Circumcision Explained

Circumcision is a pretty common procedure carried out on baby boys in large countries, such as the United States, but it's much less common in Australia. However, parents are often now taking the time to consider whether circumcising their baby boys could be beneficial, and the procedure is growing in popularity. It's not only baby boys who can be circumcised, though. Males of any age can have the procedure done. Read on to learn more about circumcision.

The Procedure

The procedure for circumcising a baby and an adult are very similar. The main difference is that adults can opt to have the procedure carried out under general anaesthetic. This isn't necessary, but some men opt for general anaesthetic for comfort. Otherwise, for babies and adults, a local anaesthetic is used to numb the penis. This may be administered as a topical cream or an injection into the base of the penis. A clamp is then attached to the penis to pull back loose skin and the foreskin is removed with a scalpel. A topical antibiotic will then be applied to the penis and gauze will be loosely wrapped around the site of the procedure to support healing. It typically takes a week for the penis to heal, and some bruising and swelling can be expected.

Popular Reasons For Choosing Circumcision

Some families choose circumcision for religious reasons or because it's a family tradition, while others opt for the procedure because they believe it to be better for personal hygiene. It's easier to wash a circumcised penis, and there has been some research suggesting that circumcised men have a lower risk of developing certain sexually transmitted diseases, penile cancer and urinary tract infections.

Risks

As with any procedure, there are some risks to take into consideration. The main risks associated with circumcision are bacterial infection and poor healing. Good hygiene and following aftercare instructions greatly reduce the chance of these complications occurring. Antibiotics, anti-inflammatories or corticosteroids may be required if the wound is not healing well or if an infection is present. Rarely, an additional small procedure may be required if the remaining foreskin reattaches to the penis during healing. The attached area would simply need to be severed again using the same technique employed for circumcision.

Circumcision is a quick procedure that generally only takes a few minutes to carry out. If you're considering it for your baby or yourself but have some questions, book a consultation before the procedure to have your concerns addressed.

To learn more about circumcision, reach out to a local clinic.

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