Testimonial

I was born in 1940 into a family where circumcision was not discussed, much less practiced. My intact father dismissed my lone adolescent inquiry into the subject with the statement, "That's something for Jews and certain other religious groups or men with problems of the penis." End of discussion. What I learned about circumcision came from friends and medical textbooks. As a teenager, I began to experience occasional rashes beneath my redundant foreskin, which were quite painful. Again, my father's advice was terse, to the point and not very helpful: "Wash and dry youself better." End of second discussion.

Later, my wife who came from a family of circumcised males, graciously accepted my uncut status and abided my occasional bouts with what was later diagnosed as balanitis. Our sons were routinely circumcised soon after birth; however, I had resigned myself to the fact that I would go through life with an intact  penis until I mentioned my recurring sub-foreskin infections during an annual executive physical offered by the company where I worked. The doctor examined my penis and asked if I'd ever considered an adult circumcision. I told him no and he suggested I talk with a urologist he recommended examine me and explain the option of circumcision. I quickly made an appointment.

After examining my penis with its inflamed head, he said that he would recommend circumcising me to end my periodic discomfort. He explained the procedure and various types of circumcision. I promptly scheduled my outpatient surgery for the following week, during a period when my wife was away on an extended vacation. I was in my mid-30s at the time.

The next week that same urologist/surgeon removed my troublesome foreskin in less than 30 minutes as I watched the procedure. He simply administered a local anesthetic and after my penis grew numb used surgical scissors and a scalpel to circumcise me using a freehand method, starting with a dorsal cut  and clamping off the incised tissue. He then cut entirely around the circumference of my penis just below its glans, clamping and suturing the bleeding tissue. It was completely painless with only a sensation of pressure where the incisions were made. Within a matter of minutes he held up my newly circumcised penis for me to examine.

I had elected for a circumcision that left the head fully exposed when my penis was flaccid with only enough foreskin remaining to allow a full erection without causing any bending or curving my erect shaft. The suture line girding my penis was perhaps a quarter-inch or so below the corona. To say I was quite pleased with the results of the surgeon's handiwork would be an understatement.

My healing period was between three and four weeks. The only discomfort I ever felt was during nightly erections when I would awaken to a sensation of acute pressure along the suture line. This was not really painful, only briefly uncomfortable, fading immediately when my erection faded. And upon my wife's return, I immediately presented her with the news of my recent circumcision and showed her my newly circumcised penis -- which she examined with a smile and then thanked me for what she called a "pleasant surprise." We then began several weeks of what could be called a second honeymoon with intense lovemaking and exploration. More than once my wife told me how much better she liked the look, feel and taste of my circumcised penis. Her encouraging words were the perfect compliment for my overdue decision to end my discomfort and undergo an adult circumcision.

Now 60, I am completely satisfied with my circumcised penis -- as is my wife of 40 years. We still enjoy an active sex life and not a week goes by that she doesn't make a complimentary reference to my belated circumcision. I still have ample sensation in my exposed glans to be immediately aroused by her oral or manual stimulation. Orgasms are as intense as ever. Best of all, I have had absolutely no physical discomfort since my foreskin was removed -- and I now have the satisfaction and peace of mind that only circumcised men can know.

Circumcision made a big difference in my life -- a very positive difference. I'm thankful I finally mustered the personal courage to join the ranks of the circumcised. And I would encourage any uncircumcised man considering the surgery to talk to a qualified urologist/surgeon. It's never too late. I know!

James

Email: mrjames@cyberport.net

P.S. - Update 2008

Back in 2000 I wrote a testimonial about my belated adult circumcision and the positive difference that the surgery has made in my life. The account is still posted on this website and I want every reader to know that I stand by the personal feelings I expressed at that time. But I also wanted to report that a good thing has become even better. Here's my update ...

Although I reported being completely satisfied with my original circumcision, in recent years I've increasingly noticed the rather obvious and "railroad track" scar the sutures created as my penis healed. Back in the 1970s, my urologist, using a freehand method, had cut away my rather long foreskin (he called it "redundant") with surgical scissors and a scalpel. He then stitched the shaft skin closed with dissolvable sutures that completely circled my penis shaft just below the coronal ridge of my newly exposed glans. My circumcision style was a "low, moderately tight cut" that removed most of the inner foreskin. A whitish scar resulted and was apparent after my penis healed. Physically, it caused no problems whatsoever; but mentally that scar bugged me. And last August, 30-some years after I was circumcised for medical reasons (balanitis), I opted to undergo elective penile surgery again to have my scar "erased."

I spoke with two local plastic surgeons who sympathized but declined to perform an admittedly unfamiliar procedure. Each suggested I speak with a urologist who routinely performed adult circumcisions, so I did and soon found a surgeon who examined my penis and agreed to re-circumcise me. Fortunately, enough shaft skin remained for him to be able to excise the original scar contained in between a quarter- to half-inch of tissue.

The second procedure was as pain-free as the first. After swabbing the organ and numbing my penis with injections to its base, he used a scalpel to remove the small band of scarred skin and stopped the bleeding with a cauterizing tool. He then rejoined the shaft skin with four small but very strong sub-dermal sutures (top, bottom, and both sides of my penis), applied adhesive Steri-Strips to the entire incised area, and finished with a pressure bandage that covered the glans (except for its opening) and the entire penis shaft. He advised me to leave it in place for two weeks, taking pains to keep the bandage dry. Lastly, he gave me a supply of pain medication and told me to call if there were any problems.

There were none and the pain pills were not needed. So I impatiently waited to see the results of the surgical handiwork, and I was not disappointed. While some minor swelling and bruising was evident when I finally unwrapped the bandage, the small incision circling my penis was clean and straight. All evidence of the "railroad track" was gone. Even my wife, who had kidded me about my "old man's" vanity at undergoing a second circumcision, admitted the result was an aesthetic improvement. Healing was complete within four weeks and the technique used eliminated any obvious scar.

Incidentally, I documented the entire experience and ended up with before-and-after photos that stand as mute testimony to the difference a skilled surgeon made. Some three full decades after an original surgery that left me immensely pleased with being rid of my troublesome foreskin, I now have a 67-year-old penis that appears to be well and truly circumcised. My gym workout partners and strangers I encounter in bath house changing areas may be unaware of my "new look" penis, but my wife of nearly 50 years and I know the full story and we appreciate the difference.

I'm pleased to share this tale here and to state publicly that quite likely it's never too late for any man to undergo a medically mandated circumcision or elective revision.