# Have a question about "high" circumcision



## SuperMoM2GTO (Dec 13, 2006)

If you are circumcised "high" (like more taken then was supposed to) as an infant does that always mean you will have problems as an adult? Is there any literature writen about this topic?

I have already looked on most of the main sites like nocirc and cirp but can not seem to find anything at all about this.

Thank you.


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## Fi. (May 3, 2005)

It doesn't mean you WILL for sure, but I'd imagine there's a higher chance.


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## minkajane (Jun 5, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Fi.* 
It doesn't mean you WILL for sure, but I'd imagine there's a higher chance.

Not really. It's not the placement of the scar that matters, it's the tightness of the cut. A "high" cut means that most of the inner foreskin was left and the scar is high up on the shaft. A "low" cut means that most of the inner foreskin was taken and the scar is close to the glans. A "tight" cut means that most of the outer foreskin was taken and there is very little mobility of the shaft skin. A "loose" cut means that most of the outer foreskin was left and there is a lot of mobility of the shaft skin and possibly some coverage of the glans.

So if someone has a high scar but a loose cut, they probably won't have any problems with painful erections or skin splitting. But if they have a low scar but a tight cut, they might have a buried penis or other complications.

I hope this makes sense.


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## Quirky (Jun 18, 2002)

The problem is, there's no such thing as how much they're "supposed" to take off. The foreskin doesn't come with a dotted line saying "cut here," KWIM? So it's just medical tradition -- the amount a doctor will cut off will depend on how s/he was trained to do it, whether high and tight or loose and low.

All types of circumcision are harmful and cause problems, because they're destroying the integrity of the penis, and the foreskin is an integral part of the penis, not a separate part.

High and tight circs cause problems because there is no longer enough skin to accommodate the man's erection. This can cause bowing to one side, hair being drawn up on the shaft, and even cracking/splitting during erection or intercourse.

Low and loose circumcisions that are more in vogue these days cause problems with adhesions, with gunk accumulating under the foreskin, etc.

Both destroy the ridged band, often the frenulum, and the way the penis is supposed to work naturally. There is no right way to do a wrong thing.

One problem is, because circumcision has been so normalized in our culture that men have accepted the way their penises work as normal, and haven't complained about the problems they have, nor do they necessarily associate them with circumcision. There is massive denial in the medical profession, too, which is far more interested in what circumcision allegedly prevents than what circumcision actually does to the penis. Go to PubMed and run a search on circumcision, and you will see 25 research papers trying to justify circumcision for every 1 on complications (and that may be an overestimate of the papers on complications). Usually it's only the most extreme complications of circ that get written up.

Try here for what there is: http://www.cirp.org/library/complications/


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## Blarg (Oct 21, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *SuperMoM2GTO* 
If you are circumcised "high" (like more taken then was supposed to)

If they are a sane human being, then they're _supposed_ to take none off at all. Circumcision is bad.

Quote:

does that always mean you will have problems as an adult? Is there any literature writen about this topic?
The more skin that's cut off, the more likely the guy is to have problems. It will vary from guy to guy, though. You can't tell for sure when they're an infant (which is yet another reason not to circ babies, not that there aren't enough reasons already).


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## SuperMoM2GTO (Dec 13, 2006)

I know circumcision is bad. I found out how bad/wrong alittle too late and can not change the past







:

When I said more then they are supposed to I simply meant more then was required to do a circumcision in the first place. (Sorry for not wording it this way to begin with)

My husband's circ is "tight" (& the scar goes a little less then half way down the shaft) and I am worried that my son with have problems too. I noticed about 6 months ago that the circ scar was about half way down the shaft and now it looks like it is more then half way down the shaft. I am very worried that he will have more then the normal amount of problems that circ'd guys have. I want to know if you could know this early or would we not know until he is a teen? (He is now 23 months)

Thank you.


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## mr_faithhopelove (Jun 13, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *minkajane* 
Not really. It's not the placement of the scar that matters, it's the tightness of the cut. A "high" cut means that most of the inner foreskin was left and the scar is high up on the shaft. A "low" cut means that most of the inner foreskin was taken and the scar is close to the glans. A "tight" cut means that most of the outer foreskin was taken and there is very little mobility of the shaft skin. A "loose" cut means that most of the outer foreskin was left and there is a lot of mobility of the shaft skin and possibly some coverage of the glans.

So if someone has a high scar but a loose cut, they probably won't have any problems with painful erections or skin splitting. But if they have a low scar but a tight cut, they might have a buried penis or other complications.

I hope this makes sense.


Yes it does make sense to me. Yes I realize that circumcision is bad regardless of the way the foreskin is cut. And yes I regret that my son is. My son has a "loose" circumcision and the left over foreskin almost completely covers his glans. I'm treating it as if he was an uncut boy. I do not retract and I tell my DH and MIL to not retract as well. When he gets an erection (haha) I notice that the skin pulls back or when I bath him.

Are there any suggestions on how I should clean him??? Does he have a less likely chance to have problems as an adult??? Is it a good idea when he gets a lil older to teach him to pull his remaining foreskin over his glans???

Thanks


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## Quirky (Jun 18, 2002)

I think that he will figure out what's comfortable for him in terms of foreskin placement; you definitely wouldn't want to get into any kind of direct tugging (a la restoration) because that's something for him to do when he's older.

A loose circumcision will definitely be better than a tight one in terms of having more skin to cover an erection. I would just swish in the tub for hygiene (in clean water, not with soap in it).

I think there's no way to tell whether he will have problems or not when he's grown; sadly, that's one of the things about circ, you can't predict how big the penis is going to get and how much remnant foreskin is "enough."

Honestly, I don't think that worrying about it will do any good. Now you know better and you won't do it again to another son, and you can help educate your friends and family. You can gather information on circumcision and restoration and give it to your son when he's old enough (like in his teens), and you can apologize to him when he's old enough, but just for now please try to stop worrying and just keep an eye on things.

You might also consider writing a letter to your ped or OB (whoever did the circ) and let them know that you are not happy that they didn't ensure your informed consent before taking your money to perform cosmetic surgery on your baby. Unfortunately, circumcision is the only elective surgery that you can waltz in to your doctor and request to have done, and they more often than not just go along and fail to fulfill their medical and legal duty to ensure your true informed consent.

You can't change what's done, but you can channel your regrets into actions that will help educate others and help protect other baby boys from suffering what your son suffered.








As Maya Angelou says, "When you know better, you do better."


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