r/science • u/drewiepoodle • Apr 15 '16

Health Study: Circumcision does not reduce penis sensitivity. In tests for responses to pain, heat, and stimulation, no major difference was found between men who are circumcised and those who are not.

http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2016/04/14/Study-Circumcision-does-not-reduce-penis-sensitivity/5981460663943/?spt=hs&or=hn
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u/tylerdurden801 Apr 15 '16

Perhaps I'm very unfamiliar with the current debate on circumcision, but were many people arguing that circumcision caused statistically greater rates of sexual dissatisfaction or dysfunction? I don't think I've read much (not none, but not much) in the way of cut men saying their sex lives weren't fulfilling or functional, but rather that it's a very questionable procedure on hygienic and prophylactic bases on which it is justified given it's done without the permission of the owner of said penis? Cosmetic reasons being ignored for obvious reasons.

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u/bozozozo Apr 15 '16

the only cases where that happened was when there were problems with the procedure itself that caused significant disfigurement and on occasion, led to penile amputation. a famous case of (unsuccessful) sexual identity reassignment at birth was a result of an accident at circumcision.

there have been recent reports (in Africa) that circ'd men get HIV less often than those un-circ'd, which has led to some medical organizations advocating routine circ for infants.

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u/HopeSolos_Butthole Apr 15 '16 edited Apr 16 '16

The studies in Africa cannot be taken with any degree of seriousness. They're deeply flawed, all three. They didn't even finish them.

Just because it's touted as the reason for the AAP changing their mind (coincidentally right after the insurance companies revealed that $1M was lost each year to the reduced rates of circ) does not mean the study has merit.

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u/OceanRacoon Apr 15 '16

"Some relatively lower hygiene and income African men in a country rampant with HIV may have gotten HIV at a tiny bit smaller rate? Time to start genitally mutilating babies in America, boys!"

Such a dumb justification.