For individuals aged 16 years and over
What is adult circumcision?
Adult circumcision is a surgical procedure that involves the removal of the foreskin from the penis. This procedure is predominantly performed for medical reasons in Australia, but it is also performed for cosmetic and religious reasons. If you are considering adult circumcision, it is important to do your research and understand what the procedure entails, as well as the potential benefits and risks so that you can make an informed decision.
This procedure is typically performed on men who were not circumcised as infants, although it can also be performed on men who have already been circumcised but require further removal of tissue. The procedure is usually performed under local anaesthesia and takes less than 10 minutes to complete. During the procedure, the foreskin is removed and the remaining skin is stitched or fused together depending on which type of circumcision you have elected to have completed.
Adult circumcision
What methods do we offer?
Each method of circumcision has its own advantages and disadvantages. At Circumcision Vasectomy Australia we prefer the Shang Ring method. The reason for this is that it has a shorter operative time, lower intraoperative pain score, higher satisfaction with penile appearance, less intraoperative blood loss, lower adverse event rate and a lower wound bleeding rate.
- Shang Ring Method: This method is suitable for males over 4 years of age. It has the lowest risk of complications, produces the best cosmetic outcome and is completed in 10 minutes.
- Stitches Method: This is the conventional method of circumcision for males of all ages. While recovery is faster than the Shang Ring method, it has a higher risk of complications and the procedure is completed in 30 minutes.
Adult Circumcision
Shang Ring method
This method involves placing a plastic device called a Shang Ring around the foreskin. The ring is then tightened to cut off blood flow to the foreskin. The foreskin is then removed and the male returns in 1 week to have the Shang Ring removed.
- For males greater than 4 years.
- Lowest risk of complications.
- Completed in 10 minutes.
- Best cosmetic outcomes.
Adult Circumcision
Stitches method
- The conventional method.
- For males of all ages.
- Highest risk of complications.
- Completed in 30 minutes.
- Faster recovery than Shang Ring by 2 weeks.
Adult circumcision
Making a decision to have an adult circumcision
Adult circumcision is a personal decision that should be made after careful consideration of the potential benefits and risks.
If you are considering adult circumcision, it is important to discuss the procedure with a qualified doctor/surgeon and to have a clear understanding of what the procedure entails.
By doing your research and making an informed decision, you can ensure that you are making the best choice for your health and well-being.
Adult circumcision
What are the risks?
Bleeding:
- It is normal to experience some droplets of blood in the first 24 hours after the procedure, but excessive bleeding can be a complication.
- The Shang Ring method has the lowest risk of postoperative bleeding. It occurs at a rate of less than 1%.
Infection:
- Infection can occur at the site of the surgery, but this can usually be prevented with proper care.
- The Shang Ring method has the lowest risk of infection. It occurs at less than 1%.
Pain:
- It is common to experience some pain/discomfort after the procedure, but this can usually be managed with pain killers.
- At Circumcision Vasectomy Australia we aim to minimise the discomfort you may experience by giving you the best pain management plan.
Adult circumcision
Aftercare
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Shang Ring Method
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Stitches Method
When to come to the clinic or call your doctor:
- If you notice bleeding from around the Shang Ring or from the wound.
- If you experience difficulty passing urine.
- If you experience seriously painful swelling, increasing redness, bruising, fever or discharge/appearance of pus.
- If the Shang Ring is damaged or comes off accidentally (partially or completely)
After removing the Shang Ring:
- If you develop increased pain, swelling or redness please contact our on-call number.
- Expect the complete healing of the wound to take 6-8 weeks.
- After the operation rest at home for 2 days.
- Keep the dressing in place for a minimum of 1 week.
- Keep the wound and dressing dry during this period.
- You may shower after 48 hours but keep the wound dry.
- Ensure you wear clean well fitted underwear. Make sure the penis is upright to minimise swelling.
- Your stitches will fall off in 1-2 weeks.
- Do not have sex or masturbate for 6 weeks.
- If you have pain post circumcision, you may use the medications prescribed to you.
- It is normal to have painful erections whilst recovering. You may ask your pharmacist for pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine tablets to minimise night time erections. This should only be taken at night and only suitable for adults.
- If you develop increased pain, swelling or redness please contact our clinic. We expect you to have increased swelling over the first 3 days.
- Expect to have some droplets of blood around the wound on the first day. If your dressing is soaked in blood please ring our on call number.
- If you experience seriously painful swelling, increasing redness, bruising, fever or discharge/appearance of pus please call our on call number.
- A follow up appointment is important. This will be scheduled 6 weeks from your procedure.
Still have questions?
Frequently asked questions
What is male circumcision?
Male circumcision is the removal of excess skin that covers the head of the penis. It is estimated that three billion males are circumcised globally. Male circumcision is performed for three main reasons: medical, religious and as a preventative health measure.
Who should have male circumcision?
This is a very personal question and can only be answered by an individual. The decision should be made by the man who is having the circumcision. The decision should be based on evidence based information, personal preference, religious and cultural beliefs.
What is the best age to have a circumcision?
This is a very personal question. Generally the younger the male the lower the risk of complications and the faster the recovery.
What do I bring on the day of circumcision?
Vaseline and Nummit cream.
Will I feel any pain?
We complete our circumcisions with a dorsal penile nerve block. This essentially puts the pain nerve fibres to sleep for up to 12 hours ensuring you feel no pain during the circumcision.
You will experience minimal discomfort when we inject the penile nerve fibres with local anaesthetic.
How do I care for the wound?
Care for the wound is simple. Our doctors will run you through aftercare post circumcision.
In addition to this, we provide all our patients access to our 24 hour hotline to address any concerns they have about their circumcision.
How long does a circumcision procedure take?
The consultation takes 10 minutes.
The penile nerve block takes 10 minutes.
The circumcision procedure takes 10 minutes.
We will keep you an additional 10 minutes post circumcision to ensure you are happy and comfortable.
In total, expect to be with us at least 45 minutes.
Do I need a referral?
No referral required.
