How old is too old to get your son circumcised?
Answer:
Can you explain the circumstances and WHY you want to do this? Is he old enough to understand? Maybe you should ask him if he would want his foreskin removed. ALL intact children that I have spoken to about circ are appalled at the idea. Boys like their foreskin!
You're really never TOOO old to have a circumcision but it's best to have it done as early as possible that way the pain won't be remembered. I have a friend in the late 30's who just had it done and i felt sooooo sorry for him...he couldn't walk for 2 weeks due to the pain. To this day he says he'll never forget it. "It's worse than a vasectomy!" he says.
As an infant is ideal, however I know someone who had it done when he in his early 20's. A medical issue led to that result, but he had it done.
To my knowledge you can have it done anytime even if they are older.
There really isn't a set age for being too old. Most commonly in the US it is done within the day of the child's birth, although traditionally, the orthodox Jewish procedure of Brit malah is done at 8 days of life, which is the same day of the week, a week later. Interestingly, there is evidence that at 8 days of life, the baby has a peak amount of antibodies to help heal the circumcision.
We have our circumcisions done at 8 days, although we have a non-Jewish procedure done.
You could have it done on your deathbed. There is no age limit.
I wouldn't get it done if he is older than 2 or 3 months though unless it's something you feel very strongly about.
It is the vitamin K/blood clotting factors in the blood which peak at 8 days, not antibodies.
Yes, you can have a boy circumcised at any age, but for a newborn circ I would do it within the first month for sure.
I just had my son 6 days ago, and the doctor said I have 15 days.
Why do it at all? Many men on this earth get to keep all of their parts why not your son?
My husband had it done as an adult. But if you wanted to have your son circumstanced, then why didn’t you do it after he was born/before leaving the hospital, and how old is he now?
It is cosmetic surgery. Why put a baby through that when there is no medical reason for it?
I am the mom of 2 boys. One circumcised, one not. I had my 1st born circumcised as I thought it would be best. I did no research, just assumed. My 6 week old is NOT circumcised, because I did my research this time.
Before you decide to do this to your child you should know what it is you are doing.
These two sites will show you how an infant circumcision is done.
http://www.cirp.org/library/procedure/go...
http://www.cirp.org/library/procedure/pl...
Also, think about this, why does an adult having this procedure get put to sleep and is sent home with a prescription for narcotic pain meds while an infant is given nothing but a topical pain relief cream or at best a shot of lidocane in the base of the penis?
Circumcision is not recommended by any national medical association in the world. Fifteen national and international medical associations have extensively studied infant circumcision and its effects and found no significant evidence to support this practice. In March 1999, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) concluded that infant circumcision is not recommended as a routine procedure. The circumcision policy statements of the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Academy of Family Physicians have concurred with this position. The AMA calls infant circumcision “non-therapeutic.”
Ignore the Myths, Get the Facts!
The following cultural beliefs, or myths, are often used as reasons for circumcision. After each myth, some relevant facts are provided to present a more accurate picture of this procedure. Parents should understand the full implications of circumcision before making this irreversible decision for their child.
Circumcision is not recommended by any national medical association in the world. Fifteen national and international medical associations have extensively studied infant circumcision and its effects and found no significant evidence to support this practice. In March 1999, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) concluded that infant circumcision is not recommended as a routine procedure.1 The circumcision policy statements of the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Academy of Family Physicians have concurred with this position. The AMA calls infant circumcision “non-therapeutic.”
The prepuce (foreskin) makes up as much as half of the skin system of the penis. It is an extension of the shaft skin that folds over onto itself, completely covering and protecting the glans (an internal organ) and provides the mobility of the shaft skin necessary for frictionless intercourse and masturbation. The foreskin has three known functions: protective, immunological, and sexual. It contains about 10,000 highly specialized nerve endings and several feet of blood vessels. An adult male foreskin, if unfolded and spread out, would be about the size of index card (3 x 5 inches), much more than a “little piece of skin.” Many sexually active men circumcised in adulthood report a significant decrease in sexual pleasure and comfort because of the loss of sensitive nerve endings, skin mobility and natural lubrication.
For the care of an intact penis, the AAP recommends, “Leave it alone.” No special care is required – an intact child should have the external surface of his penis (and the rest of his body) washed regularly to keep clean. When a male is older and can retract his foreskin (which typically occurs by puberty), a simple rinsing is all that is necessary. Other cultural myths about special cleaning procedures are just that – myth.
