Why is having a circumcision harmful to your health?

* In days gone past, they used to advise forcible retraction for intact boys, and made the claim that you need to pull it back and wash underneath there. that lead to life-long infection problems for a lot of intact men as well as problems with phimosis and adhesions.

* Circumcised penises harbor more invasive and infectious bacteria on their glans's, while intact men have more of the bacteria which help us keep healthy and ward off infections. Just as in our guts, genitals do require a balance of good and healthy bacteria and pH levels.

* In case you haven't noticed, the US is the only developed western country where circumcision is common. And the US has the highest rates of HIV, infections, UTI's, yeast infections and STI's etc.

* Circumcision reduces UTI's in the first year of life, but is nowhere near as effective as breastfeeding. Later in life, during boyhood, teenagehood and adulthood recurring UTI's are far more common in circumcised men due to the fact that the foreskin helps protect against UTI's. In countries outside the US where no-one would ever consider pulling back the foreskin on a baby (it's fused and shouldn't ever be separated ahead of it happening naturally) there's no increased risk of a baby boy having UTI's.

* In terms of sensitivity, removing the 8 most sensitive structures of the penis is major harm. As a woman I am very attached to my clitoris and would be horrified if someone told me to cut it off, along with the labia minora and clitoral prepuce so I'd be "cleaner" and have no more smegma building up around my clitoris and in the labia. If I was a guy I'd be very attached to my ridged band, no doubt. If I was told to remove the clitoris and labia and clitoral prepuce (hood) and it wouldn't change a thing because I'd still be able to have sex and orgasm and still be functioning, but I'd give up sensitivity but gain a lot more cleanliness I'd slap that person silly. That's the way a lot of guys feel about their ridged band, frenulum, outer mucosa, foreskin lips, inner mucosa, the structure responsible for movement and gliding, and which helps with lubrication and prevents the corona from flaring (ie mushroom head - devastating for sex) and the glans from drying.

* Statistically there's no difference between the rates of penile cancer in intact men or circumcised men. However, even when they thought there was a benefit, they did say it was slight. How slight? Going by the OFFICIAL circumcision death rate (and it's not required to report circumcision as being a cause of death in babies) 90 babies would have to die to save one elderly man from penile cancer. That's how rare penile cancer is. But then they found out that there's actually no difference, and that cut men are just as susceptible. Cut or intact, hygiene is necessary. Talking to a lot of people you'd think a cut man never had to wash.

* Cut men suffer twice the rates of urethritis, which is known to be a risk factor in the development of other infections, such as STI's and HPV infections. That's just one reason circumcised men suffer more STI infections in their lifetime and why in Australia it was found that after we'd stopped circumcising the rates of cervical cancer in women was halved, even before the introduction of screening and women having regular pap-smears.

* Cut men are very likely to suffer meteal stenosis, which is essentially an ulcer of the urethra. 30% of all men have their peehole a different and enlargened shape to what it should be. This is caused by urine reabsorption.

* Foreskin contains antibacterials, antivirals and antifungals. As far as disease transmission goes, when the infection load is not too high the foreskin can fight it off and prevent infection. That's only slight protection, but during the asymptomatic incubation period of infection it can be significant. But condoms are still much safer.

* In developed countries there's almost a perfectly linear correlation between circumcision and HIV. The higher the circumcision rate, the higher the rate of HIV. It's been found that Langheran's Cells trap viruses, bacteria and fungi where they are destroyed by lysozymes.

* 10 out of 15 countries where the African circumcision programs are currently being run have higher rates of HIV among circumcised men than intact men, and more than one study has found that circumcision drastically increases the transmission rate to partners.

* The actual procedure. It's horrific and painful.

