Preparing for a cut
Experts advise that every man should go for circumcision as one of the prevention strategies to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS. But because circumcision is applied to the most sensitive of all body limbs, it is imperative that nothing goes wrong. Doctors and hospitals will do everything they can but y
By Hilary Bainemigisha
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Experts advise that every man should go for circumcision as one of the prevention strategies to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS. But because circumcision is applied to the most sensitive of all body limbs, it is imperative that nothing goes wrong. Doctors and hospitals will do everything they can but you, as the patient, must do your part too especially because circumcision healing occurs at home.
Making the Appointment
According to Dr Moses Garukande, a consultant surgeon of Mulago Hospital, the whole process takes less than two weeks. It is better to get a sick leave for two weeks or take a month’s leave after fixing a circumcision appointment with a medical doctor.
Tell the doctor if you have any kelloid problem with your scars, if you are allergic to any anaesthetic drug, if you suffer from diabetes, if you are on any prescribed medication or if you have recently had any other medical treatment. Garukande, who carries out circumcision surgeries at International Hospital, Kampala, usually asks his patients. But even if a doctor doesn’t ask you, volunteer the information.
Dr Herbert Mugarura a family doctor at medical Services, advises that you ask anything you want to know so that you can be sure of what you are going to undergo. “Circumcision is irreversible; you need to go through it with full knowledge of its implications,†he says
Preparation
Hygiene: Make sure you are clean, bathed both around your genitals and under your foreskin. And immediately before the time of the operation, empty your bowels and bladder.
Pubic hair: Shave off your pubic hair or, at least, trim it fairly short to reduce the risk of contamination and prevent hairs becoming painfully trapped in the bandaging afterwards. Do this a few days in advance to allow time for the cut ends to soften again.
Sex: It is recommended that you abstain from sex for six weeks after circumcision, whether you feel healed or not. Some men find this a long time. It is therefore desirable that you reduce your sexual pressure beforehand by having sex on the morning of the operation.
Alcohol: Do not take any alcohol prior to the operation as it can dehydrate you or reduce the effectiveness of the local anaesthetic.
After-care
Your penis will be swollen but don’t fear. It will gradually reduce over the next week. Some people prefer to wear just a loin cloth for the first few days but others use tighter briefs to hold the penis in position to reduce the frictional stimulation which may occur when the penis is allowed to swing freely.
The doctor will give you pain killers. Do not take more than your dose even when your pain is increasing.
The bandage on the penis protects the wound and contains the swelling. The doctor will tell you when to remove it, usually three days after the operation. This can arouse the pain because it will, most likely, be sticking to the wound. The best way is to soak it off with water to avoid tearing the healing wound.
Use lukewarm water to clean the wound every morning and evening, and dry with cotton gauze. “You may add in some salt to promote the healingâ€, Garukande says.
Garukande says he never prescribes antibiotics for healing because the risk of infection is usually low as long as you keep yourself clean. “Antibiotics are the most abused drugs. My patients usually heal without them,†he said “I also tell them to keep the wound open after removing the first bandages unless it becomes too sensitive and requires more time,†he says.
But be careful not to hurt yourself and disorganise the healing process.
In the rare cases where an infection develops, see a doctor as soon as possible.
Do not use any antiseptic solution. They may kill germs, but most are corrosive to the new skin and actually slow down healing.
Doctors usually use stitches that are self-dissolving. Don’t worry about them as they will drop off You should naturally avoid fast-moving or contact sports, cycling and swimming until your circumcision has fully healed.
Erections
Dr Eric Musaasizi of Kibuli Hope Clinic says some men complain of night time erections pulling on the stitches during the first few days. “I advise them to empty the bladder before retiring and a few times during the nightâ€, he says. “I tell them also to avoid lying on their back, but on the side.
It also helps to draw your knees up a bit into a more foetal positionâ€.
