Circumcised vs Uncircumcised: What You Need to Know

Circumcision rates have been falling. In 1999 the American Academy of Pediatrics stopped recommending the procedure but it has since reversed that decision. There are a host of reasons why families opt for circumcision and there are just as many reasons why families choose not to do it. Whether he has his foreskin or not, here is what you need to know.

1. How it looks

• Uncut: The tip has a hooded look. Think of a penis wearing a turtleneck.
• Cut: Most dildos are made to the cut look. The head looks like Darth Vader's helmet.

2. How HEALTHY is it?

• Uncut: Cleanliness takes a few extra seconds. He's got to pull back the foreskin to suds up. Harry Fisch, M.D., author of The New Naked says that "the uncircumcised foreskin has certain cells that bacteria can attach to" so this cleaning step is key.
• Cut:  Studies done in Africa show that men who are circumcised are up to 60 percent less susceptible to HIV, losing the foreskin significantly reduces the bacterial load.

3. How it feels for HIM

• Uncut: Circumcised men have reported less sensitivity but it is tough to say for certain as most men have nothing to compare it to.
• Cut: Again, there is no way to know. Because it usually happens in infancy, we can't really say that anything is lost beyond a dream of what might have been.

4. How it feels for YOU

• Uncut: Besides more slip when you are handling his penis, the sensation for you is the same. Some say an uncircumcised penis provides a more fluid experience as it is thought that the foreskin retains lubrication.
• Cut: Since the majority of men in the US are circumcised, it isn't likely that you need to be told how this feels.

Getting into a debate about if this is a barbaric practice / healthy for baby boys is another ball of wax altogether. What are your thoughts?