When do i get my son circumcised

Think you know everything there is to know about erect penises? Put your hard knowledge to the test against these 12 facts.

Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Should I Circumcise My Child? A Urologist Weighs In. Medically reviewed by Carissa Stephens, R. Share on Pinterest. The benefits of circumcision outweigh the risks. Not being circumcised can lead to complications later on in life.

The decision to have your baby circumcised needs to start with a discussion. Read this next. Medically reviewed by Karen Gill, M. Circumcision is a surgical procedure used to remove the normal foreskin covering the head of the penis. It's estimated that approximately two-thirds of all newborn males are circumcised in the United States. The American Academy of Pediatrics AAP does not make a recommendation for or against circumcision in newborn boys, but they do say that health benefits outweigh the risks of the procedure.

Circumcisions are routine, but the procedure does vary slightly based on your child's age. When newborns are circumcised in the nursery, the penis should be numbed with a topical anesthetic. A pediatrician, obstetrician-gynecologist, pediatric urologist or nurse practitioner then uses a special tool to clamp the penis and cleanly remove the foreskin.

At Children's Health, our compassionate team also swaddles the baby and plays soothing music as additional comfort measures. Another method includes a plastic ring that is tied to the foreskin to allow safe removal and the ring falls off in 5 to 7 days. After children are months, circumcisions are typically performed under general anesthesia. This is usually done after the age of 6 months.

Our specialists in the Department of Surgery and the Department of Urology are highly skilled in performing circumcisions. We also perform more than re-circumcision procedures a year, many of which we strongly believe could be prevented by having the initial circumcision performed correctly by an experienced team like ours. For Patients. Find A Doctor. What is circumcision? What are the potential benefits of circumcision?

Other potential benefits include: near elimination of lifetime risk of penile cancer more than 90 percent reduction in the risk of urinary tract infections UTI during infancy reduced incidence of balanitis, an infection of the glands or head of the penis, and posthitis, an infection of the prepuce the skin covering the head of the penis elimination of phimosis inability to retract the foreskin Most researchers generally accept that circumcised men are less likely to acquire and transmit HIV and some sexually transmitted diseases.

However, if your child is not circumcised, he can do well by learning to fully pull back his foreskin around the time of toilet training and taking care to keep the entire penis clean with soap and water every day.

Is it a common practice? Frequently asked questions How old should my child be for circumcision? What are the risks associated with the procedure? The reported surgical complication rate is quite low between two to three percent and most of those are minor post-operative bleeding.

The most common complication is that not enough foreskin is removed, leading parents to request an operative circumcision revision. Serious or life-threatening problems such as damage to the penis or major bleeding are extremely rare. Page last reviewed: 20 November Next review due: 20 November Circumcision in boys. Male circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin. The foreskin is the roll of skin that covers the end of the penis.

Why circumcision is carried out in boys Circumcision in boys may be carried out for: medical reasons — for example, as a treatment of last resort for conditions such as a tight foreskin phimosis or recurrent infection of the foreskin and head of the penis balanitis religious or cultural reasons — it's a common practice in Jewish and Islamic communities, and it's also practised by many African communities; most cultural circumcisions are carried out in young boys The information on this page focuses on circumcision in boys for medical reasons.

How the foreskin develops It's normal for a baby boy's foreskin not to pull back retract for the first few years of life. Never try to force your son's foreskin back, as it may be painful and damage the foreskin. Medical reasons for a boy to have a circumcision It's rare for circumcision to be recommended for medical reasons in boys. The following conditions affect the penis and, in rare cases, may require a circumcision: tight foreskin phimosis — where the foreskin is too tight to be pulled back over the head of the penis; this can sometimes cause pain when the penis is erect and, in rare cases, passing urine may be difficult recurrent infection balanitis — where the foreskin and head of the penis become inflamed and infected paraphimosis — where the foreskin cannot be returned to its original position after being pulled back, causing the head of the penis to become swollen and painful; immediate treatment is needed to avoid serious complications, such as restricted blood flow to the penis balanitis xerotica obliterans — a condition that causes a tight foreskin and, in some cases, also affects the head of the penis, which can become scarred and inflamed The procedure Circumcision is usually carried out on a day patient basis.

Recovering after male circumcision After the operation, a dressing will be put over the penis to protect the wound. He will be allowed home after he's passed urine, which may be uncomfortable at first. In most cases, a follow-up appointment will not be necessary. However, you should contact your GP or hospital care team if: your child's penis is bleeding your child's penis is still swollen 2 weeks after the operation passing urine is still painful a few days after the operation Risks of male circumcision The risks associated with circumcisions when carried out by qualified and experienced doctors are small.