Sex
Do not try to have sex until your circumcision has healed. Doctors recommend six weeks. “Some people take longer to heal completely,†Musaasizi says. “To avoid excessive friction on the healing scar line, I advise them to use a condom until the scar line is completely healedâ€.
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Experts advise that every man should go for circumcision as one of the prevention strategies to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS. But because circumcision is applied to the most sensitive of all body limbs, it is imperative that nothing goes wrong. Doctors and hospitals will do everything they can but you, as the patient, must do your part too especially because circumcision healing occurs at home.
Making the Appointment
According to Dr Moses Garukande, a consultant surgeon of Mulago Hospital, the whole process takes less than two weeks. It is better to get a sick leave for two weeks or take a month’s leave after fixing a circumcision appointment with a medical doctor.
Tell the doctor if you have any kelloid problem with your scars, if you are allergic to any anaesthetic drug, if you suffer from diabetes, if you are on any prescribed medication or if you have recently had any other medical treatment. Garukande, who carries out circumcision surgeries at International Hospital, Kampala, usually asks his patients. But even if a doctor doesn’t ask you, volunteer the information.
Dr Herbert Mugarura a family doctor at medical Services, advises that you ask anything you want to know so that you can be sure of what you are going to undergo. “Circumcision is irreversible; you need to go through it with full knowledge of its implications,†he says
Preparation
Hygiene: Make sure you are clean, bathed both around your genitals and under your foreskin. And immediately before the time of the operation, empty your bowels and bladder.
Pubic hair: Shave off your pubic hair or, at least, trim it fairly short to reduce the risk of contamination and prevent hairs becoming painfully trapped in the bandaging afterwards. Do this a few days in advance to allow time for the cut ends to soften again.
Sex: It is recommended that you abstain from sex for six weeks after circumcision, whether you feel healed or not. Some men find this a long time. It is therefore desirable that you reduce your sexual pressure beforehand by having sex on the morning of the operation.
Alcohol: Do not take any alcohol prior to the operation as it can dehydrate you or reduce the effectiveness of the local anaesthetic.
After-care
Your penis will be swollen but don’t fear. It will gradually reduce over the next week. Some people prefer to wear just a loin cloth for the first few days but others use tighter briefs to hold the penis in position to reduce the frictional stimulation which may occur when the penis is allowed to swing freely.
The doctor will give you pain killers. Do not take more than your dose even when your pain is increasing.
The bandage on the penis protects the wound and contains the swelling. The doctor will tell you when to remove it, usually three days after the operation. This can arouse the pain because it will, most likely, be sticking to the wound. The best way is to soak it off with water to avoid tearing the healing wound.
Use lukewarm water to clean the wound every morning and evening, and dry with cotton gauze. “You may add in some salt to promote the healingâ€, Garukande says.
Garukande says he never prescribes antibiotics for healing because the risk of infection is usually low as long as you keep yourself clean. “Antibiotics are the most abused drugs. My patients usually heal without them,†he said “I also tell them to keep the wound open after removing the first bandages unless it becomes too sensitive and requires more time,†he says.
But be careful not to hurt yourself and disorganise the healing process.
In the rare cases where an infection develops, see a doctor as soon as possible.
Do not use any antiseptic solution. They may kill germs, but most are corrosive to the new skin and actually slow down healing.
Doctors usually use stitches that are self-dissolving. Don’t worry about them as they will drop off You should naturally avoid fast-moving or contact sports, cycling and swimming until your circumcision has fully healed.
Erections
Dr Eric Musaasizi of Kibuli Hope Clinic says some men complain of night time erections pulling on the stitches during the first few days. “I advise them to empty the bladder before retiring and a few times during the nightâ€, he says. “I tell them also to avoid lying on their back, but on the side.
It also helps to draw your knees up a bit into a more foetal positionâ€.
Sex
Do not try to have sex until your circumcision has healed. Doctors recommend six weeks. “Some people take longer to heal completely,†Musaasizi says. “To avoid excessive friction on the healing scar line, I advise them to use a condom until the scar line is completely healedâ€.