Doctors and circumcision

Not circumcized and really happy about it and no one recommended it. No doctors in Europe would recommend it except for obvious medical reasons. See it for what it really is, nothing but genital mutilation on children. Now lawsuits have started in several places in Europe when it has to do with non consensual procedures, which basically applies to every minor. For me the religious argument is void, because of the non-consent.

I was circumcised the day after birth as was standard medical convention in the American Midwest in the late '60s.

My dad said he was very upset when he found out the doctors had done it. They did not ask consent from either of my parents.

My father is uncut, having been born in 1919. The differences in our appearance were never of issue when I was growing up. Funny, but I imagine I masturbated A LOT more than he ever did.

I insisted that my son be left intact. That was easy to accommodate medically as his was a home birth. Many of our relatives argued that we should have had him circumcised, but could offer no legitimate reason to my satisfaction. My sister-in-law, a registered nurse, was adamant that he would have a lifetime of medical and social problems if his foreskin was not surgically removed. Total brainwashed BS.

My son is 16 and has expressed that he is delighted that we made sure he was able to keep that part of his body.

He says that at least a third of his male friends are uncircumcised, so it would seem that things are moving in the right direction here, however slowly

Many of our relatives argued that we should have had him circumcised, but could offer no legitimate reason to my satisfaction. My sister-in-law, a registered nurse, was adamant that he would have a lifetime of medical and social problems if his foreskin was not surgically removed. Total brainwashed BS.

I've been on some Yahoo circumcision groups in the past - for the fun and games of joining in the pros and cons - and there were indeed quite a number of nurses and doctors (or claiming to be, but I take that on good faith) who prophesied a life of never knowing when penile-related perdition would strike because of an un-removed foreskin. There were quite the tales of agony and woe awaiting the uncut.

You could point out the lack of such awful things happening amongst populations from countries and regions where circumcision was not practiced, but it never made the least bit of difference. Empirical evidence was not considered relevant.

A few doctors were out to make a quick buck selling/promoting their own newly designed circumcision device (and proud about it too), hoping to get it accepted in some health project or other, preferably in Africa or Asia where lots of kids needed cutting.

I found them to be quite shameless when money matters came into the discussion and others, the ladies/mothers mostly were almost hysterically set in their ways, sometimes getting very worked up when rational discussions were going on. As if hysterics, accusations, dire prophecies and rants were their only defense.

And you'd think that medically trained personnel would know better and at least be trained to approach matters minimally objectively, to look at evidence impartially and listen to arguments pro and con.

And another friend told me that his parents had him done because it was part of the procedure, an they wanted to get their money's worth.

-he really said that. Also seems not to have any problems or hang ups about it. There are various techniques and removing all the loose skin seems the most popular as it looks as though it has been done properly. His son had all the fenulum an sensitive skin around the rim removed Ones that leave some skin, are not considered proper circumcisions. None of us have had any medical problems about this, circumcised or not, though the women all prefer circumcised penises as more attractive. The blog by agracier, I can understand, some people have passionate views on this. I think you have to make do with the body you end up with, you cant have sex with somebody else's, after all we are all very different shapes and sag in various places as time goes by. getting angry after the fact is rather self-defeating.

Dealing with your anger in a healthy and productive way is healthy. Deal with your feelings so they don't consume you. Channel your energy on the issue to make positive changes for the future.

The blog by agracier, I can understand, some people have passionate views on this.

Well thanks for calling me passionate ... not many do that any more these days ... ha ha.

It's not so much about circumcision itself when asked for by an adult. If that is someone's preference; esthetic, religious or to please a partner even, well then that's wonderful. It's (hopefully) an informed consent and more power to people who make decisions in their life that help make them happy.

But I guess it's mainly the arguments that are used to condone and impose circumcision on the under-aged that I can't abet. Religious arguments I won't contest because there is no reasoning with religious arguments. It's metaphysics that often sinks into magical thinking.

It's mainly the easily proven false medical arguments that make me wonder where it all comes from. Why come up with all sorts of dire medical predictions when they are statistically insignificant and easily proven untrue? If you wish to argue a case, then be correct in the supporting evidence, don't offer the 'everyone does it ...' excuse, or 'it's customary ...' or even worse, present scary facts that are made up for moral or prudish reasoning or even for financial reasons.

Anyway, please don't take me for a zealot. But I do like a good debate though ... 😃

I am the US of Irish descent. The sausage so to speak has been cut since birth.

Hello again agraceir,

I think we are in agreement, I think US doctors circumcise rather less as it is not paid for by HMO insurance as much as it was. UK doctors seem to think aesthetic appearance is important to middle-class parents, Why don't they ask?

