My Circumcision Story

TheBody

Donnydont wrote: »

I miss mine, got it done two years ago, didn't realise there were alternatives to circumcision, foolishly trusted the doctor knew best. I'm now in the process of restoring which will take years.

What alternatives have you found?

Waestrel

Question for those who have had it done.,.. hows the sensitivity and sex life after? I fear I may have lost a bit of sensitivity, but life is cleaner and healthier for it all.

Trade-offs I guess.

Iderown

TheBody wrote: »

What alternatives have you found?

You may like to read through some of the non-surgical alternatives to circumcision for phimosis at:

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Tight_Foreskin

and a discussion board at

http://www.network54.com/Forum/244184

fartingforfun

Waestrel wrote: »

life is cleaner and healthier for it all.

What the hell are you doing with it to make it dirty?
Just give it a rinse in the shower every day and it will be clean.
If its dick cheese you have, no problem, its just like dandruff, just a good anti dandruff shampoo with selenium as the active ingredient, L’oreal dandruff shampoo is good.
When you use it just rub some of the shampoo foam on your dick, after a week you will be free of dick cheese. Clean as a whistle.

Waestrel

fartingforfun wrote: »

What the hell are you doing with it to make it dirty?
Just give it a rinse in the shower every day and it will be clean.
If its dick cheese you have, no problem, its just like dandruff, just a good anti dandruff shampoo with selenium as the active ingredient, L’oreal dandruff shampoo is good.
When you use it just rub some of the shampoo foam on your dick, after a week you will be free of dick cheese. Clean as a whistle.

Its the moist and bacteria rich environment of the a phimotic foreskin that causes nasty things like BXO, which is why I had my circ.

brbf

Just had the operation today, all went fine thankfully no pain just slightly sensitive. I'm on antibiotics for 3 days - definitely don't want to get an infection!

I've only had a small read through the hundreds of pages of replies here, but can anyone give me any pointers, or what to expect, or point me to key posts? Thanks

brbf

Update: So it's just over a week since the surgery. It's not that bad, but it's certainly no walk in the park -it can just be very annoying sometimes. No major pain really but it gets extremely uncomfortable at times. I can now get erections without too much discomfort but at the start it was pretty painful. I work up in pain a few times the first few nights with erections stretching the stitches. I joke to my mates that it's like sleeping with barbed wire around your c0ck.

When I first took the bangages off - it was pretty weird as my penis looked completely different! It was pretty strange looking in the mirror, it looked like I had someone else d1ck! lol

I try to let it breath as much as possible but sometimes have to bandage it all up again to sleep properly as for some reason its sensitive to touching off boxers etc and made sleep very difficult for me a good few nights. I sometimes bandage it when going outside walking as well, generally its fine.

The head of my penis is still very sensitive - I'm really wondering how long its going to take for this to die down - even touching it still feels sensitive like when i had foreskin. Can anyone advise how long until its no longer sore or sensitive? For some reason the right side is very tight and neat but the left side has a fold/bulge of skin which is pretty raw and sore, but getting better now.

Trying not to think about this too much but I have a feeling I'm really going to miss my foreskin - sorta regret not giving the stretching thing a proper go like some people advised. I used to enjoy just playing with my flacid penis and pulling my foreskin over the head and back. Not going to be able to do that anymore. Anyway just really looking forward to a few weeks when it's healed. Takes 6 weeks before you can have sex again - that's going to be tough!

Right now i want to get the stitches out. Need to talk to my doctor again. I managed to get two of them out, they just sort of came away, but others are clearly still looped through the skin I'm not sure what happens exactly. I was told after 7 days to take baths every day for a week and they'll come out - do they just break off? I'm trying not to touch it too much but I bathe it in the shower and rub gently taking off little bits of bloody / scar tissue around the frenulum. There are also some white stuff that collects, I think this is normal, hope so anyway. You have to be careful as sometimes the bandage basically fuses with the scar and you have to cut it off. However every time I take the bandage off it helps to pull some of the scar away. I'm just trying to be patient.

Pretty sure I'm over the hump now and it should be mild discomfort for the next few weeks and fingers crossed all good from there on! I've read many people saying its much better and you wont regret it - I really really really really hope that's the case with me!

