To Circumcise
or Not to Circumcise?

Is male circumcision really necessary?
Does circumcision reduce the risk for disease?
Does circumcision desensitize the penis?

The questions above have been part of the circumcision debate for generations.
That debate involves individuals, parents as well as member of the medical and scientific communities.

To some, male circumcision is the removal of the foreskin to prevent disease of the penis. Uncut foreskin means a man has an uncircumcised penis.

Is male circumcision really necessary?

There was a time when a circumcision procedure was an almost exclusively religious rite.
But times have changed.
Circumcision, the surgical removal of a portion of foreskin at the tip of the penis, is usually performed on male infants within days of birth. And the practice has gained widespread popularity in the United States that, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, nearly 65 percent of newborn males _ about 1.2 million newborns annually _ are circumcised. However, to some, male circumcision is the removal of the foreskin to prevent disease of the penis. Uncut foreskin means a man has an uncircumcised penis. The question remains if a circumcised penis is better than an uncircumcised penis or if the uncut foreskin matters when it comes to disease of the penis of acquiring HIV.An uncircumcised penis has the foreskin intact.

Does circumcision reduce the risk for disease?
The notion that circumcision improves hygiene and the likelihood of infections has some merit, but there is not enough medical evidence to warrant a recommendation to circumcise for that reason.

In fact, from the American Academy of Pediatrics' circumcision "recommendation" is to not make a recommendation _ but to urge medical professionals to provide parents with information about the pros and cons of circumcision and let them decide. But to some, male circumcision is the removal of the foreskin to prevent disease of the penis. Uncut foreskin means a man has an uncircumcised penis.
Reports of diminished penile sensation in circumcised males have also not been clinically documented. A Masters and Johnson report on the subject found no such distinction in penile sensation between uncircumcised and circumcised men. The question remains if a circumcised penis is better than an uncircumcised penis or if the uncut foreskin matters when it comes to disease of the penis of acquiring HIV.
However, eyebrows have been raised recently upon the release of data compiled by Ugandan studies indicating that circumcised males may be at lower risk of HIV infection than uncircumcised males.
The United States Agency for International Development states that "male circumcision is a principal determinant of the large disparities in HIV prevalence across different African regions."
The agency's multi-site study found that the prevalence of HIV in nations where most men are circumcised "remains low despite other HIV risk factors."
Additionally, the studies suggest that circumcised males have a reduced risk of contracting other sexually transmitted infections, urinary tract infections and penile cancer. So, male circumcision, the removal of the foreskin to prevent disease of the penis is sometimes preferred to uncut foreskin, an uncircumcised penis. The question remains if a circumcised penis is better than an uncircumcised penis or if the uncut foreskin matters when it comes to disease of the penis of acquiring HIV.
Reports of decreased penis sensitivity in circumcised males in comparison to sensations in uncircumcised males have also been difficult to confirm. A Masters and Johnson study reported that there is no difference in sensitivity.

So, what is the answer to the great circumcision debate?
It's a personal choice. The question remains if a circumcised penis is better than an uncircumcised penis or if the uncut foreskin matters when it comes to disease of the penis of acquiring HIV.
The debate rages on.

Be Smart and Safe

MyHealthyPenis cautions lovers to remember that exchanging body fluid is the way to contract AIDS and other diseases. If you have gum or mouth sores you are at greater risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. MyHealthyPenis.com joins the Center for Disease Control in strongly recommending safe sex and condom use.
If you have questions or concerns about safe sex, call the toll free Center for Disease Control National STD/AIDS Hotline. The confidential hotline is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 1-800-342-2437 (English); and 1-800-344-7432 (Spanish). There is also a TTY service for Deaf and Hard of Hearing … 1-800-243-7889.