It’s a common occurrence but one which, obviously, you don’t give much thought to until you become a parent: would you have your son circumcised? Circumcision, or the surgical removal of the foreskin that covers the head of the penis, has been known to protect men’s sexual health against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) but the procedure itself also poses certain risks. Although circumcision is relatively simple as surgical procedures go, it’s not one you want to see go badly if you or your son are the patient.
Some people make this decision based on a strong religious or cultural belief. For most (but not all) Jews and Muslims, the decision to have their male children circumcised is less out of concern for their sexual wellbeing, and more for religious reasons. There are tribes in Africa that uniformly circumcise, while there are others that uniformly do not. Three out of five children born in the United States in the last 30 years were circumcised, but this wasn’t due to medical recommendations. According to the American Association of Paediatrics, parents should make an informed decision for themselves, and the Association won’t make a recommendation either way. So, if you’re not Jewish or Muslim, how do you make this decision for your son?
The foreskin provides protection for the tip of your son’s penis, also known as the glans. Without the foreskin, the glans is exposed to from undergarments, cold winter weather and dry air, so it’s good to have a protection policy in place. The foreskin is also home to many nerve bundles and blood cells, providing additional stimulation during sexual activities, as well as a lubricating function to assist in sexual intercourse. Plus, as the foreskin keeps the glans moist and soft, it too is more sensitive to touch. With all that in mind, you might be wondering who’d be crazy enough to get their son circumcised, but the foreskin can also cause problems.
Since the foreskin works to keep the glans lubricated, it’s very easy for bacteria to build-up in this area unless it is kept extremely clean. If your son does not maintain regular hygiene, a white cheesy discharge called smegma may accumulate beneath his foreskin, and this may lead on to infections and urinary tract infections. Plus, if your son’s foreskin is too tight and doesn’t properly retract from the glans, it causes a condition called phimosis. If it slides down from the glans but won’t return properly, this is a condition that causes swelling, also known as paraphimosis.
Then you have Balanposthitis, a swelling of the mucous surfaces of the foreskin that requires circumcision if it becomes a frequent problem. Circumcision may also be required to prevent the pain and worsening phimosis of balanitis xerotica obliterans, a skin disease that affects the foreskin, glans and sometimes the urethra. While circumcisions aren’t usually medically necessary, many parents do make this decision based on medical and hygienic grounds. The good news is that most circumcisions are performed with no serious problems or complications, albeit with a slight chance that your son may experience pain, bleeding, infection or irritation. However, the most likely scenario is discomfort during the healing process. If all goes as planned, your child will feel better (although probably irritable) in three to four days, while it might take a week or so for the appearance of the area. You can take your baby can be taken home the same day as the procedure, just make sure you keep his newly circumcised penis very clean and follow your doctor’s instructions.
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