent so much time out that it just never went back.

So now, I am functionally circumsized.  I am also havinga gin and tonic, or I probably would not post this.

There's always shrinkage to worry about (a la George Costanza on Seinfeld's classic episode).

 

[Outtahere]

I hosted a chat on this subject a few years ago. Needless to say it was an interesting chat but in my research for information I found that there are men out there actually having the "operation" reversed.

 

[azanon]

I was circumcised and wish i hadn't been. Ive read sex is more pleasurable uncircumcised, and that being circumcised causes a lot of desensitization (sp?).

Azanon

 

[cube_rat]

How about a poll about how women feel about cut or uncut penises?

As a red blooded, American female, I prefer mine cut and clean. Nothing is worse than having to peel a banana in bed. Sort of kills the mood

 

[ladelfina]

If you're doing it right, you shouldn't have to "peel" it.. in my experience it's 'self-peeling'..

I like the uncut.. more 'variety' for me (and, I think, for them). Also sexier and more rustic/authentic somehow (but that's just me). I also like men with body hair and get creeped out by the shiny waxed pecs that are supposed to be "buff".. can't figure those out.

I'm pretty sure the glans is indeed more sensitive by virtue of being covered. Ever had a Band-Aid on your finger for a long time and noticed how much different the sensation is underneath when you've taken it off?

 

[yelnad]

My DH is cut, but my first husband wasn't. They both work

We have talked about this and will choose not to circumsize our male children.