Any other questions anyone has let me know...

argentum

So after 3 years of living with a problem and after many readings of this thread I decided that I just can't go any longer without a normal sex life.I had a bit of an accident a few years back with my wife and tore my banjo string...a lot of blood and pain with the final result that it tightened up over the years and now my foreskin won't go over the head when I get an erection. It gets stuck under the head and I seem to have thrush on an on going basis.
So I saw a consultant this morning and I'm going to have the op in January. I could have gone earlier but I'm busy in work between now and the end of the year.
So now I just **** myself with worry until then and have to make a decision as to go for local or full anaesthetic..

Penn

brbf wrote: »

Right now i want to get the stitches out. Need to talk to my doctor again. I managed to get two of them out, they just sort of came away, but others are clearly still looped through the skin I'm not sure what happens exactly. I was told after 7 days to take baths every day for a week and they'll come out - do they just break off? I'm trying not to touch it too much but I bathe it in the shower and rub gently taking off little bits of bloody / scar tissue around the frenulum. There are also some white stuff that collects, I think this is normal, hope so anyway. You have to be careful as sometimes the bandage basically fuses with the scar and you have to cut it off. However every time I take the bandage off it helps to pull some of the scar away. I'm just trying to be patient.

Before the op I bought those disposable party drinking cups. Warm water, bit of salt, bathed my penis in it maybe 3 times a day for the first two weeks. That should help dissolve the stitches and help clean it to prevent too much stuff building up in between showers.

Phantasos

Hi all,

I'm going to get a circumcision soon, and I was told that 'partial circumcision' might be an option. The doctor didn't really elaborate - she just said to 'mention it on the day' which was a bit blasé for my liking. Like hello, surely knowing the surgical procedure long before they start is pretty important?!

Anyway, I understand the concept of a partial circumcision but I don't really know what it'd look like when it's done. I tried searching online but half the images that I unearth on Google are mutilated penises which is NOT okay.

So I guess what I'm asking is... uhm... are there any partial circumcision dick pic resources I can look up online?

LegacyUser

Gentlemen, I've spent the last few hours reading this thread and well it has been so helpful to me. Thank you to all who have shared their experience.

About ten years ago I snapped my frenulum and since then intercourse has become increasingly painful. Well I suppose that as the saying goes; the emotional scaring has been more of an issue than the physical pain now endured having sex; that is to say that things have gotten to a stage where I am avoiding sexual activity with my current girlfriend and it is taking its toll on that relationship.

In short my confidence is taking a severe battering and I can not continue to avoid the glaring obvious fact that I need to go under the knife and undergo fenuloplasty surgery on my John Thomas.

After about five years after the initial snapping I somehow managed to pluck up the courage to visit my GP and although her specific diagnosis at that time escapes me, she referred me to the public Urologist.
Anyway, she did inform me at the time of the long waiting list and it wasn't till approximately two years later that I got a letter from the health board (I guess) asking if I wanted to remain on the waiting list. Stupidly I ignored the letter and didn't reply. I suppose that in some silly way I just wanted to sweep the problem under the carpet again.


Anyway, fast forward to today. My current relationship is going through a bit of a rocky patch atm, and being honest with myself I have to say that ignoring the problem with my JT is one of the sources for my problems with that relationship.
I suppose more seriously this problem is affecting my confidence as a man, a problem that will not leave me whatever relationships come and go.

Well, I've had enough. I'm getting the surgery done, and I'm getting it done as soon as I can. I don't have health insurance but I think that it is imperative that I go for a Private consultation asap as I feel that I must act now.

So, my question to you guys is: can I just ring up a private clinic and book an appointment or do I need to get a referral from my GP?
And any idea how much will this cost me?
I'm in Galway, does anyone know if I can get in done here or should I look at more specific clinics in Dublin?

Thanks for reading!

4greenfields

I’ve gained so much comfort, reassurance and information from all the contributions of posters here that I feel it only fair that I try to give something back.

My story – mid fifties, separated in the last twelve months, haven’t been sexually active in the last five or six years.
I cannot say when my present problem started. I have two great kids - before and during my marriage I was very sexually active with my partner. Now that sex is off the menu - all of a sudden I’m having problems urinating – the foreskin has started to close over, but what the hell I find a way to cope. An earlier poster referred to having to plan urination with military precision, having to use stalls instead of a urinal etc. etc. I know exactly how he felt. My problem grew so bad that it was taking me several minutes (3-4) just to have a pee.

