Should every man be circumcised?

Not every man needs to be circumcised, and circumcision is only suitable for certain medical conditions.

1. Physiological foreskin hyperplasia

Most male infants and young children have physiological phimosis. With the development of puberty, the foreskin can naturally retract to expose the glans penis. If there are no symptoms such as recurring infections or difficulty urinating, intervention is usually not required and hygiene can be maintained by just daily cleaning.

2. Pathological phimosis

In adulthood, the foreskin cannot evert out to expose the glans penis, which may induce balanitis, urinary tract infection, etc. At this time, circumcision can be considered, such as using a disposable circumcision stapler or traditional surgical excision. Underlying diseases such as diabetes need to be ruled out before evaluation.

3. Repeated infections

Those who experience balanitis more than three times a year, or are accompanied by symptoms such as redness, swelling, and increased secretions, may need surgical intervention. The pathogen needs to be identified through secretion culture before surgery, and if necessary, fluconazole capsules, mupirocin ointment and other drugs can be used to control acute infection.

4. Sexual dysfunction

When foreskin incarceration causes erection pain or sexual intercourse difficulty, surgical treatment is recommended. However, it needs to be differentiated from psychological erectile dysfunction, which needs to be assessed by the International Erectile Function Index Questionnaire rather than circumcision.

5. Partner’s health needs

When the female partner has recurrent vaginitis or HPV infection, male circumcision can reduce the risk of transmitting the pathogen. But the more important thing is the protection of safe sex, which cannot replace regular gynecological examinations and HPV vaccination.

Keep the perineum clean and dry every day, choose breathable cotton underwear, and avoid excessive use of irritating lotions. If you notice redness, swelling, pain or abnormal urination in your foreskin, you should seek immediate medical attention from a urology department for evaluation rather than deciding on surgery on your own. After surgery, you need to follow the doctor's instructions for wound care and regular review to prevent scar contracture.