Overall, urinary tract infections (UTI) occur at about the same rate in male and female infants during the first six months of life. Regardless of circumcision status, infants who present with their first UTI at 6 months (or less) are likely to have an underlying genitourinary abnormality. In children with a normal underlying anatomy, a study found as many circumcised infants with a UTI as those who retained their foreskin. The appropriate treatment for UTI, in males as well as females, is antibiotics, not prophylactic excision of the prepuce. According to the AAP, “Urinary tract infections are usually not life threatening and are easily treated in most cases.” Breastfeeding provides some measure of protection against UTI during the first six months of life.
"The American Cancer Society does not consider routine circumcision to be a valid or effective measure to prevent such cancers... Penile cancer is an extremely rare condition, affecting one in 200,000 men... Perpetrating the mistaken belief that circumcision prevents cancer is inappropriate.''
The American Medical Association, in a July 2000 report, states, “… because this disease [penile cancer] is rare and occurs later in life, the use of circumcision as a preventive practice is not justified.”
The circumcision rate for males worldwide is about 15%. Even in the US, the only country that circumcises a majority of its male newborns for non-religious reasons, the circumcision rate is decreasing. According the National Center for Health Statistics, the US circumcision rate is approximately 60% (varies widely by region) and slowly decreasing. According to many intact males, the “teasing” concern is vastly overstated. For many boys, genital status is neither an important issue nor one that is discussed. In the unlikely event of concerns later in life, at least the person can make his own decision about an irreversible body alteration that has no medical justification.
While circumcision is a relatively quick procedure, it is extremely painful for the infant. The initial part of the process involves a forced separation of the foreskin, which is fused to the glans (head) in much the same way as a fingernail is joined to the finger. The AAP says the following about EMLA cream, one of the most common pain relief methods, “The analgesic effect is limited during the phases associated with extensive tissue trauma…” 1 Although they cannot remember the pain as adults, circumcised male infants have increased pain response in vaccinations 4 to 6 months later. Circumcision appears to lower the pain threshold.
Some studies show that circumcision has a slight preventive effect for AIDS and some STDs; however, other studies show an insignificant or opposite effect, especially for chlamydia. The bottom line: sexual practices have a much greater effect on the chance of becoming infected than circumcision status. If someone acts on the misconception that circumcision alone will protect them, they are taking unwise chances.
http://www.nocircpa.org/4642.html...
http://josh.bakehorn.net/circ2.html...
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/menshealth/fa...
http://www.aap.org/_test/003.cfm?myurl=h...
You can have it done at ANY AGE.
CIRCUMCISION IS VERY BENEFICIAL, its cleaner, healthier and several prestigious research institutions have proved that circumcised men have less risk of contracting STD's such as AIDS-HIV, syphilis or herpes.
Uncircumcised penises are difficult to keep clean, and more prone to infections and penile cancer, studies have shown.
A circumcised penis is naturally clean and virtually free from urinary infections. You will not have to worry again with careful washing of your penis.
Is it NOT true that the AAP (American Academy of Paediatrics) does not recommend circumcision. They simply say they leave the decision to parents. But recently, and specially after the recent studies by the US National Institutes of Health, the AAP has been discussing if it may be necessary to change their policy and recommend circumcision to all newborns as they used to do, so in the future we may see that the AAP advocates circumcision again.
Have a look at: http://www.baby-health.net/articles/381.
About STD's:
As I said, several studies carried out by prestigious research bodies have proved that uncircumcised penises are more prone to infections and contraction of STD's, including AIDS-HIV. It has been confirmed that circumcised men are up to 70% less likely to be infected than those who are uncircumcised. Have a look at this site: http://www.torontodailynews.com/index.ph...
As for women, studies also show that circumcision also protects female partners from AIDS-HIV and other STD's. Browse this article: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/press_rel...
About sensitivity of a circumcised penis:
NO medical or physiological study has ever shown that circumcision reduces sensitivity, opposed to common belief. It is completely FALSE that circumcision reduces penis sensitivity. The American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) confirms this on their web site; have a look at: http://www.aap.org/pubed/zzzjzmemh4c.htm...
Circumcision is an easy and nowadays *painless* procedure, which has many benefits, and virtually no risks.
Circumcision is NOT an amputation. Circumcision is NOT comparable at all to female circumcision, which is something completely different.
Circumcision rates are INCREASING nowadays, both in the United States and overseas. Many African, Asian and Latin American countries with little circumcision tradition are starting to promote the procedure to help to reduce the AIDS-HIV infection rates.
Finally, this site has a lot of useful and *unbiased* information. Make sure you have a good look: http://www.circinfo.net
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