Circumcision, A Painful Choice
John is sleeping soundly in his little bed with a full belly, wrapped snuggly in his blanket, dreaming of his mothers arms. A middle aged woman in scrubs comes in and wheels him off down the hall, nodding at John’s nervous mother as she leaves. Moments later, he is scooped up and awoken from his sleep. The strange woman quickly unwraps him, places him on a table and straps his legs and arms down. The doctor comes in and places a clamp on John’s penis stretching his foreskin to near tearing. As the doctor begins to cut his sensitive skin, John loses consciousness. It is the only thing his brain can do to cope with the pain. After the procedure is done, John is rolled back into his room feeling scared and confused, desperately crying for his mothers comfort. His mother picks him up and offers him her breast. The pain was so overwhelming that he can not eat, he can only close his eyes and sleep it all away. This sounds like a paragraph from a terrifying science fiction novel but, it’s not. This is the story of the thousands of newborn boys who are circumcised every year, in the U.S. The American Academy of Pediatrics has concluded that the “potential medical benefits” of routine infant circumcision aren’t significant enough and therefore, they no longer recommend it as a routine procedure. Yet, the U.S, is one of very few countries that still routinely circumcises their boys, while 82% of the worlds men are left intact. In this article, I will discuss the dangers of circumcision and the importance of leaving our boys intact.
What is the Foreskin and what does it do?
The foreskin is not just a useless flap of skin on the end of the penis. It is a complex structure that has many functions. The foreskin is made up of two layers, the outer foreskin and the inner foreskin. The outer foreskin layer is a continuation of the skin on the shaft of the penis. The inner foreskin layer is made up of a unique type of mucocutaneous tissue that can not be found anywhere else on the body. There is a rigid band that connects the two layers. When the penis is not erect it tightens to narrow the opening. During an erection the band will open to allow the foreskin to retract. There are variations to the length of the foreskin, covering more or less of the head of the penis also known as the glans.
The foreskin functions as a protective barrier throughout the males life. It also provides moisturizer and lubrication. During the first 3-5 years of life the foreskin remains tightly closed around the glans. This serves two functions, to allow for the development of the mucosal tissues and to protect the glans from feces and ammonia in the diaper. As the child potty learns the foreskin will loosen and become retractable this will enable the boy to clean the entire head of his penis during bathing. You should never force the foreskin to retract, this can damage the sensitive tissues of the inner foreskin and can be painful for the child.
Along with it’s protective functions the foreskin also serves as an important part of the males sexual function. The tissues of the foreskin are filled with erogenous sensors adding sensitivity and increased pleasure. The extra tissue provides sufficient skin cover for an erection, aids in penetration and reduces friction during intercourse.
Why do some still choose to circumcise?
Today the most common reasons for circumcision are religious. The origins of circumcision date back some 15,000 years. It was depicted on the walls of Egyptian tombs and described countless times in the old testament. There are some parents that choose to circumcise for social reasons, such as the fear that the child will be ridiculed by peers for looking different and the desire for the child to “look” like the father. There are few medical reasons to circumcise but these would include disease or infection of the foreskin, and a desire to protect from infection. Some doctors believe erroneously that circumcision protects against sexually transmitted disease and cancer and recommend that the foreskin be removed as early as possible. It is important to understand that circumcision is painful for the child. All babies cry uncontrollably and some even loss consciousness due to the pain. It is a very bloody procedure and there have been many reports of massive hemorrhage and deformation of the penis due to complications.
Despite the fear and misunderstandings, there are many benefits to keeping the foreskin intact. Most parents believe that the circumcised penis is cleaner and are unaware that the intact penis requires no extra care. The foreskins main function in the first years of life is to prevent infection from feces and urine. It is simple to gently clean the genitals with warm water and soap during diaper changes and baths. As the boy grows (and his foreskin naturally retracts) he can be taught to gently pull back on the foreskin and rinse with water, the foreskin will fall back in place. The role that the foreskin plays in sexuality can not be ignored and in my opinion is the most important reason to keep the foreskin intact. It has been said that men who are left intact are more sensitive and experience more pleasurable orgasms. I have talked with many men both circumcised and uncircumcised. Some of the circumcised men expressed that they felt that their sexual pleasure was compromised without their consent. All of the uncircumcised men I spoke to said that they were very grateful that they were left intact and able to experience sex to it’s fullest.
