What is Circumcision Surgery?
Circumcision is a surgical procedure that involves the removal of the foreskin, the skin that covers the head (glans) of the penis. While it is most commonly performed on newborn males, circumcision can also be done later in life for medical, cultural, or religious reasons.
Benefits of Circumcision surgery
| Benefit |
How It Helps |
| Lower risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs) |
Especially in infants and children |
| Improved hygiene |
Easier to clean the genital area |
| Reduced risk of STIs |
May reduce the risk of HIV and other infections |
| Fewer penile infections |
Less chance of inflammation like balanitis. Balanitis is the inflammation of the head of the penis, often causing redness, itching, pain, and sometimes discharge, typically due to poor hygiene, infections, or irritation. |
| Prevention of future complications |
Helps prevent conditions like phimosis and penile cancer |
When is Circumcision Recommended?
Circumcision is recommended in certain medical, cultural, and preventive health scenarios, especially when non-surgical treatments fail to resolve ongoing issues.
From a medical perspective, circumcision may be advised for:
- Phimosis: A condition where the foreskin is too tight to be pulled back over the head of the penis, causing pain, hygiene difficulties, or obstruction of urine flow.
- Paraphimosis: When the retracted foreskin gets stuck behind the head of the penis and can’t return to its normal position, leading to swelling and restricted blood flow.
- Recurrent balanitis or balanoposthitis: Chronic inflammation or infection of the foreskin and glans that causes redness, itching, pain, and discharge.
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs): Particularly in infants or those with anatomical risks, circumcision may lower the risk of UTIs.
- Poor hygiene complications: In some individuals, maintaining cleanliness under the foreskin is difficult, increasing infection risk.
It’s also recommended in certain preventive and public health contexts, such as:
- Reducing the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, HPV, and herpes.
- As part of cultural or religious practices, circumcision is performed for traditional or spiritual reasons, often in infancy or adolescence.
Ultimately, the decision for circumcision should be made on a case-by-case basis, ideally involving an expert urologist, considering medical necessity, personal preferences, and potential benefits versus risks.
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