Circumcision
What is it?
Male circumcision is a surgery to remove the foreskin, a fold of skin that covers and protects the rounded tip of the penis.
Who is it for?
Circumcision is mostly elective surgery, in which case it is done soon after birth. It can also be done for medical reasons in older boys or men to treat problems with the foreskin of the penis, or for swelling of the tip of the penis.
Recovery time
If done in a newborn, the procedure takes about five to ten minutes. Adult circumcision takes about one hour. The circumcision generally heals in five to seven days.
Risks
Problems from circumcision are uncommon and when they occur, they are usually minor. The most common problems are bleeding, blockage of the opening of the urethra, infection or irritation of the exposed penis tip.
Vasectomy and General
What is it?
A vasectomy is considered a permanent method of birth control. It prevents the release of sperm when a man ejaculates. During a vasectomy, the vas deferens from each testicle is clamped, cut or otherwise sealed. The procedure takes about 20 to 30 minutes and is done under local anaesthetic.
Who is it for?
The procedure is performed on men for the purpose of birth control.
Recovery time
The patient’s scrotum will be numb for one to two hours after a vasectomy. Swelling and minor pain in the scrotum may occur for several days after the surgery. The patient may return to work in one or two days, but should avoid heavy lifting for about a week.
Risks
The risk of complications after a vasectomy is very low, but may include bleeding under the skin, infection at the site of the incision or sperm leaking from a vas deferens into the tissue around it and forming a small lump.