http://www.funadvice.com/my/advice/rollingdoughnut en-us It is not necessary. At birth the foreskin adheres to the glans. It will naturally separate over time during the boy's childhood. This generally occurs by age 5, but it can last until his teens. This is normal. Circumcision requires this bond to be forcibly (painfully) broken. Because the foreskin adheres, it is as easy to keep an intact penis clean as it is to clean a circumcised penis. Gentle washing similar to every other body part is fine. Just do not pull the foreskin back further than it will go without pressure. It adheres partially to keep harmful stuff out. (Urine, feces, etc.) With circumcision, the penis is still equally easy to clean, but there is the healing period where the boy will have an open wound. This will come into contact with feces and urine, if he's diapered. Imagine what it would feel like to have an open wound contact urine. The potential benefits are also worthless. European countries do not circumcise and their rates of disease involving the penis are equal or better than the United States. Personal behavior matters, not the foreskin. Wash regularly and practice safe sex. That's the solution. Infant circumcision is a human rights violation, as you mention. The surgery, when it is performed, is unnecessary. There is no health problem. It is cosmetic. It is forced on the child, even though adult men who are not circumcised almost never choose (or need) circumcision. If given his choice, he would say no. It is a violation. Also, since the boy isn't fully grown yet from puberty, the doctor must guess how much skin to remove. He may guess and remove too little. This will cause the remaining foreskin to adhere to the glans, which may require additional surgery. If he guesses and removes too much skin, the boy will likely have painful erections since there isn't enough skin remaining. Finally, complications do occur. Whether it's bleeding, infection, damaged glans, or worse, they do occur. Is it worth the risk to the healthy child for a surgery that is not necessary? rollingdoughnut Sat, 20 Oct 2007 06:03:56 -0700 http://www.funadvice.com/q/is_circumcision_necesary 116032