Male Circumcision
What is it?
Male circumcision is a medical procedure in which the foreskin of the penis is surgically removed, exposing the glans or the "head" of the penis. You may wish to check out our section on anatomy for more diagrams.
What is the history of circumcision?
Male circumcision has a long history and was probably started as a religious practice. It is discussed in passages of the Bible. Circumcision is required among certain religions, such as traditional Judaism, unless there is a health concern or medical reason not to do it. Other religions have varying ideas concerning circumcision. Some sects of Christianity are against circumcision, while others advocate it. It is also viewed differently in different cultures. In the United States, this surgery used to be very common, taking place shortly after birth, but it is less common today than in 1970. However, it is still more common in America than in Europe and the rest of the world.
What are the health benefits of circumcision?
Bacterial infection is less common in the circumcised penis because there are not as many places for bacteria to accumulate and grow. Interestingly, it may be easier for uncircumcised males to contract many STD's, including HIV compared with circumcised males. You can read more about the circumcision's health benefits here. However, the advantage of circumcision is very small; condoms offer much better protection against STD's than going under the knife. Special attention to hygiene and washing habits are less critical for the circumcised male than for the uncircumcised man. In uncircumcised males, dead skin cells and oil get trapped under the foreskin to form a white or yellow cheesy substance called smegma. Smegma can cause the foreskin to become stuck to the head of the penis. This makes retraction of the foreskin difficult and painful, making erections painful during masturbation and sexual activity.
Almost everyone I know is circumcised, is it okay not to be?
Yes! There are actually some benefits to being uncircumcised, both medically and sexually. Your foreskin can be a part of your body for you to enjoy and feel good about. Some men claim that the large number of nerves on the foreskin increases sexual pleasure. Keep in mind, however, that it is nearly impossible to determine whether uncircumcised males experience more pleasure than circumcised men simply because it is difficult to compare different people's sensations.
What about Female Circumcision?
Some people may compare female circumcision to male circumcision, but the comparison is not valid. Female circumcision is an incredibly painful process, ranging from removing the clitoral hood, to removing both the clitoral hood and the clitoris, to removing all external female genitalia and stitching together the vaginal opening. These procedures are usually done without anesthetics or hygienic conditions at an age where the girls can remember the pain. Female circumcision greatly decreases pleasure in almost all women. It is viewed as a way to keep women "pure" before their marriage and an important rite of passage. You can read more about female circumcision here.
So what does all this mean?
Male circumcision is a controversial issue: Some people believe that there are more benefits to having the foreskin removed, while others feel that it is better to leave it intact. Most doctors recommend circumcision at an early age to prevent medical problems in the future. Others claim that circumcision is painful and barbaric. For more information about circumcision, read the Center for Disease Control's fact sheet on circumcision.
Updated 9/21/07