# Circumcision Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 3, 2006, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-question/351129 "2006-04-03T19:51:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![scott62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@scott62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott62)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-question/351129/1 "2006-04-03T19:51:52Z")
Ok, this is a bit embarassing but I think I might need to be circumcised. I don’t fancy showing my doctor the problem but I know I will have to so forget about that part, my main question is : Will I notice any difference during sex? I know there must be some dopers out there who have had this done so any wordds of advice / comfort would be appreciated ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-question/351129/2 "2006-04-03T20:33:41Z")
I can’t really answer your question about noticing a difference during sex since I was cut about a day after I was born, but I have to ask- why do you think you might need to be circumcised? Or is that the embarrassing part? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-question/351129/3 "2006-04-03T20:34:14Z")
According to a friend of mine who was circumcised as an adult, no change. He became a father afterward, FWIW. ---
**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-question/351129/4 "2006-04-03T20:38:32Z")
Well you probably won’t notice any, but whenever it actually happens is highly debatable. It’s pretty obvious that bits that are normally protected by the foreskin and don’t get to touch anything other than the insides of the foreskin (or a vagina) will now be dangling around in your underwear and will probably get tougher/less sensitive. However, most likely you won’t feel the difference because the change will be gradual and you won’t have a frame of reference to base your observations on. This is the IMO part. The factual part is that the results vary and are generally inconclusive ([see here](http://www.cirp.org/library/sex_function/fink1/)) ---
**Author:** ![scott62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@scott62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott62)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-question/351129/5 "2006-04-03T20:47:10Z")
> [@McNew](#): > > I can’t really answer your question about noticing a difference during sex since I was cut about a day after I was born, but I have to ask- why do you think you might need to be circumcised? Or is that the embarrassing part? Yeah, it’s a bit embarassing but my foreskin seems to be too tight to fully retract it. Because of this tightness I keep getting splits in it all the way round, a bit like when you get chapped lips. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-question/351129/6 "2006-04-03T20:52:40Z")
If you want some interesting and amusing (but not necessarily factual, or true) info on circumcision, try searching this board for **Jack Dean Tyler** or _Tugahoy_. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-question/351129/7 "2006-04-03T20:57:12Z")
> [@scott62](#): > > Yeah, it’s a bit embarassing but my foreskin seems to be too tight to fully retract it. Because of this tightness I keep getting splits in it all the way round, a bit like when you get chapped lips. Ouch, man, just ouch. I’m grabbing my junk protectively and cringing. Ouch. ---
**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-question/351129/8 "2006-04-03T21:05:20Z")
> [@scott62](#): > > Yeah, it’s a bit embarassing but my foreskin seems to be too tight to fully retract it. Because of this tightness I keep getting splits in it all the way round, a bit like when you get chapped lips. Doctors in the US are a little trigger happy when it comes to circumcision, but I’ve read about conditions similar to yours and there are procedures that don’t necessarily involve removing the entire foreskin, just ask your doctor. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-question/351129/9 "2006-04-03T21:25:06Z")
[Phimosis](http://www.medindia.net/patients/patientinfo/phimosis.asp) Definitely see your doctor. While you MIGHT have to be circumsized, there are other methods you can try. I’m not an anti-circumcision nut like JDT, but really…why cut if you don’t actually have to? ---
**Author:** ![GilaB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@GilaB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GilaB)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-question/351129/10 "2006-04-04T00:41:46Z")
A couple of months ago, Slate published the [results](http://www.slate.com/id/2136062/) of a poll they’d taken on whether men who’d been circumcised as adults were happy; it seemed to vary depending on why they did it. They cite a medical study that came up with similar results. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-question/351129/11 "2006-04-04T00:45:43Z")
I had one patient who needed circumcision as an adult due to scarring and adhesions which progressed, making retraction of the foreskin impossible and erections painful. After the surgery, he reported great relief from his pain, but also reported that he felt much more sensitive (pleasureably so) during sex than he had in his pre-circ _and_ pre-scarring days. This is anecdotal and may not reflect your results.