# Circumsion and AIDS linked? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 27, 2004, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumsion-and-aids-linked/236774 "2004-03-27T18:20:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumsion-and-aids-linked/236774/1 "2004-03-27T18:20:46Z")
I don’t really care one way or the other in this debate, but this article looks like it will stir the debate up once again. [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/03/26/health/main609019.shtml](http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/03/26/health/main609019.shtml) In short, a study done apparently shows that men who are circumsized are between 7 and 9 times LESS like to contract AIDS. I will ask: What do you feel about this study and it’s implications? Assuming for a moment the study is true, does it make Circumsion a valid medical procedure comparable to say, vaccination? ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumsion-and-aids-linked/236774/2 "2004-03-27T18:29:45Z")
I don’t know what to think about this study. Anyone think it may be uncircumcised men find condoms a bit more uncomfortable? I know before I was cut a condom was not as easy to use or as comfortable as it is now. ---
**Author:** ![Ennui](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ennui/32/3396_2.png) [@Ennui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ennui)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2004, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumsion-and-aids-linked/236774/3 "2004-03-28T00:22:47Z")
Just a WAG but I think I can see some validity in these findings. Being uncircumcised myself (and hopefully avoiding TMI) on those oh so very rare occasions 😉 when I have gone a significant period of time between partners the opening of the foreskin seems to shrink a little and the flap of skin connecting the bottom of the penis head to the fore skin seems to “tighten” a bit. Then the next “occasion I rise too” there’s a greater than normal chance for a small tear that may bleed slightly. Now I’m a, ahem, firm believer in safe sex and thus far have been disease free but I can see where even with a condom (rupture rates, permeability etc.) a small open wound could translate in a statistical increase in infection rates. If my surmise holds any validity it would be interesting to see if there is also a statistical increase in communication rates from an uncircumcised male to a partner. But don’t ask me, I’m still trying to find a way to get a grant to study a cure for hypochondria. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2004, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumsion-and-aids-linked/236774/4 "2004-03-28T00:29:34Z")
The third sentence of the Lancet article linked to from CBS reads “some data suggest that circumcision could simply be a marker for low-risk behaviours”. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2004, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumsion-and-aids-linked/236774/5 "2004-03-28T00:31:24Z")
And BTW I consider CBS’ headline to be disgustingly sensationalist.