okaaaay second round.
Infant vs Adult circumcision
a. Infant.
If circumcision must be done for any reasons then 7-10 days after birth is the ideal time. At this age there is no anaesthetic risk, no separation from parents, no psychological trauma, no stitches, no memory of the event and the wounds heal in a few days without causing any discomfort. Circumcision with a 'Plastibell' is probably the best method and the baby can be bathed normally.
b. Child.
In the child circumcision may be an unpleasant experience causing psychological trouble which persists for some time afterwards. Separation from parents, the anaesthetic, having his 'tail' made sore etc. may all be upsetting. The anaesthetic agent 'Ketalar' and the 'Plastibell' circumcision device have made the operation simpler and safer in young children. Lads in the 2-6 age group are aware of the differences between boys and girls and being unable to appreciate the nature of the operation may fear that their masculinity has been taken away.
c. Adolescent and adult.
Circumcision at this age can readily be done under local or general anaesthesia without psychological harm because the patient can understand the reason for the operation. It can be done on an out-patient basis because the wound is not particularly painful and the patient remains up and about. The wound heals completely in about three weeks and sexual intercourse can be resumed in 3-4 weeks. To secure maximum benefit the surgeon should be requested to remove all the foreskin. The main problem is embarrassment in having the genitals handled, explaining absence from school or work, and having to face ribald remarks when news of the operation leaks out. The fear that an erection after the operation will tear the stitches is of course quite unwarranted.
Infant circumcision has benefits over adult circumcision. As an newborn, the procedure can be done using local anesthesia and in most cases without hospitalization. This, and the fact that the operation lasts only a few minutes, means that the medical costs involved are low. The healing process normally only takes around a week, with pain only lasting 12 to maximum 24 hours.
As an adult, the operation is more complicated and therefore also takes longer, and hospitalization is often required with a general anesthesia. As a result, the medical costs are at least a factor of 10 larger ($1500 - $2000). The healing process also takes longer - normally 3-4 weeks. During this time, sexual activity should be avoided to prevent rupturing the stitches. Add to that the embarassment factor and the general lack of funds for a young adult.
Hygene/Smegma
Smegma is the natural lubricant of the foreskin.
Natural oils are secreted by Tyson's Glands under the rim of the glans and from the inner surface of the foreskin. These are necessary to prevent the foreskin from sticking to the glans and to allow it to retract freely. The oils are produced constantly and are thus replaced very quickly after washing.
Smegma consists of surplus oil, dead skin cells, stale urine, stale semen and miscellaneous dirt which have collected under the foreskin. - Lovely. Id rather be without thankyou.
The weak phimosis (and other) alternatives to circumcision
1)A partial circumcision - removing just the constricting tip of the foreskin - is a possibility, but many who have had that done find that the remaining very loose foreskin gets in the way too much during sex. It also has no effect on the production of smegma.
2)A dorsal slit (ie cutting a slit along the top of the foreskin) is sometimes suggested. If the slit is kept short then similar problems to partial circumcision can arise. If the slit is long then the glans is permanently bared and the remnant of foreskin partially retracts leaving the top surface just as if it had been properly circumcised whilst the spare skin bunches underneath leaving a less than fully attractive result.
3)A recently developed technique known as preputioplasty may be effective in some cases of phimosis without balanitis or frenulum breve. This consists of making a short dorsal slit but then re-stitching the edges across the penis instead of along it. A small T-shaped scar remains on the tip of the foreskin and, like all scars, is less elastic than the surrounding skin but the opening in the end of the foreskin is enlarged slightly.
4)Stretching the foreskin may work where there is only very slight phimosis. However if too much stretching is done minute tears are caused and these heal to tiny scars which are even less elastic than the skin around them - thus the phimosis actually gets worse and circumcision is eventually necessary.
5)Creams and ointments can temporarily relieve the itching from balanitis, but cannot remove the underlying cause - indeed they may actually make matters worse by trapping bacteria and fungi that might otherwise have been washed or rubbed away. Only removal of the foreskin to allow permanent exposure of the infected glans to the drying effects of the air will eliminate balanitis.
Other random facts
1)there is no medical evidence that circumcision affects the mother-child bonding in any negative way. It is possible that the infant may be fussy for a day or two after the circumcision, but no long-term effects have been found;
2)there is no scientific evidence that circumcision disrupts the child´s behavioral development. A recent study has shown that infants who were circumcised without anesthesia did show a stronger response to the immunization shots performed at 4-6 months of age than those who were uncircumcised or who had received pain relief during circumcision. It should be noted however (and even the authors admit it) that the conclusions of the study [6] was based on only a small statistical sample. In should also be noted that no credible scientific study has ever shown long-term sensitivity to pain as a result of infant circumcision;
3)circumcision can in no way be described as being a barbaric practice. This statement is an insult to all parents who have made an informed decision, and with the well-being and interest of their child in mind. By the same argument, circumcision also cannot be considered to violate the human rights of the child, since parents have both the legal and moral right to act in the best interest of their child.
----------------------------------------
bring it on fairnymph I dont give in so easily..

[ 17 April 2002: Message edited by: circlecircus ]