This part of the male organ is considered a symbol of sexuality. It is a piece of strong tissue that takes part in sexual intercourse. At the same time, it is she who is often removed by men around the world. And although religion, the traditions of society and the desire of a person sometimes require this operation, the usefulness of the procedure itself can be questioned.
![advantages of circumcision [1], circumcision heals](https://i.medicinehelpful.com/images/050/image-148048-1-j.webp "advantages of circumcision [1], circumcision heals")
Removal of one piece of skin can cause a split in the activities of religious communities, academia and public organizations. The meaning of circumcision is a kind of politics. It is difficult for a person to read any article and treat its content with indifference. One group of people supports, and the other denies the proposed point of view. Few occupy an intermediate position. What is this piece of flesh around which such passions boil?
Building
In an adult male, the surface area of the foreskin is 37 square centimeters, which is about 1/3 of the length of the entire penis. On himthere is a fold of skin that straightens out as it enlarges. Like the rest of the body, the fold plays an important role in keeping the foreskin clean.
While the child is small, the foreskin adheres to his penis and closes it completely, so during the first three years the boy needs to be shown while bathing how to wash this part of the body. This is the same necessary procedure as cleaning the ears and washing the hair. But do not go to extremes: washing the mucosal area under the foreskin should be done several times a week for a boy.
![adult circumcision [1], circumcision age](https://i.medicinehelpful.com/images/050/image-148048-2-j.webp "adult circumcision [1], circumcision age")
Functions
It turns out that the foreskin performs a very simple function - it protects the head. A fluid is produced under the fold of skin, thanks to which the mucous membrane of the penis remains tender and sensitive. There is an opinion that the penis, covered with a fold of skin, is an internal organ, and in the absence of such, it should be called external. In the second case, the head becomes drier, and the skin becomes rougher. A man who has been circumcised has an overgrowth of mucous tissue on the organ and the formation of several layers of skin. It becomes somewhat rougher than that of a person who has not undergone such an operation. His penis remains smoother, more sensitive and tender. It is difficult to draw an unambiguous conclusion and form the correct attitude towards such a phenomenon.
Opinions and reviews
The debate about the benefits and harms of circumcision was based on discussions about how much more sensitive the penis of a man who has not been circumcisedcircumcision. Does the growth of the mucous membrane reduce the threshold of pleasure for a man during intercourse, and its presence can add pleasant sensations? Opinions were divided. Circumcision in men (reviews after the operation to remove the foreskin are generally positive) does not cause any special problems associated with a decrease in the sensitivity of the penis. Research in the field of sexual relations is quite rare and very few in number. Therefore, it remains in doubt what circumcision means for this sphere of human life, and whether it can disrupt the harmony of feelings. For example, those who do not have a foreskin did not feel any disturbance in proximity. On the contrary, the operation contributes to a longer sexual intercourse. Therefore, the advantages of circumcision from this point of view are obvious.
Properties of "extra" skin
The only truth is that the foreskin is a unique material that resembles a tissue with an unusual cellular structure - it is called a fibroblast. It is able to grow and perform the function of the skin. It is these properties that were used in the development of two companies that create new materials with the help of special technologies. They are able to restore the skin of people affected by a fire, heal ulcers in those suffering from diabetes. A company specialist in the creation of new materials said that a fragment of the foreskin allows you to grow a piece of new skin. the area of which would be comparable to the area of two football fields, and this work is carried out on the basis of a material that has an unusual cellular structure. And only afterthe studies carried out, many began to understand what important part of the body they had lost.
Unrecoverable
It's still unclear exactly what male circumcision does. Before and after the operation, it must be taken into account that this material will be lost forever, and it is impossible to restore it. No stretch marks can replace natural skin. Replacing the lost with something artificial is the best that men who want to restore the foreskin can count on. But it is impossible to restore the nerve endings and sensitivity of the penis, as well as the muscle tissue that covered the foreskin. This feature will be lost forever.
Some parents pay tribute to fashion when they agree to the circumcision of the foreskin of their sons. They think that the procedure improves the appearance of the penis, and some fathers want their sons to become like them. A small child is indifferent to the appearance of his organ, and the term "circumcised or not circumcised" evokes unpleasant associations. Most people agree that fashion shouldn't make a decision.
Benefit of surgery
Men's circumcision suggests several arguments in its favor. Firstly, if a crack has formed on the foreskin, the man experiences pain during the removal of the damaged tissue. Such trauma can be prevented in infancy. Doctors believe that foreskin fissures are the most innocent of problems that can be prevented in advance with circumcision. It is believed that the operationreduces the risk of penis cancer in adult men. Indeed, if circumcision is done in men, the reviews after the operation do not indicate the occurrence of cancer of the penis. This form of the disease simply does not occur in them. But this is not an argument, because the disease is already quite rare. The risk of penile cancer occurs only in those men who never retract the foreskin and have chronic diseases, and sometimes a whole bunch of infections.
