To circumcise or not to circumcise, that is the question

Circumcision is an age-old tradition that goes back as far as ancient Egypt. There are suspected depictions of male circumcision in the tombs of Ancient Egypt. Religion has been a driving force of the practice by commandments from the religious doctrines of Judaism and Islam. As time has went on, circumcision has almost become more of a newborn tradition and is done with most American male newborns. Other countries that have large circumcision rates are the Middle East and specific regions of Asia and Africa.

Other reasons have been stated for the need to carry out the circumcision procedure. In fact, as recently as March of 2007 the WHO (World Health Organization) and another organization called UNAIDS stated that male circumcision was effective at preventing the spread and transfer of HIV. You can find an article covering this announcement here. With HIV spreading at explosive rates in Africa, the circumcision procedure is touted even more there as a weapon against developing AIDS. There are also other medical claims about the prevention of urinary tract infection and penile cancer due to being circumcised.

With tradition and medical recommendations in full force, there is a growing group of men and doctors trying to put a stop to the default circumcision of adult males in the USA. Although there are doctors on both sides of the issue, there are very vocal doctors,like George C. Denniston, M.D. Mr. Denniston is the president of Seattle-based Doctors Opposing Circumcision. Mr. Denniston states, “Foreskin protects against disease; it doesn’t cause disease. If foreskin is unhygienic, eyelids should be considered unhygienic.” The Journal of the American Medical Association released research stating that they found no differences between circumcised and uncircumcised males and potential of contracting sexually transmitted diseases.

On December 9th, 2007 the Australian Medical Association announced it is backing a call for a circumcision ban. The press release can be found here at ABC’s Australian edition. The AMA’s Tasmanian President, Haydn Walters, said “There were quite a lot of folk myths around the advantages of circumcision. They’ve almost all been debunked.” The AMA does admit that there are rare circumstances where the procedure should be carried out. Another exception to the proposed ban is when the circumcision is to be carried out for religious reasons. Ironically, this is the exact reason the tradition of circumcision is in place today.

While the debate continues to try and come to a conclusion on whether medical professionals agree with circumcision an uprising of men are going a different route. Instead of debating whether to get a circumcision or not, there are companies, organizations and men promoting the idea to reverse the circumcision that was already carried out on them. What is the main reason these individuals and groups are promoting this idea? Sexual dysfunction.

Dr. Geoff Hinchley, a British emergency doctor has went public with his opposition of circumcision and says that circumcision is, “far from being a harmless traditional practice, circumcision damages young boys.” Mr. Hinchley sites a specific study done on the sensitivity and pressure sensations of circumcised and uncircumcised penises. Dr. Hinchley and the study bring up the point that the five most sensitive areas are removed during circumcision.

With new problems and objections, come the creations and innovations from companies offering a solution to men that are unhappy about their circumcised penises. The solutions are rarely for the squeamish in this area however, as they can include weights, tape, straps, suction and tension. Apparently, interest in UNcircumcision is growing quickly with one company called, 4restore.com, stating their stainless steel apparatus is increasing in sales by 15% each year. The increasing sales at these companies seem to go along with the trends of circumcision procedures being done across the country in America too. In the 1970s, 80 percent of American male infants were circumcised with that figure being closer to 60 percent today. The coast with the least circumcisions is the West Coast with only 34 percent of male infants being circumcised.

Another person offering a solution to envious circumcised men is Ron Low, who has invented the conical silicone TLC Tugger. Mr. Low has been in the reversal circumcising industry since 2003 and claims to have sold 9,000 Tuggers. Mr. Low offers his opinion on why some men buy his products, “I hear from men that they want to look more like their son.” The argument that Low says he feels makes most sense is, “that nature wouldn’t produce a part that is harmful.”

Men that have had the procedures and products used on them say they welcome their new foreskin in their sex lives. Almost all men that have went through the process say they have regained sexual desire and sensitivity. Even though there are advocates promoting the new tools, the number of men complaining of lack of sensitivity due to having a circumcision are not that high. The debate is still a touchy issue with religious directives tied deep into family traditions and beliefs.With the religious debate heating up, some non-Orthodox Jewish parents are thinking twice about the ceremony of circumcision. It is said that this ceremony is what initiates the baby into a covenant with God. The non-Orthodox Jewish parents are now looking into Jewish laws that say pain to any living thing is forbidden. Regardless of the religious conflicts having to do with circumcision, organizations and “inactivists” are popping up all around the country and even throughout the world. The true inventor of foreskin restoration, Wayne Griffiths, has co-founded a San Francisco based organization called NORM. NORM stands for National Organization of Restoring Men. NORM has grown their activist organization to Canada, Australia, Britain and New Zealand. Soon, you’ll have a helpful hand next door to you to show you the way to the new wave of rebellion, uncircumcision.

Are you upset about being circumcised? Are you working on uncircumcising yourself and want to tell others about the success or failure? If you think the health implications are important, you don’t believe circumcisions prevent AIDS or you think that doctors are damaging little boys by doing the circumcision procedure we want to hear from you. We’d like to hear from you at our submission form. If you want to speak your mind or you are involved in Health Care industry or have had any good or bad experiences with circumcision, uncircumcisions or any part of the process and want to speak your mind we want to hear from you. Tell us your story and thoughts at our submission form.