14 DAY TRIAL // There is a vivid debate about circumcision: is it a violation of the boy's rights? Many say it is a genital mutilation, decreasing penis sensitivity and causing both physical and psychological damage, similar to what they do in west/central/northeastern Africa to women, while others see its benefits. Beyond hygiene reasons, some researches point out that it could cut HIV infection rates by about 50%, as the foreskin cells, removed through circumcision, are strong targets for HIV infection, and the circumcision's scar is less likely to bleed, thus decreasing the risk of infection.
But the impact on sexual pleasure is a thorny issue for men. A new research made by a team at Hopkins University and published in the British Journal of Medicine shows it should not be: circumcision does not decrease sexual satisfaction!
The study was carried on about 5,000 Ugandan men, half circumcised, half not. The pool of this study turns it in one of the most reliable realized till now.
"Our study clearly shows that being circumcised did not have an adverse effect on the men who underwent the procedure when we compared them with the men who had not yet received surgery. Other studies already show that being able to reassure men that the procedure won't affect sexual satisfaction or performance makes them much more likely to be circumcised." said lead researcher Professor Ronald Gray.
The differences between the two classes of men (circumcised and not circumcised) were statistically not significant. 98.4% of the circumcised men were satisfied with their sexual sensitivity, while 99.9% of the uncircumcised men declared so. In 98.6% of the circumcised men, circumcision did not affect penetration, while 99.4 % of the uncircumcised men did not complain about this issue. Moreover, more circumcised man did not experience pain during intercourse, while in the uncircumcised group 98.8% reported so.
Many are worried that circumcision cannot be effective against HIV; on the contrary, it boosts a lack of sexual protection, due to the fake feeling of security.
"There is a fear that people that have been circumcised will feel they are protected from HIV when they are not. Condoms remain the best way of preventing HIV through sexual intercourse." said Deborah Jack, chief executive of the National Aids Trust.