Dispute between supporters and opponents of circumcision
Children who have been circumcised have a 1 in 1,000 chance of infection in their first year of life. The number of infected adult males who have not had surgery is also small, only 1 in 100. All inflammation that has arisen can be cured with the help of special creams, without resorting to the removal of the foreskin. Another argument in favor of circumcision sounds like this: a man whose penis is covered by the foreskin is more likely to acquire and transmit sexually transmitted diseases, in particular, HIV. In the presence of the foreskin, viruses enter the mucous membrane and remain viable in small cracks and scratches on its surface, but this is just an assumption. According to studies, the factor of human behavior, and not circumcision, is the price of a direct risk of getting sick. Probably not the presence of the foreskin, but promiscuous and unprotected sexual contacts become the causes of dangerous diseases.
Circumcision is performed in infancy so that the boy does not experiencepain in later life. An adult experiences severe pain during a male circumcision. Reviews after surgery with anesthesia, however, do not indicate discomfort. Most of the arguments in favor of circumcision are based on the fact that the presence of foreskin creates a number of problems for a man.
Complications and risks
The main argument of the opponents of the operation is that they are going through with complications. Often this leads to changes in the head, the shape of which can no longer be corrected, especially if the circumcision does not heal well after an unsuccessful procedure. Any surgical intervention is associated with risks, and there are also known cases of death during the operation. Sometimes after the operation, the penis became shorter, there were also serious injuries. In addition, operations on the genitals are very painful. And if a doctor does not circumcise often, then he lacks skills. Most surgeons rarely remove the foreskin, and due to the lack of experience of such a doctor, patients do not have the opportunity to receive qualified assistance.
Do no harm
Fortunately, complications are rare. Inflammation of the urinary tract and cancer of the penis are also uncommon. All arguments are not in favor of circumcision. Is this operation really necessary? One of the ancient commandments of Hippocrates, the founder of medicine, says - "Do no harm." And before taking up the scalpel, the doctor must be sure that the operation will benefit the patient or the patient will receive more benefit from the treatment thanharm.
Indications for circumcision
And what does medicine say about the benefits or harms of circumcision? It all depends on how the information is presented. The risks are also increasing with the preservation of the foreskin in men. All of these arguments are politically motivated. But there are also significant arguments against such an ancient operation. like male circumcision. Reviews after the operation are too emotional and do not have a clear medical justification, which is also bad. A strange situation arises when people discuss centuries-old traditions, the expediency of which is difficult to understand. Millions of foreskin circumcisions have already been performed, but it is necessary to explain why this happens. Research in recent years suggests that circumcision has positive aspects, but doctors do not have statistical data to confidently recommend the procedure to everyone without exception.
The procedure is a partial or complete removal of a fold of skin located on the foreskin and covering the head of the penis. If earlier the removal of excess skin was carried out for social and religious reasons, now it is recommended for some medical reasons. Among the most common, various kinds of phimosis are leading, associated with the narrowing of the foreskin.
Often this procedure is carried out to eliminate premature ejaculation, since the permanently open head of the penis loses sensitivity, which affects the duration of the act. The circumcision procedure serves as a prophylaxis against certain pathologies,oncology, AIDS, balanitis, urinary infections.
An indication for an operation for a modern man may be the presence of various deviations from the norm in the structure of the organ. For example - phimosis, paraphimosis, xerotic obliterans balanitis, benign formations of the foreskin and some other problems. For adults, circumcision of the foreskin can be performed at will. After the operation, nothing prevents the free opening of the head of the penis. Special rehabilitation and antibiotic treatment after circumcision is not prescribed.
Children are circumcised for medical reasons: difficulty urinating, chronic inflammation of the foreskin.
The advantage of circumcision in some cases is to reduce the risk of occurrence and development of urinary tract infections. It also simplifies men's hygiene. For circumcision, the price in Russia ranges from 15 thousand rubles.
Religious practices
Jewish circumcision takes place without any conditions, only because tradition dictates so. Everything is predetermined. This phenomenon in the Jewish faith symbolizes the agreement between man and God. The ceremony has become an integral part of the culture, and even unbelieving Jews insist that their sons should be circumcised. Abraham was the first to make an agreement with the Lord, and since he is the patriarch of Islam, the rite passed into Muslim culture. It happened like thisthat circumcision is done at different ages in Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Sometimes circumcision is performed (the age of the child is shocking) on the 7th day after birth, sometimes it is postponed until adulthood. Islam does not give clear instructions on the timing of the ritual.
Circumcision has become an integral part of the culture of many nations, this procedure is over 4000 years old. Even those who oppose surgery in infancy on medical grounds attach great importance to this religious rite. It is believed that all Jewish boys must undergo this ritual. Circumcision among the Jews is an integral part of the culture of the people, for them it is a very simple and completely safe operation. And it is useless to refer to the Bible if a group of people believe that the rite is part of their religion.
Conclusion
But there are people who have a different point of view. They suffered from the operation and want the state to protect their point of view as well. So male circumcision, before and after, has been a topic of controversy for centuries. It is based on religious beliefs, cultural traditions, experiences and scientific justification. Science believes that circumcision has its positive aspects, and they are not indisputable. The operation may be detrimental to a man's he alth, but even this view is disputed. And what point of view is correct, the parents of the child will decide. Their choice will depend on religious beliefs, the traditions of society and personal considerations. The debate will continue, and scientific studies show thatthis operation will remain the most common in those countries where circumcision means observing the laws of society.
