A circumcision (sir cum SI zhun) is surgery to remove the foreskin (extra skin) from around the end of the penis (Picture 1). The circumcision is usually done in the doctor's office. Your visit will take about one and one-half hours in all.
The operation takes about 30 minutes and dissolvable stitches are used which may take some time to disappear over the next four weeks. There will be some swelling and bruising of the penis. The wound may look 'crusty' and ooze clear/straw coloured fluid. This is quite normal.
It is generally not very painful. Over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen are likely all you'll need. You will probably have a dressing over the area or over your entire penis. Follow your doctor's directions about when to remove it.
It is not advisable to drive heavy goods or do any heavy lifting until the wound has healed. You should naturally avoid cardio vascular exercises, energetic or contact sports, cycling and swimming for 3 weeks. The healing time for each male is different, but you should allow at least six weeks.
This pain often gets better in 3 or 4 days. But it may last for up to 2 weeks. Even though your baby's penis will likely start to feel better after 3 or 4 days, it may look worse. The penis often starts to look like it's getting better after about 7 to 10 days.
You should remain relatively inactive the first 72 hours following surgery. We do encourage walking around for a few minutes every two hours to maintain good circulation, but otherwise, no activity.
Circumcision, whereby the foreskin is removed from the penis, can cause the urethral opening to narrow, making it difficult to urinate. The condition is called meatal stenosis and the risk of developing it is 16-26 times higher in circumcised than intact boys under the age of ten.
Your child may not sleep as well and may seem fussy while the circumcision site heals. Let your child return to normal activities when your child seems ready or when your doctor says it's okay. This is usually in 2 or 3 days.
These findings suggest that it is better to perform circumcision when boys are < 1 year old, when the anesthesia complications are also at a minimum. A longer hospitalization is associated with an increased risk of infection as well as increased costs (24).
The Pollock Technique™ and Shang Ring technique for circumcision are virtually painless methods under long-acting local anesthetic. The procedure takes less than ten minutes for adults and approximately 60 seconds for newborns.
The best sleeping position for your baby is on his side, supported by a blanket roll. 4) Healing is promoted by keeping the area clean and dry. Warm water and a cotton-ball or washcloth are preferred for cleaning the area around the penis.
After the circumcision, you will need to take steps to care for your baby's penis until it heals. This includes cleaning the area with plain water at least once daily, and whenever the area becomes dirty after a bowel movement. Allow the area to dry, and then apply petroleum jelly liberally to prevent irritation.
Wear underwear that is comfortable for you. You may prefer a snug fit for support. Or you might like loose-fitting briefs. The underwear should hold the penis upright.
After 24 hours, your son may bathe or shower. Don't rub the area, but squeeze water from the washcloth over the site. Do not wash off the white or yellow colored drainage that is a normal part of the healing process. It will go away as the circumcision heals.
Conclusion: The highest-quality studies suggest that medical male circumcision has no adverse effect on sexual function, sensitivity, sexual sensation, or satisfaction.
However, circumcision does not increase the penile size, and a meta-analysis revealed that circumcision does not affect premature ejaculation10.
Our questionnaire used VASs, which were completed on days 1 to 3, 7 and 21 after circumcision. Pain was scored as mild—1 to 3, mod- erate—4 to 6 or severe—7 to 10.
Circumcision is a relatively simple procedure. The foreskin is removed just behind the head of the penis using a scalpel or surgical scissors. Any bleeding can be stopped using heat (cauterisation), and the remaining edges of skin will be stitched together using dissolvable stitches.
Immediately following your circumcision
In most cases, we perform your circumcision under general anesthesia. The procedure itself only takes about 30 minutes. Once you wake up and we're sure that everything has gone smoothly, you're free to return home, but please arrange for someone to drive you.
There is no absolute need to take time off school or work after circumcision, but you may find it very hard to concentrate on work for the first few days and so may find it useful to take a week off.
At first, the penis will appear red (picture 4). In a few days, a soft yellow scab will develop. This is normal and will go away in a few days. During this process, parents should watch for worsening redness, swelling, bleeding (larger than a quarter-size on the diaper) or drainage that does not go away.
Circumcision may be done at any age. If you were not circumcised as a baby, you may choose to have it done later for personal or medical reasons. Your doctor may suggest circumcision later if: You have repeated infections of the foreskin that do not get better with treatment.
As recommended by doctors, there is no age limit for circumcision surgery. Therefore, 40-year-old male circumcision when the foreskin is narrow or elongated is completely doable.
After the anaesthetic, your child can start eating a light diet such as sandwiches, pasta, soup or jelly. Avoid fatty or junk food.
It's best to avoid full-body bathing until the second day after surgery, but sponge baths are fine. After the second day, you can shower or bathe as normal, but don't scrub the incision site — just let the soapy warm water run over the incision and pat it dry.