Benefits of circumcision
- Eliminates the risk of phimosis, which affects 1 in 10 teenage boys and men. This condition refers to a tight foreskin that cannot be pulled back fully, so making cleaning under it, and passing urine, difficult and painful.
- Reduces by 3-fold the risk of inflammation and infection of the skin of the penis. One in 10 uncircumcised men suffer from inflammation of the head of the penis and foreskin at some times in their lives.
- Substantially reduces the risk of urinary tract infections and consequent renal complications.
- Over 20-fold decrease in risk of invasive penile cancer which has a high fatality rate. One in 600 uncircumcised men get penile cancer, which often requires penile amputation or disfiguring surgery leading to impaired penile function.
- Significant studies suggest that uncircumcised men have one and a half to two times the risk of prostate cancer, which affects one in six men.
- Reduces by approximately 3 to 7 fold the risk of getting HIV (AIDS), during sex with an infected woman. HIV enters via the vulnerable inner lining of the foreskin of a healthy penis, but can also infect via sores anywhere on the penis (caused for example by genital herpes, balanitis or inflammation). The man’s risk, especially if uncircumcised will be greater if he engages in unsafe sex with individuals at high risk for HIV infection. Condoms should always be used irrespective of circumcision status.
- Circumcission also affords substantial protection against thrush, as well as sexually transmitted infections such as papilloma (wart) virus, syphilis and chancroid.
- Circumcision reduces up to 5 times the risk of the man’s female partner being infected by chlamidya and similarly, by 5 times the risk of her getting cervical cancer (which is caused by human papillomavirus). The load of infectious bacteria and viruses that accumulate under the foreskin is delivered into the female genital tract during sex.
- Up to 10% of males reaching adulthood uncircumcised will later require circumcision for medical reasons. Many are reluctant to go ahead with this or are incorrectly advised to ‘put up’ with the problem rather than have a circumcision. Early elective circumcision eliminates these problems before they occur.
- Credible research shows that most women prefer the appearance of the circumcised penis. They also prefer it for sexual activity. Hygiene is one reason; increased penile and vaginal contact and stimulation is another.
Risks and recovery after circumcision
- All surgery involves some risk, but in western countries risks from circumcision in men and teens are low, and are lower still for infant circumcisions. Around 2-3% of men circumcised by experienced practitioners will have minor complication such as bleeding or infection. Each is easily treated. Often what some report as local infection is actually part of the normal healing process. The risk of serious injury is extremely rare.
- Circumcision is not advised for men with a bleeding disorder such as hemophilla. If it is medically necessary, it will require a specialised team of physicians.
- After surgery there is some swelling, which will resolve within a few weeks. Healing is not compelte until the sutures dissolve. This usually occurs within 4 weeks, after which sexual activity may be resumed. Final cosmetic appearance takes longer.
- A local anaesthetic (plus a mild sedative) is usually preferable for a circumcision, but some surgeons will insist on a general, depening in part on the circumcision technique they use. An oral analgesic medication is often prescribed for pain relief after the anaesthetic wears off, but many men find it unnecessary. Often there is very little post-operative discomfort and normal activities can be resumed after 24 hours.
