Circumcision is an operation to entirely or partly remove the foreskin from the penis.
After circumcision, the skin of the glans becomes a bit thicker. Sometimes it darkens a bit.
Man standing. The focus is on the visible sexual organs.
Man holding foreskin between his fingers
Penis with foreskin: not circumcised
Penis without foreskin: circumcised
Reasons for circumcision
Circumcision can be done for several reasons:
- The foreskin is too tight and cannot be pulled back. It may be painful to urinate, get an erection or have sexual intercourse;
- for religious reasons;
- in some African countries circumcison is used as a means of protecting against HIV. In Europe circumcision is not recommended as protection against hiv.
Some women are also circumcised. Because this is harmful to women, it is called female genital mutilation.