I started researching on line how to perhaps overcome the issue using creams and stretching excercises. I would stretch and stretch and the skin would eventually break – causing more pain and making it necessary to stop the stretching. I persisted with this hell for a couple of years – I had a lot of crap going on in my life – this was something I really didn’t want to face, accept or deal with. I was scared, I was embarrassed, I was in severe pain at times as the phimosis tightened the inside of my foreskin to pinhole size. If I stopped using the creams and the stretching for more than a couple of days the problem got worse. At one point I can remember trying to take a wiz and the foreskin simply swelled up more and more but no urine emerged. The pain was excruciating – eventually after pulling, stretching and generally tugging at the foreskin I got the urine to flow albeit at a dribble.

I put up with this for a very very long time before deciding I needed to get it sorted. As a result of the separation I had to relinquish my health insurance. Based on my research waiting times in the Public System was going to take anything from 6/8 weeks for emergency cases to 2 years for less urgent cases. I couldn’t face that wait – if I was going to sort this I wanted it done yesterday. So I made an appointment with the clinic in Malahide. Before I attended the clinic I knew in my own heart and own mind exactly what needed to be done. This wasn’t going to be sorted with creams.

I attended the clinic at 11.30AM on a Friday morning early in December. There was an emergency which needed to be sorted. I got to see the Doc at around 12:15. He had a look and very quickly confirmed that surgery was the best option. He explained everything to me in a straightforward manner. I decided there and then, given the confirmed Phimosis, BXO and possible other issues to proceed straight away.

15 minutes later the procedure was underway. By 2PM I was in a local restaurant having lunch. I drove home at 5:30. I took Monday and Tuesday off work and was back Wednesday.

Lots of others have already spoken about the post op issues – discomfort, night time erections and the pain caused by pulling on stitches – yes they are factors but they pale into insignificance compared to the pain I had put up with previously.

Comments / issues not already mentioned by others.

The doc sent my removed foreskin away for examination. Leaving the issue as long as I did, the severe phimosis, the BXO etc. all pointed towards possible penile cancer – an issue in a very very small number of cases – but better to be sure. Approximately two weeks later I got a text from the Doc to confirm the all clear.

Other observations perhaps not already mentioned.

1. A great deal of discussion, debate and argument revolves around the efficacy of steroid creams and stretching. There are those, almost evangelical, in their assertion that this is a solution for all cases. I can quite categorically state that in my situation this was simply not the case. As confirmed now by two separate medical practitioners, the Doc in Malahide who carried out the procedure and a surgeon I met over Christmas – every time I stretched a little and then had the skin crack – that crack when healing created additional scar tissue. My understanding from talking with the two docs is that scar tissue simply does not stretch and the more I tore the foreskin the worse I was making the problem. If stretching and creams work for you and you can avoid the necessity for surgery for ever – good for you. I can however positively state that it was never going to work for me.

2. Be prepared for everything to revolve around your member for a number of weeks / months. What you can and can’t do, discomfort with an exposed glans, in my case it hadn’t seen the light of day for years so sudden moves brought some eye opening moments! 

3. Peeing sitting down – get used to it until things settle down. In my case I was peeing standing up after about 2 2 ½ weeks – I discovered that trying to aim my old way or control things just resulted in an everywhere spray whereas if I relaxed and let penis do it’s own thing everything worked fine. There were a couple of accidents but I would suggest you confine experiments to home and all will be well. I also fell in love with the noise of a strong stream of urine hitting the pan / water – something I hadn’t experienced in years.

4. Stitches – as recovery progressed all I wanted was for the stitches to be out so I could get back to normal. I’m now 26 days post op and I believe that all but a couple of the stitches are out. Don’t push it – different people recover at different rates. I’m a lot older than most posters – but I know I couldn’t have taken out the stitches after two weeks as some have. I checked with my Doc and he advised three to 4 weeks which is bang on. My stitches were tied off just underneath – this tied off bit seemed to catch on underwear now and then and was a bit of an irritation.

5. Return to normal – as a separated man I cannot comment on matters sexual however if I were lucky enough to meet someone special I would have no worries.

Summary

If you have a problem with your penis – get it sorted. Think back to the number of sexual partners you have displayed, shown and even shown off your member to – so why be embarrassed showing it to a Doc.

I was embarrassed and I WAS STUPID.

It strikes me that because of menstrual cycles girls / women are well taught /versed /informed on the subject of feminine hygiene. I certainly never received any instruction or information on how to look after my penis. It’s perhaps not dissimilar to mental health – it is simply not talked about.

