What is circumcision? Why do Muslims circumcise? Are most men circumcised?
Circumcision is a surgical procedure where the foreskin of the penis is removed exposing the head of the penis (glans).
Most of the circumcision is done for religious or cultural reasons. In Islam the practice of circumcision is referred to as “khitan” and is considered a rite of purification. But circumcision is not just preached in Islam, but also Judaism and a specific orthodox church.
Apart from religious reasons, circumcision is also indicated for some medical conditions like phimosis (the foreskin is too tight causing difficulty in urination). Many people opt for circumcision for aesthetic reasons or as a personal choice due to the associated health benefits.
Although the exact number of men who are circumcised is not known, it is believed that around 13% of men are circumcised in India.
What are the medical reasons for circumcision? When do doctors recommend circumcision?
- Phimosis: A condition where the foreskin is too tight to be pulled back over the glans (head) of the penis, which can cause pain and difficulty with urination.
- Paraphimosis: Occurs when the retracted foreskin cannot be returned to its normal position, leading to swelling and restricted blood flow to the glans.
- Balanitis: Inflammation of the glans penis, which is often caused by bacterial or fungal infections. Recurrent balanitis can lead to chronic pain and discomfort.
- Balanoposthitis: Inflammation of both the glans and the foreskin, often due to infections or poor hygiene.
- Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs): Circumcision can reduce the risk of recurrent UTIs, which are more common in uncircumcised males.
Are there health benefits for circumcision? Which is better circumcised or not? Is it OK to not cut foreskin?
Circumcision has health benefits and therefore can be done out of choice rather than religious or cultural reasons:
- Reduced risk of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) like HIV: Two clinical trials conducted in Africa showed that male circumcision provides a degree of protection against acquiring HIV infection, equivalent to what a vaccine of high efficacy would have achieved 1 . A study conducted in Kenya on 2,784 men showed a 53% reduction of HIV acquisition in circumcised men versus uncircumcised men 2. Similar benefits were seen for Herpes, HPV and Syphilis
- Prevention of penile cancer: This is not a common cancer, but there are studies to indicate a significant reduction in the incidence. Example a study reported an incidence rate of 0.3 per 100,000 per year in Jewish populations (where neonatal circumcision is routine) compared to 3.32 per 100,000 per year in India, where circumcision is not commonly practiced 3.
- Hygiene reasons: uncircumcised men have to retract their foreskin to properly clean the head of the penis. In cases where the foreskin cannot be totally retracted, the cleanliness can be incomplete. Unclean penis can increase risk of STDs and other kinds of infections.
Due to these reasons, circumcision is considered a healthy practice, but it is not mandatory. It is absolutely okay to not get circumcision done. It is a choice that you can make based on whatever personal reasons you may have.
Why do doctors not recommend circumcision?
When done safely with proper precautions and under aseptic conditions, circumcision is not contraindicated. There are no disadvantages of circumcision, in fact it has health benefits as mentioned above. So the notion that doctors do not recommend circumcision is wrong.
Does getting circumcised increase size? What are the disadvantages of male circumcision to a woman? What is the impact of circumcision on sex life?
Circumcision has benefits for sex life and also for the partner, there are no disadvantages of circumcision for a woman.
But circumcision does not increase the size of the penis or any benefits on performance enhancement.
Evidence shows the following benefits of circumcision, although one must note that there are multiple studies that have been conducted on the topic and not all studies have the same findings:
- Increased sensitivity in men: some studies have indicated that circumcision can increase sensitivity and sexual satisfaction in men
- For women partners of circumcised men, they get the benefit of reduced infection rates, but more specifically HPV transmission, which is a known risk for cervical cancer in women.
What is the best age for circumcision? Why wait until 6 months for circumcision? What is the maximum age for circumcision? How late is too late for circumcision?
In many cultures circumcision is done in neonates, that is in the first few days after birth. It can also be done in infancy, i.e. up to one year of age. Neonatal and infant circumcision are considered the best age, as more cooperation is expected at this age. Healing is also faster at this age.
Although circumcision can be performed at any age.
Until school age, most circumcisions are done for religious or cultural reasons.
Circumcisions done at adolescent or later stages in life are mostly due to medical reasons or out of personal choice. There is no such age as too late for circumcision.
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