Circumcision: when should it be done? What are the benefits?

What are the benefits of circumcision?

Among the benefits provided by circumcision are the reduction in man’s chances of developing diseases such as male candidiasis , urinary tract infection , balanoposthitis (inflammation), HPV (human papillomavirus), pain during sexual intercourse, cancer of the penis, among others.

This occurs due to the excess of skin (foreskin), which when removed, facilitates the cleaning of the penis and, consequently, prevents bacteria, fungi and viruses responsible for these diseases from spreading on the spot.

In addition, sexual partners of circumcised men also benefit from the procedure, as there is less risk of being infected by sexually transmitted infections, such as HPV and HIV .

When should circumcision be performed?

Circumcision should be performed when there is no opening of the foreskin naturally, consequently preventing exposure of the glans (it is stipulated that by the age of 7 this process has occurred). So, when man has phimosis.

In general, all boys are born with excess skin covering the glans of the penis. However, this condition becomes more severe when the skin does not naturally retract over time, causing symptoms in men such as burning urination, swelling, frequent infections and accumulation of secretions in the head of the penis.

Therefore, it is advisable to seek a urologist as soon as this condition is noticed. This way, it is possible to start a more appropriate treatment with ointments and, ultimately, with the circumcision procedure.

How is circumcision performed on babies?

Circumcision in babies is done as follows: first, the surgeon applies local anesthesia to the child’s genitals, and as soon as it takes effect, begins to remove the foreskin that covers the baby’s penile glans. In general, the procedure takes around 10 minutes, and the healing of the surgical stitches takes 1 week.

The choice of whether or not to perform circumcision in a newborn is at the discretion of the parents, however, experts recommend that the intervention be performed only after 2 years of age, because after this period it is expected that the foreskin will begin to open and the child’s glans penis is exposed – circumcision is therefore not necessary.

If this does not occur at 2 years of age, it means that it is necessary to start a treatment with ointments that soften the foreskin so that there is an opening for the glans, however, if this feature does not work, then it is indicated to perform circumcision. Therefore, it is worth consulting a pediatrician to find out whether or not the intervention is feasible for the child.

What is the recovery time from circumcision surgery?

Normally, the man who performs circumcision does not need to go through a long period of recovery, since the stitches that remain after the intervention tend to heal around 6 weeks.

However, even if it is a small invention, some precautions must be taken during this recovery period, such as not having sex or masturbating, as these activities can compromise the healing of the penis.

And after the postoperative period, it is important for the man to use a condom for 6 months, always when he is going to have sexual intercourse, because that way it is possible to ensure complete healing of the points of the surgery.

In addition to these recommendations, others can be made (depending on the case), by the urologist surgeon so that the patient can continue during the postoperative period.

Price and where to do it?

On average, circumcision ranges from R $ 2000 to R $ 3000 and can be done in specialized private clinics or through the Unified Health System – SUS (in this case, free of charge).

Regardless of the location chosen, the patient must undergo a medical consultation with a urologist who will assess the need for surgery and mark the day of the procedure.

Female circumcision (in girls): what is it?

Female circumcision does not exist , at least not when talking about a medical resource that may be appropriate and prescribed. Therefore, circumcision is a surgical procedure intended only for people of the male gender , since it is an intervention to remove the foreskin from the penis. For this reason, there is no term or medical procedure designed as female circumcision.

In any case, it is important to emphasize that when there is a procedure to remove or alter an organ present in the female genital region (without medical reasons), it is an act classified as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), a violence against women that it can bring serious complications to her health.

Therefore, “female circumcision” is not a valid or healthy alternative to girls / women, and is completely prohibited by the World Health Organization (WHO).