I agree, when one is old enough to consider body adornments etc, one can pay for whatever, tattoos, studs, chopping bits off etc. This is now a massive industry , with tattoo shops etc on the high street. Private clinics to nip tuck , slice and dice! For example, I prefer being hairless, and now on the high-stree there is a shop that does full body waxing! (I have laser-remved all anyway). I never thought I would see that. It seems industry goes where the money is even if it is just a fad. Later, all those sagging bodies with sagging tattoos, and bolts through the neck…… silly?

There is a slight hygiene argument for circumcision and I was recommend one as I have a long foreskin, but I never bothered. A friend had his done, and they removed all the loose skin, so it was tight, he says it is amazing for intercourse. Each to his own.

I am natural and like being that way, and like Jds4med's story my mother had to keep my doctor from hurting me the same way these people need better training.

Most of the hygiene arguments seem to assume men will never retract the foreskin and wash the glans,

I remember something happening that needed some kinda ointment but I was a dumb kid who didn't know how to wash his junk but I have not had any issue since then,

the solution is teaching kids proper hygiene not circumcision but America has hangups abut kids learning anything abut genitals.

I have a patient who regrets his circumcision very, very much.

He was circumcised at the age of 24, against my advice. He has now sensitivity issues and because of that psychological problems.

American CDC - Circumcision of males of ALL ages - check this out.

http://www.kplu.org/post/cdc-considers-counseling-males-all-ages-circumcision

The pendulum swings...

I'm constantly amazed that humans continue to think they know more than natural selection. If not having a foreskin was a preferable natural condition, evolution would have caused that to happen. It didn't. 'Nuff said.

I am 64 and have never had a problem with my foreskin (just doctor problems). So, the next time I see a doctor is he going to recommend that I have my foreskin circumcised?

Recommended (universal) now. What if this were to become mandatory?

This brings me back to age 31 when my company doctor wanted to circumcise my foreskin!

That study recommends circumcision in Africa a region with poor hygiene standards partly caused by limited availability of clean water,

how is it relevant to the U.S.?

American CDC - Circumcision of males of ALL ages - check this out. http://www.kplu.org/post/cdc-considers-counseling-males-all-ages-circumcision

Social groups and (especially) religions that practice circumcision often seem to think it endows a sort of exceptionalism to those who follow the practice. It is certainly something that endows a feeling of belonging to a select group, of being somehow better and deserving ... all too often one reads of accounts where uncircumcised boys in schools are ridiculed and made fun of or singled out for special denigrating attention - by sports coaches for instance.

I cannot help but conclude that there is something about circumcision that effects the way people (both circumcised males and mothers of circumcised boys) see themselves. And not in a very positive way either ... aside from being a medical/physical condition, circumcision is also a condition of the mind. It's a divisive element in society, in that there so often seems to be a value judgement involved.

I was circumcised as an infant because that is what my mother wanted. My father was European so he was uncircumcised. I think that she wanted me to "fit in" with the other kids. I obviously have no recollection of it and have no desire to have my foreskin. The trend now is to not circumcise American children, however, many parents still choose it for various reasons.

I was circumcised as an infant because that is what my mother wanted. My father was European so he was uncircumcised. I think that she wanted me to "fit in" with the other kids. I obviously have no recollection of it and have no desire to have my foreskin. The trend now is to not circumcise American children, however, many parents still choose it for various reasons.

I had just the opposite situation - father American and circumcised and mother European and very much opposed. But when I was born my father was away (Korea) and being born outside the US, there was no question about circumcision. It just wasn't done (unless for severe medical or religious reasons).

I know that afterwards my parents had some rather serious disagreements about that. My father kept on predicting perdition, disease, mutilation and inevitable amputation sooner or later. Some of his admonishments and monologues on the subject when I couldn't just up and leave - when driving for instance - were quite embarrassing and infuriating as he kept bringing up the subject into my 20's, with a new spate when I got married. Had to think of the well-being of the wife I was admonished ... sheesh ...

Even when both my parents were old and in their 80s, the subject would come up from time to time - the walking down memory lane of arguments past kind of thing ... it was almost as if he couldn't believe my prick hadn't rotted and fallen off after all those years ... ha ha.

Circumcision does reduce glans sensitivity. For some it's really not noticed. If your sex is more slam bang thank you ma'am you won't notice a thing, except maybe lasting longer (due in most part to reduced sensitivity). But if you're into long foreplay and subtle sexual feelings from your genitals, you will most likely notice. And you will notice more and more as you age.

