Circumcision can have numerous health benefits for boys and men alike. These include fewer infections, reduced risks of sexually transmitted diseases, and protection against HIV.
Circumcising someone should only be done with the advice of a healthcare provider, taking into account personal, cultural, and religious preferences.
Lower Risk of Infections
Circumcision Melbourne can have numerous advantages, one of which being its reduced risk of infections. This is because it removes the foreskin from the penis, leaving less skin under it to get scratched or infected during intimate activities.
Studies have confirmed this trend, particularly in Africa. For instance, trials conducted in Kenya and Uganda have demonstrated that circumcised men are up to 60% less likely to acquire HIV during heterosexual contact than uncircumcised ones.
However, these results should be interpreted in context. It may not be possible to tell whether the reduction in infection rates observed is applicable to all men or just intact ones.
Additionally, some of these studies are flawed in their design. For instance, they fail to properly sample genitals, leading to an inaccurate measurement of infection risk.
Less Risk of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
Circumcision has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as syphilis, genital herpes, and high-risk strains of human papillomavirus associated with cancer.
Studies conducted in Africa have suggested that circumcised men have a lower risk of HIV infection than uncircumcised individuals. However, further investigation is necessary to determine whether circumcision can also protect against other sexually transmitted diseases (STIs).
A South African study revealed that men who had medical circumcised had a significantly lower rate of sexually transmitted infection syndrome after controlling for age, employment status and condom use. This protective effect was even stronger among employed men compared to traditionally circumcised ones.
Evidence suggests circumcision may reduce the risk of HPV infection in female partners. A Ugandan trial revealed that women who had their partners circumcised experienced 58% less incident detection of HPV than uncircumcised ones, had fewer genotypes and experienced greater clearance rates compared to women without this procedure.
Less Risk of Cancer
Circumcision not only reduces the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as HIV, but it may also lower cancer risks. Studies have indicated that childhood/adolescent circumcision offers protection from invasive penile cancer.
Circumcision can reduce the risk of phimosis, an inflamed and swollen penis. This condition may make the opening too small for normal urination and may require surgery to correct.
Circumcision has been linked to a reduced risk of cervical cancer for women whose male partners have undergone circumcision. This decrease is likely due to lower HPV loads in men and an overall lower likelihood of cervical squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL), the precursor to cervical cancer.
Less Risk of HIV
Circumcision has been proven to reduce the risk of HIV infection by 50-60% in clinical trials.
The World Health Organization strongly advocates male circumcision to reduce the risk of HIV transmission when having sexual relations with a female partner. By circumcising a man, they reduce his potential exposure to this virus during such interactions.
Recent research has revealed that the likelihood of a newly-circumcised man infecting his female partner is only one-tenth of 1 percent. However, this small increase could result in up to 17,000 additional infections among partners of circumcised men.
Three randomized controlled trials have been conducted in Africa to assess the effectiveness of circumcision as an HIV prevention strategy. These three studies showed a 60% decrease in HIV incidence for circumcised men, which has been replicated elsewhere. Furthermore, circumcision reduces risk factors for syphilis, genital herpes and high-risk strains of human papillomavirus associated with cancer by 60%.