If anyone has any questions – I’ll keep an eye on this topic for a couple of months so feel free to ask away.

tolow

I've posted in this thread already a couple of months back. I was waiting for an appointment on the public waiting list to undergo circumcision, I've been on the waiting list 15 months at this stage. It seemed every time I called up they were giving me longer and longer timelines for the procedure. I called again today and was told it would be another 3-4 months, I told the nurse on the phone that the condition had deteriorated a lot in the last month or so and that peeing was even becoming a bit of a painful task never mind having sex!! Very nice nurse I spoke to, long story short she contacted me this afternoon to tell me she had got me a date for two weeks time! I'm relieved and nervous at the same time!!

I've just a couple of questions about the procedure now that I've a date.. How long does the procedure take? What levels of discomfort are there immediately after the procedure? Then the recovery process, how long to fully heal? How much time should I take off work.. I'm paid for sick leave in work so not worried about taking time off afterwards! I'm fairly active in work and don't exactly wear comfortable clothes at work.

Thanks in advance.

4greenfields

Hi tolow,

How long does the procedure take?

Depends on which procedure the surgeon / you opt for. My understanding is that a full circumcision will take 15 to 30 minutes in terms of actual surgery, suturing and so on. There is however the pre-consultation, questions & answers, drawing of black lines on your penis etc. Then there is also the issue of whether you opt for a local or general. As I said in my post I drove to the Clinic for 11:30 and was home by 6:00. Most of this time was recovery time, eating, getting blood sugars up and making sure I was safe to drive post anaesthetic.

Levels of discomfort?

Immediately post op I can honstly say I couldn't feel a thing down there. I was able to pee without any pain or discomfort. I was given a prescription for a numbing cream which I used for two days. I took neurofen going to bed for the first couple of nights.

In general terms I would describe the discomfort as being a pain in the ass nuisance rather than painful. I found having to deal with the bandages and so on a bit of a chore, but overall as stated above life is so much better without having to deal with the severe Phimosis.

I had the procedure carried out on a Friday - spent Saturday and Sunday chilling at home with my two daughters, ventured out for some light shopping Monday and then back to work Wednesday. I didn't tell anyone at work that I was having this procedure carried out - just said I was having a couple of cysts removed from the top of my leg to cover possibilities of me not being able to walk quite normally.

It really did take me quite a while to get used to an exposed glans and the way it rubs against underwear but after a couple of weeks all was well. Again it wasn't a question of pain - it was more a question of being a bit uncomfortable from time to time.

An analogy I would use is to imagine not wearing shoes for a month. It would be very strange initially - you would probably avoid certain ground types to start with but hey after a month you could probably walk across glass if you had to.

Anything else I can help with - just ask.

tolow

@4greenfields- Thanks a million for the response.. You cleared up a few of my questions

Glad that I've finally got the call but I won't lie I'm slightly nervous at the same time. Looking forward to an improvement in my sexlife anyway. At the moment it is very sore trying to have sex. At times it is also pretty awkward to pee.

Did the doctor sign you off work for a number of days? Or recommend how long to take off?

4greenfields

tolow,

I can relate to you being nervous. I read and re-read pretty much everything in this thread and lots of other stuff on the web, most of which said how much easier the whole procedure was compared to to what was anticipated, - but when I was driving to the clinic I was was still very nervous.

But have you ever had a toothache? Going to the dentist can be a nerve wracking experience but the sheer relief of getting the problem fixed makes it all worthwhile.

My advise - focus of how much improved your life will be. When I was younger I had more injuries, broken bones and all manner of sport induced problems that were infinitely more painful than the circumcision. It really is no more than an inconvenience.

I would suggest you talk to your doctor, clinic or whatever about how much time they advise you to take off. Getting a cert won't be a problem - just ask the doc or the clinic. In my case based on what I had read I figured that 3 or 4 days would be ample. I went with a Friday procedure so that I could use the week-end as part of my recovery period. In all honesty I could probably have gone to work on the Monday and certainly on the Tuesday - I just felt more comfortable giving myself more than I needed just to be sure.

Relax - I pretty much guarantee in a few weeks time you'll be posting on here advising the next guy about how easy it was.

Phantasos

What's the story with pubic hair? Do I need to swipe the lot, or just trim it very short?

4greenfields

Phantasos wrote: »

What's the story with pubic hair? Do I need to swipe the lot, or just trim it very short?

I didn't do anything.

I worked on the basis if they needed to cut it they would.

I believe I read somewhere that the pubic hair would only be a problem if it could get into / reach the healing wound.

If they haven't specifically told you to trim / shve - I'd leave well enough alone - but give the clinic / Doc a call if its playing on your mind.

getaroom

4greenfields wrote: »

I didn't do anything.