The health benefits of male circumcision include a drop in the risk of urinary tract infection in the first year of life by up to 90 percent. ... It drops the risk of heterosexual HIV acquisition by about 60 percent. It drops the risk of HPV, herpes virus and other infectious genital ulcers. This is one reason why circumcision is a health benefit. Trust me it isn't harmful at all. It's easier to clean and to take care of. In fact I have a lot of guy friends who got circumcised when they were 18, they don't regret the decision at all they say that sex feels better when a guy is circumcised because the penis head is more sensitive now that it's out.

the circumcision that you're thinking of that is harmful is female genital mutilation which is practiced in some African countries to make sure a girl doesn't have sex until marriage which is sort of good because it means no sleeping around with any man but at the same time it's horrible because they take out your labias and clitoris so sex will never feel nice again and then they stich up your vagina with a small hole left for period blood and urine. However infections can build up underneath and when the girl gets married her husband is to tear it open and a woman can die from this barbaric ritual while giving birth. Also with FGM they don't use anesthesia, making it extremely painful, whereas with male circumcision, it's often done when the boy is a few days old in a hospital or if he's Jewish or Muslim, in a synagogue or mosque with specially trained professionals. Also they will not remember anything, for example when my little brother was having his circumcision done he actually slept through the whole procedure. If it's done in adulthood, you can have anesthesia and the circumcision procedure only takes 30 minutes, maybe even less.

You would probably have a different opinion if you had had a female circumcision forced on you as a child, leaving your own genitals mutilated and scarred.

And your statement is certainly unbelievable, as penile cancer is very rare, and even can occur with circumcised males.

Obviously, amputation of the parts of the female anatomy forming the female foreskin---the clitoral hood, would also be "cleaner," and uncircumcised women frequently get infections down there, and also cancer.

And male circumcision is not a "one size fits all." The damage varies wildly from individual to individual, and can cause complete sexual dysfunction for some. In any event, it diminishes a male's sexual feeling and function.

Males in Europe, Scandinavia, South America., who aren't circumcised are not dropping dead bythe thousands, and in fact they have a reputation as being better lovers than American males.

An undamaged penis obviously will feel and function better than a damaged one.

Circumcision is a fraud and a hoax.

A foreskin is not a birth defect; it is a birthright.

ERIC

Peer strain or personal responsibility to religion and culture. In different cases, some children are born with foreskins that preclude them from urinating effectively. Surely, if the reason for circumcision is useful to the little one for urination and alleviation purposes, then that is understandable. Any other purpose for this act- painful for the baby and barbaric. Quite a lot of persons talk about how so much cleaner it is and check out to excuse the act of circumcision as a scientific method for that sole intent. I get dirt beneath my fingernail... Will have to i've my fingernail eliminated? I get fluff in my bellybutton... Should i've a method to fill in my bellybutton? Neither the dust below my nail or the fluff in my bellybutton is an predicament to my wellness, so I could as good go away my physique as nature supposed. The presumption made by those people who are professional-circumcision is that a foreskin is dirty (any person who washes mainly can be easy, foreskin or no foreskin! Being circumcised does no longer warranty cleanliness!). Which is an outrageous notion! Many circumcisions in some cultures aren't applied by means of authorities and the infections that follow can outcome in loss of life for the toddler... All in the title of religion/tradition. Scientific logic and love for one's possess little one over cultural tradition anyday.

The fact of the answer is, aside from the actual risk from the surgery itself (standard risks like bleeding, infection, etc... which are relatively minimal) so long as the surgery is performed by a licensed surgeon under anesthetic there is no immediate harm from circumcision to your health itself. There is evidence that circumcision may be moderately beneficial in decreasing the likelihood of transmission of HIV and HPV, though there is some debate about whether that is the case in the United States (where more effective methods, such as condoms and the HPV vaccine, are widely available).

That being said, there are arguments about the reduction in sensation from loss of the foreskin, and general desensitization of the glans of the penis that happens after circumcision. This ultimately boils down to a more individual experience (having been circumcised as an adult, I personally haven't noticed a significant change in terms of sensation during intercourse). Is this harmful to your health? Strictly speaking, no, as it is not something that will kill you or immediately make you non-functional.