I for one do think the circumcised penis is more sexually attractive mainly because of the prominent glans distinctive color and shape.

I've read on an earlier post by a couple of females stating they could not detect any callous or keratinization of the glans from their experience. But it's not all visual. Comparing the feel of the glans cut vs uncut to the touch, it's apparent. The uncut glans has noticeably thiner skin and darker color than the cut glans.

The CDC advisory is accurate regarding disease. The thin skin of the uncut glans and inside foreskin is more permeable than the thicker skin. And a public policy in areas with rampant STDs and HIV, it is prophylactic. If you're a responsible penis owner, it really is not an issue.

I'm not circumcised and know very few guys who are. Despite numerous Medicals from different docs, it's never even been mentioned, let alone suggested.

If I interpret the CDC recommendation correctly, physicians and health care providers are going to be required to counsel patients on the benefits of circumcision. Does this mean every time that I have to see a doctor? If I go in for an ear infection is he going to be required to look in my pants to see if I am circumcised and if not then counsel me on the benefits of having my foreskin removed. Nothing like adding to an already burdened health care service. And who is going to pay for this? None other than the American public. Caching, Caching. Follow the money trail.

Check this site by the government

http://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/docs/MC-factsheet-508.pdf

If I interpret the CDC recommendation correctly, physicians and health care providers are going to be required to counsel patients on the benefits of circumcision. Does this mean every time that I have to see a doctor? f

I doubt it will change anything in the way doctors counsel you - if they even do that at all except in general terms like: cut out smoking and eat less fat and stuff like that.

I have a sneaking suspicion however that this might be a kind of play against medical insurers who have, as I read, often been refusing to pay for circumcisions in the US. Now, with a CDC recommendation, insurers won't be able to play the 'unnecessary medical procedure' card.

All that said, I'm still not sure who will benefit from this financially in the end. Can it be used to raise premiums? Or is it a gift to the medical profession as an easy means of throwing some extra (circumcision) business their way?

I doubt it will change anything in the way doctors counsel you - if they even do that at all except in general terms like: cut out smoking and eat less fat and stuff like that.

I have a sneaking suspicion however that this might be a kind of play against medical insurers who have, as I read, often been refusing to pay for circumcisions in the US. Now, with a CDC recommendation, insurers won't be able to play the 'unnecessary medical procedure' card.

All that said, I'm still not sure who will benefit from this financially in the end. Can it be used to raise premiums? Or is it a gift to the medical profession as an easy means of throwing some extra (circumcision) business their way?

My take is that EVERYTHING about non-religious circumcision is about money. Hell, in the US, everything about medicine is about money. You probably hit it on the head - it's a way to bring the insurance industry under the government thumb. Premiums go up, physician and hospital revenues go up.

Several years ago I went to the County Health Department for STI testing. In addition to the cotton swab (OUCH!!!!) "Counseling" with regards to safe sex was required. After listening to the 5 minutes of "counseling" I was required to sign that I had received such. I could have fallen asleep. All the NP wanted was my signature. What a waste of time and money. FYI, I tested negative.

I'm not circumcised and i head some problems with my foreskin but urologist prescribed a cream and stretching method to stretch frenulum and things are ok now.

I'm uncircumcised. My doctors have commented on it, and when I was younger (maybe 14-15), they asked if I had any questions about it, but that was about it. I've never has a doctor suggest I get circumcised.

I was cut in my early 20's - now in my early 40's. It was something I had always thought about and wanted. When I had the opportunity I had it done and it was purely for aesthetics. The only regret I have is not doing more research on the styles. Mine was done fairly low and loose and over the years there was some stretching so to speak and I ended up with part of my head covered. So two months ago I had a revision done to remove the excess. I am happy and don't regret either procedure.

I was cut in my early 20's - now in my early 40's. It was something I had always thought about and wanted. When I had the opportunity I had it done and it was purely for aesthetics. The only regret I have is not doing more research on the styles. Mine was done fairly low and loose and over the years there was some stretching so to speak and I ended up with part of my head covered. So two months ago I had a revision done to remove the excess. I am happy and don't regret either procedure.

Can I assume that you were sexually active before you choose to modify your penis? If so, what did you notice different from before to after?

In my early 30ties I got an infection and after two "shots" it had gone again.

Since I've did a lot of travelling in these days wouldn't like this happen to me any more, my doc asked me if I would like to have my ..... circumsed! After talking that over to my wife I agreed and it was done!

Since then - more then 20 years - I never regretted this step and also had no infections any more.

I can realy recomend beein cir. - you can only win!