I worked on the bais if they needed to cut it they would.

I believe I read somewhere that the pubic hair would only be a problem if it could get into / reach the healing wound.

If they haven't specifically told you to trim / shve - I'd leave well enough alone - but give the clinic / Doc a call if its playing on your mind.

god be with the days, 25 odd years ago aged about 23/24. goinig into the Adelade for 3 days, FULL TRIM, twice daily baths by 2 nurses in funny Florence Nightingale hats. In a ward of 6 men who all wanted to know what i was in for. I wouldent tell any one. When I went back to work I had them I'd a hernia.

God- when I remember running for a bus afterwards......

4greenfields

getaroom wrote: »

god be with the days, 25 odd years ago aged about 23/24. goinig into the Adelade for 3 days, FULL TRIM, twice daily baths by 2 nurses in funny Florence Nightingale hats. In a ward of 6 men who all wanted to know what i was in for. I wouldent tell any one. When I went back to work I had them I'd a hernia.

God- when I remember running for a bus afterwards......

There are some things in life that I would question as to whether we have made any progress whatsoever - every thing from common decency to manners to music - you name it....

But if the the account above is a true reflection of how it was done 25 years ago.....

I'm ever so grateful I didn't need the procedure then.

@Getaroom - Ever any problems since? and are you still glad you had the procedure done?

getaroom

4greenfields wrote: »

There are some things in life that I would question as to whether we have made any progress whatsoever - every thing from common decency to manners to music - you name it....

But if the the account above is a true reflection of how it was done 25 years ago.....

I'm ever so grateful I didn't need the procedure then.

@Getaroom - Ever any problems since? and are you still glad you had the procedure done?

"Glad I got the procedure done"- did not have a choice. So glad doesn't come into it.

Problems since - no. Got a tag but couldn't be bothered going back.

I did catch lads looking at it in the pool changing room which had not happened before.

I thought I was the only adult in the world having it done - mortified - I was!!

Phantasos

Mine is coming up at the end of the month. A little apprehensive.

The head is never left exposed normally and I can't fathom how it will ever feel comfortable without foreskin. Any time it ever was exposed accidentally it felt sensitive and icky. Hoping that won't be a permanent feeling post-circumcision.

4greenfields

Phantasos wrote: »

Mine is coming up at the end of the month. A little apprehensive.

The head is never left exposed normally and I can't fathom how it will ever feel comfortable without foreskin. Any time it ever was exposed accidentally it felt sensitive and icky. Hoping that won't be a permanent feeling post-circumcision.

I can appreciate the apprehension - its to be expected as with any procedure but like countless thousands before us - you'll get through it, and I'm pretty much guessing that you'll fly through it.

The head of my penis hadn't seen the light of day, figuratively speaking, in quite a few years. I felt I would have the same sensitivity issues that you are feeling but it really doesn't take more than 3 or 4 weeks to overcome all sensitivity.

I'm still learning from my experience and adapting to the changes - so far they have all been positive and in many respects I'm discovering that Mr Man downstairs is liking his new found freedom!!!

kaji

Got mine done in the clinic in Malahide in February last year. Cost approximately €900, privately. Arte Novi Clinic. The doctor was very nice, he advised leaving as much outer skin as possible but I wanted to have more inner skin (I wanted American style where its very pink below the head). However, I'm glad I listened to his advice cos it looks much better now than what I had originally wanted. I have regular skin up to just below the head. Healing takes time. After a few weeks, you think it's done healing but everything settles down and heals over the next few months.

Now when I'm erect, I can pull the skin on the shaft down a lot and it just looks really good in my opinion. Google styles and cuts before you go in. Mine is a low cut whereas the Americans usually have high cuts. They are a bit dodgy cos they can remove too much skin leaving erections too tight, from what I read. If you choose a low cut, you can still "pump" the skin up and down if you know what I mean. Sorry if this is too much detail but it's needed on a forum like this and due to the area involved in the operation.

morseendeavour

Single best thing i got done in years. I also used the same private clinic fantastic service. My circ is just brilliant and cut just above the crown. The web i full of anti circ rubbish. I have increased sensitivity not lessened. Above all i love the look, clean and masculine. My wife i turned on no end by this an i regret not doing thi years ago. Sex has moved on to a much better place. My advice to one and all considering the op is to go for it. Circumcised and proud of it.

Wibbs

morseendeavour wrote: »

Above all i love the look, clean and masculine. Circumcised and proud of it.

