“Dear Mike, You publish nothing for a month, and then you dive right into foreskin? That’s below the belt, man. You should have “tipped” us off.
Now that we’ve gotten the “bris” jokes out of the way, we can address an issue that has been the subject of much controversy for centuries.
Jews and muslims alike have been performing this as a religious rite in solid (no pun intended) percentages since Abraham proclaimed his sacred covenant with the Almighty. With little exception, all Jewish males are snipped on their eighth day and no one makes much of a fuss about it. In fact, while the thought of it makes some people nauseous, Jews celebrate this joyous occasion by inviting friends at the crack of dawn (when gag reflexes are at their most sensitive), to watch the procedure, followed buy a lovely breakfast spread consisting of bagels, lox, and cream cheeses.
But circumcision is not just for Jews anymore. It has become an increasingly popular practice for a variety of cultural and health reasons. Almost 40% of all males are circumcised.
As a guy, I have literally never attempted to persuade ANYone to get in on this action. It was only in conversation with someone offering unsolicited claims of being “not anti-semitic but…” goaded me into a debate by calling “it” barbaric. Not Jews per se. That would be anti-semitic. No, he was referring the act of circumcision itself, which forced me into a little research and I found some pretty strong selling points.
As it turns out, the optimal time to perform the routine “Shmeckel-ectomy” is right around that 8-day mark. When modern medicine suddenly supports a practice dating back 5000 years, we should probably give it just a little consideration.
The medical community is disinclined to recommend the procedure “willy-nilly” (Sorry again. It’s just too easy.), although there are cases where it is seen as the solution to particular health issues. In almost every case, the risks involved are minor when compared to the benefits. One thing is for sure: Certain afflictions targeting males are exponentially diminished within the foreskin-less population. Here are some of the cliff-notes:
Appearance: It looks a little better. Not that the male organ is really a thing of beauty but in relative terms, you don’t eat a Banana with the peel or corn-on-the-cob without shucking it’s coat. Not because it’s bad, but simply because it brings nothing extra to the table. Your best move is really just to pull it back anyway, right?
Genital health: The average boy-child experiences a variety of issues, but some of the most typical like urinary-tract infections are rare among those with a “pared” penis. With fewer nooks and crannies where bacteria can flourish, many common conditions are virtually unknown to the clean-cut such as foul-smelling lumps and secretions (Smegma), Balanoposthitis (inflammation of glans/foreskin), and Phimosis (or Paraphimosis), which is the inability to retract or return the foreskin to its original position.
And you thought circumcision was gross?
STD risks: Significant scientific evidence exists to show that circumcised men are at reduced risk of contracting HIV and HPV infections. Even more importantly is that female partners of the foreskin-free are less likely to get cervical cancer. What? And you didn’t think there’d be anything here for the ladies.
Hygiene: Many of the health issues above can be reduced significantly with impeccable personal hygiene. The only cautionary note is that the primary proprietors of penises tend to be male, and we all know how meticulous ten-year old boys are about bathing thoroughly.
Now, those benefits seemed enough for me, but in the interest of balanced debate, I researched the hard truth about the risks involved. They include:
- Bleeding and possible infection
- Too much skin removed
- Side effects from anesthesia.
The only one that scares any guy is #2 and while I have never known of a single case (less than 0.1%), I would suggest a very hearty “less is more” conversation with your Mohel or surgeon.
As for numbers 1 and 3, the risk of complications is significantly reduced in babies than in older children, and not life-threatening in either case.
Regardless, I have no dog in this fight. Not that it’s anyone’s business but until this recent bout of research that I wish I could take back, I hadn’t even known about any of those health issues and I am all the more content for it.
But if you’re asking for advice, you’re on your own.
Leave a Reply