Circumcision Dr Trisha Macnair The removal of the foreskin of male babies and young boys, whether for religious or medical reasons, is a controversial issue. We look at why it may be carried out and what the procedure involves.

In this article

What is it? Why's it done?

Who's affected? What's involved?

Circumcision of boys is an operation in which the foreskin is removed from the penis. This is the small flap of skin at the tip that can usually be pulled back over the end of the penis. Some people believe the foreskin is redundant and gets in the way of good hygiene. Others believe it is a very sensitive and vital part of the male anatomy that shouldn't be removed.

In some religions, such as Judaism and Islam, it's an important ritual

Circumcision is done for a variety of reasons. In some religions, such as Judaism and Islam, it's an important ritual. In some cultures, it's done for hygiene reasons. However, there's no compelling medical reason for circumcision and in the UK it's no longer routinely performed on healthy children - fewer than one in ten teenage boys has been circumcised.

Circumcision may be done when the foreskin is narrowed or tight and cannot be pulled back. Other medical reasons for circumcision include recurrent attacks of balanitis (infection under the foreskin) or an unusual condition that tends to affect adult men called balanitis xerotica obliterans.

It's been shown that tiny patches of lymph glands on the underside of the foreskin may process infectious organisms including HIV, helping them to enter the body. Recent research has suggested that circumcision may help to reduce the risk of contracting HIV.

Ritual circumcision is performed on newborn babies. Timing may be important - in the Jewish faith, for example, circumcision is done on the eighth day.

Circumcision is a painful operation. However, with small babies, local anaesthetic may be sufficient, but they may still experience pain. Local anaesthetic avoids the risks of a general anaesthetic and is a numbing medicine that can be injected at the base of the penis or in the shaft, or applied as a cream. In older children, circumcision is best performed with the child completely asleep under general anaesthetic.

Healing takes up to seven days

Once the foreskin has been cut away, healing takes up to seven days. Dissolving stitches that don't need to be removed are usually used. Simple pain relief, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, should be given regularly after the surgery.

Occasionally, there may be complications after the operation, including infection and scarring. Parents or carers should be vigilant for these and get advice immediately if problems develop.

This article was last medically reviewed by Dr Rob Hicks in October 2007