I have no idea how the procedure leaves one "clean" and "masculine". Sounds a bit of a cultural, even fetishistic notion, common enough in cultures that promote it. Which is fine I suppose, so long as one has all sides and information to hand…

Oh and FYI for those lads reading, this poster first came along to Boards back in 2007 when apparently his Polish girlfriend at the time suggested this procedure as a "thing" rather than for any medical need. Just a tad of a fetish. Oh and he was apparently 36 years of age at the time. Cool beans, if a little "out there".

However fast forward to 2012, in the case of morseendeavour, extremely fast forward as he's now 50 years of age by then. Aged fourteen years in five eh(must have taken a near light speed trip to Saturn and back in the interim). Never mind that he seems to have been "recommending" a Dublin clinic in a couple of posts. And of his entire six post history on the forum(under this name) he has been about promoting the procedure. Fine, no doubt explainable as normal enough, but his inability to count and know his age seems suspiciously dodgy…

In short lads, caveat emptor on this subject as it is extremely polarised on the interwebs and particularly with Americans or American influenced there are as many pro circumcision fetishists as there are anti(there have been some real beauties on this very thread on both "sides"). Seek out proper professional medical advice and if said advice doesn't sit well with you get a second or third opinion until you feel happy with the advice you're getting. Goes for any medical procedure.

kaji

Yeah while it worked brilliantly for me and I love how my penis looks and feels now, I do agree that as a medical procedure, there are risks and it can go wrong for people too. So for me, it was a brilliant choice and I love the results but obviously there are risks involved with it too. But sensation wise, I feel it's improved since I've had it done.

fantastic98

govinda wrote: »

Hi there

I had a circumcision, for the same reasons as you, just last year. It was definitely worth the embarassment and pain ;-)

First off, you will need a referral to a urologist - any GP can give you a letter. Perhaps you can ring a GPs surgery in a neighbouring town/area to make an appointment with a male GP if that will make you more at ease.

I went on a waiting list for about six months to have the procedure done privately. Recovery took about two weeks and it was quite painful the first few days, after that just tender.

Feel free to post again or PM me if you need any more details.

Best of luck!

hi. I had a circumcision over 4 years ago and its still sensitive to touch and rubbing against loose clothes. The pain is on the right hand side of penis where it was cut. Left side ok. It's ok underneath as well. Cosmetically looks very good. I'm insulin dependent diabetic and was 58 years of age when I had it done. So maybe I got it done at an old age for this. Pain is not in glans but I can be fooled into thinking it is.I don't have a problem urinating and its all very clean now with no more smells,a big success there. Cheers Kevin.

HalloweenJack

Personally, I'd fall on the side of having it done only in the case of a medical necessity.

That was my situation, I had BXO and phimosis. I'd rather have kept my foreskin but the foreskin was what was causing me trouble so it had to go.

So it was either keep the foreskin for the sake of having it and miss out on an active sexual life (anything other than masturbation was extremely painful and got more and more so the longer it went on) or have it removed and get my sex life back (I was 26 so felt far too young to be giving up on that).

I'm glad to have had the operation done and have my sex life back but I still prefer how it looked before. I don't think how it looks now is better or aesthetically pleasing in anyway and I do miss the added sensation having a foreskin gave me but I'm delighted that everything works again, even if it is different.

4greenfields

HalloweenJack wrote: »

Personally, I'd fall on the side of having it done only in the case of a medical necessity.

That was my situation, I had BXO and phimosis. I'd rather have kept my foreskin but the foreskin was what was causing me trouble so it had to go.

So it was either keep the foreskin for the sake of having it and miss out on an active sexual life (anything other than masturbation was extremely painful and got more and more so the longer it went on) or have it removed and get my sex life back (I was 26 so felt far too young to be giving up on that).

I'm glad to have had the operation done and have my sex life back but I still prefer how it looked before. I don't think how it looks now is better or aesthetically pleasing in anyway and I do miss the added sensation having a foreskin gave me but I'm delighted that everything works again, even if it is different.

Can't say I would disagree with a single word of this post.

Like Halloween jack I too had phimosis and BXO - in my case the foreskin had closed to almost pin hole size. Creams and stretching may have worked wonders for others - not for me. I had to have the procedure done.

If there had been nothing wrong with my penis would I have spent €1,000 to undergo surgery and have someone cut a lots of skin off my dick?? - not a snowballs chance in hell.

I had no choice and for anyone in the same position - suffering from discomfort, phimosis, BXO - get to a Doc and get it sorted.