As a society we need to seriously reevaluate this painful and unnecessary procedure. Hundreds of thousands of boys are being modified against their consent and many are left scarred and deformed, some may even die from complications. I believe that the choice to be circumcised should be left to the man when he is old enough to understand the risks involved with the procedure. Leaving our sons intact is the greatest gift we can give them as parents.
What is the Foreskin and what does it do?
The foreskin is not just a useless flap of skin on the end of the penis. It is a complex structure that has many functions. The foreskin is made up of two layers, the outer foreskin and the inner foreskin. The outer foreskin layer is a continuation of the skin on the shaft of the penis. The inner foreskin layer is made up of a unique type of mucocutaneous tissue that can not be found anywhere else on the body. There is a rigid band that connects the two layers. When the penis is not erect it tightens to narrow the opening. During an erection the band will open to allow the foreskin to retract. There are variations to the length of the foreskin, covering more or less of the head of the penis also known as the glans.
The foreskin functions as a protective barrier throughout the males life. It also provides moisturizer and lubrication. During the first 3-5 years of life the foreskin remains tightly closed around the glans. This serves two functions, to allow for the development of the mucosal tissues and to protect the glans from feces and ammonia in the diaper. As the child potty learns the foreskin will loosen and become retractable this will enable the boy to clean the entire head of his penis during bathing. You should never force the foreskin to retract, this can damage the sensitive tissues of the inner foreskin and can be painful for the child.
Along with it’s protective functions the foreskin also serves as an important part of the males sexual function. The tissues of the foreskin are filled with erogenous sensors adding sensitivity and increased pleasure. The extra tissue provides sufficient skin cover for an erection, aids in penetration and reduces friction during intercourse.
Why do some still choose to circumcise?
Today the most common reasons for circumcision are religious. The origins of circumcision date back some 15,000 years. It was depicted on the walls of Egyptian tombs and described countless times in the old testament. There are some parents that choose to circumcise for social reasons, such as the fear that the child will be ridiculed by peers for looking different and the desire for the child to “look” like the father. There are few medical reasons to circumcise but these would include disease or infection of the foreskin, and a desire to protect from infection. Some doctors believe erroneously that circumcision protects against sexually transmitted disease and cancer and recommend that the foreskin be removed as early as possible. It is important to understand that circumcision is painful for the child. All babies cry uncontrollably and some even loss consciousness due to the pain. It is a very bloody procedure and there have been many reports of massive hemorrhage and deformation of the penis due to complications.
Despite the fear and misunderstandings, there are many benefits to keeping the foreskin intact. Most parents believe that the circumcised penis is cleaner and are unaware that the intact penis requires no extra care. The foreskins main function in the first years of life is to prevent infection from feces and urine. It is simple to gently clean the genitals with warm water and soap during diaper changes and baths. As the boy grows (and his foreskin naturally retracts) he can be taught to gently pull back on the foreskin and rinse with water, the foreskin will fall back in place. The role that the foreskin plays in sexuality can not be ignored and in my opinion is the most important reason to keep the foreskin intact. It has been said that men who are left intact are more sensitive and experience more pleasurable orgasms. I have talked with many men both circumcised and uncircumcised. Some of the circumcised men expressed that they felt that their sexual pleasure was compromised without their consent. All of the uncircumcised men I spoke to said that they were very grateful that they were left intact and able to experience sex to it’s fullest.
As a society we need to seriously reevaluate this painful and unnecessary procedure. Hundreds of thousands of boys are being modified against their consent and many are left scarred and deformed, some may even die from complications. I believe that the choice to be circumcised should be left to the man when he is old enough to understand the risks involved with the procedure. Leaving our sons intact is the greatest gift we can give them as parents.