Risks that may be faced if it is male

In Indonesia, "circumcision" has become a tradition for teenage boys. Usually a party is held as a sign of family happiness that their son has dared to be circumcised. Behind this tradition, circumcision has many benefits, especially for boys. But what about boys who are not circumcised?

The penis in a newborn boy has additional skin

Newborn boys have an additional protective layer of skin on the head of the penis (glans). This layer of skin is called the foreskin or prepuce. At birth, the prepuce is attached to the head of the penis and this is normal. As the child grows older, the prepuce begins to separate from the head of the penis naturally.

The prepuce must be completely separated from the head of the penis at puberty or it may occur earlier, when the child is 5 years old. Let the prepuce come off naturally, do not force the prepuce to come off faster.

As the child gets older, this prepuce will usually be removed or commonly known as circumcision. This prepuce removal (circumcision) is a tradition, a form of personal hygiene, or to prevent various diseases. However, for some people, circumcision may not be considered something that must be done.

What if the penis is not circumcised?

An uncircumcised penis requires extra care. You have to really clean your penis properly. Pull the prepuce until it is in a comfortable position and clean the visible head of the penis until it is clean. After cleaning it, make sure that no soap residue remains. Soap can cause irritation of the sensitive skin on the head of the penis.

An uncircumcised penis is more susceptible to certain bacteria or disease agents, so proper hygiene should be paid attention to. If not, then men who are not circumcised can increase the risk of various diseases, such as:

Sexually transmitted disease

Men who are not circumcised are more at risk of developing gonorrhea and inflammation of the urethra. Other sexually transmitted diseases, such as syphilis, human papillomavirus, herpes simplex, are also more common in uncircumcised males. In addition, the presence of prepuce in uncircumcised men is also a major risk factor for HIV infection. Circumcised men were 2-8 times more likely to have HIV than circumcised men.

This could be because the growth agents that cause sexually transmitted diseases are more prone to occur in uncircumcised men. Prepuce removal or circumcision can protect men from these diseases.

Penile cancer

Penile cancer can occur in uncircumcised men, and can cause death by 25%. Several studies have shown that men who are circumcised at birth do not develop penile cancer. Apart from penile cancer, uncircumcised men can also develop prostate cancer with a 50-100% greater chance than men who are circumcised.

Inflammation and infection of the penis

An uncircumcised penis can experience various inflammation, such as inflammation of the head of the penis / glans (balanitis), inflammation of the prepuce (posthitis), and inflammation of the head of the penis and prepuce (balanoposthitis). Men who are not circumcised can also experience phimosis, which is the inability of the prepuce to be pulled back, and paraphimosis, which is a condition where the penis is pinched because the prepuce cannot return to its normal position. This condition is common in uncircumcised men and very rarely in men who have been circumcised because the prepuce has been removed.

What are the benefits of doing circumcision?

Circumcision is a surgical procedure which can be painful. Problems that you can experience while doing circumcision are pain, risk of bleeding and infection, irritation of the head of the penis, and risk of penile injury.

But behind the risks you accept, you will get health benefits. Although it only removes a small amount of skin on the penis (prepuce), it is proven that this can prevent various diseases, such as:

Urinary tract infection

The incidence of urinary tract infection in men was found to be lower in the circumcised than in the uncircumcised. Research in 1982 showed that urinary tract infections were more common in boys than girls, and it was later revealed that 95% of babies who had this infection were not circumcised. Circumcision can prevent the growth of bacteria under the prepuce, so it can protect you from urinary tract infections.

Prostate cancer

Circumcision can protect men from the risk of prostate cancer, as has been proven by the University of Quebec's INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier study in Montreal. The study found that men who were circumcised as infants had a 14% less risk of developing prostate cancer than men who were not circumcised. Furthermore, men who were circumcised at an older age were 45% less likely to develop prostate cancer than men who were not circumcised.

In addition, circumcision can also reduce the risk of sexually transmitted diseases, prevent problems with the penis, and also reduce the risk of penile cancer, as mentioned above. Circumcision also makes it easy for you to clean the penis. A penis that is kept clean can help prevent various problems related to the penis.

So, is circumcision necessary?

It has been explained above that the benefits obtained from circumcision are more than the disadvantages in terms of health. Circumcision has been proven to prevent men from various diseases. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has also found that the health benefits of circumcising newborn boys outweigh the risks. However, circumcision may not be recommended for premature babies.

If you are uncircumcised, it doesn't mean you have to be circumcised right away. Avoid the risk of various diseases above, especially sexually transmitted infections, by cleaning the penis thoroughly after every shower and after every bowel movement. Don't forget to use protection every time you have sex.

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