If done wrong it can have massive consequences for the child. Read the book As Nature Made Him, about a child who had a circumcision based on the doc's recommendation due to a medical condition. It was later found out that the circumcision was probably not necessary. They messed it up, and in the end fixed it by giving the baby male to female sex reassignment surgery to be raised as a girl with normal looking female genetalia. The patient ended up killing himself as young adult as a result of the mental trauma all this had caused him through out his life.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Reimer

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0061120561

"Personally, it's your body, make your own decisions. " Thats the problem, people arent making it for themselves, parents are making the decision for their babies before the person can even have a say in the situation.

There does seem to be some confusion about this and people have blown this way out of proportion. It is more beneficial to be circumcised (reduced risks in STDs, infections, cancer, AIDS, hygiene, etc) BUT there is some argument to how beneficial. And given how you interpret the benefits, is it worth the risk of a circumcision? For example, penile cancer only occurs in uncircumcised men and neonatal circumcision eliminates any risk of cancer occurring. Obviously beneficial but some say say penile cancer is so rare even in uncircumcised men that it's simply not worth the risk. Some say there are no benefits at all and thus see circumcision as completely unnecessary. However the American Pediatric society sees it differently.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/27/health/aap-circumcis...

In my opinion, as a man who was circumcised in my late teens due to the many issues being uncircumcised can cause... I can tell you that being circumcised is simply better. It is cleaner, it is healthier and frankly feels better sexually. The idea that circumcision effects sexual sensitivity is a myth. Not sure how it could. The only difference in being circumcised is that I don't have to pull back my foreskin anymore. Which is ideal! Why would you not want that? The foreskin is just a piece of dull excess skin. It might have been nice to have this little hoody if you were running around naked during the ice age, but really? I'm sorry but it is pretty pointless and a weird prehistoric remnant. It just gets gnarly under there all you do is keep pulling it back whenever you use your penis. Ideally you keep it pulled back... hmmmm. What exactly is the point of a foreskin? There is no harm in having it removed and I'm sorry, but it is just not a big deal. I really think people get way too bend out of shape over this. As long as it's done properly there's no reason not to get it done.

AND by the way, there's not a single benefit associated with being uncircumcised!

The foreskin is an important part of the immune system. Amputation of the foreskin increases the risk of disease. Contrary to popular belief, more HIV infection is found where circumcision is the norm.

Greatly diminished sexual pleasure for both partners with absolutely no benefits that others claim come with circumcision (std and uti protection).

Besides it being an obvious disregard of human rights. Death of over 120 newborn infants a year because of the procedure, and who knows how many complications (painful erections, scaring, curving, etc....) It removes the following

1. 15-20k nerve endings. 70-80% of all the nerves the penis has to begin with since most are located in the foreskin and are the most sensitive

2. Gliding action. This allows for the head of the penis to move gently between the foreskin during sex or masturbation, removal of this makes it harder to masturbate (lube) and makes sex more painful for the female partner, which means lube is needed.

3 Ridged band - highly sensitive part of the penis containing meisners corpuscles along with a structure that gives a sensation similar to what a ribbed dildo would do.

4. frenulum - G spot for males. tethering structure similar to the frenulum located between the inside of your upper lip and teeth, this you can touch and get a sense of what this would feel like.

5. Protection of Glans - without the covering of the foreskin the Glans become dry, shrink, become desensitized and extra skin layers build up. Its like having your tongue sticking out your entire life.

The foreskin of an intact penis contains 20,000 nerve endings (give or take...). Removal of 20,000 nerve endings (80% of the total in the intact penis) reduces sensitivity. With less sensory tissue, there is a significant limit on the potential for enjoyment of sex.

Put simply, removal of the foreskin is like the removal of an eye. You can still see, but at greatly diminished effectiveness.

http://pastebin.com/KLQ6UBff