Circumcision scar
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In males, the circumcision scar refers to the scar after a male circumcision has healed. In some cases, the scar can be darker-colored, and it will encircle the shaft of the penis.
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[edit] Appearance
For an adult man, this scar usually lies about 2.5cm (one inch) from the glans or coronal ridge. The scar is located at the boundary of the inner foreskin remnant, which is the portion of the foreskin that was not removed during circumcision. This foreskin remnant is mucosa that lies between the glans and the circumcision scar. The foreskin remnant can often have a different color and texture than skin. It can be pinkish or light-colored, and it can be covered with keratin to protect it from a dry environment.
The type of circumcision scar is dependent on the technique being used. Some circumcised men have a prominent or uneven scar, whereas in others it is less noticeable. There are numerous creams available which, when applied regularly to a recent circumcision, can significantly diminish the visible scar line, sometimes to the point that it becomes effectively unobservable except to a medical professional. The appearance of the scar can be reduced through the process of foreskin restoration. A completed restoration normally results in the circumcision scar being completely hidden from view on the inner surface of the regrown prepuce.[citation needed]
[edit] Problems with the scar
Although circumcision is advertised as a safe medical procedure, it is becoming increasingly controversial in the United States. Although many of the medical benefits of circumcision have been debunked as myths, there is evidence that circumcision can have real medical benefits. A 2005 study in Africa indicated that circumcised men had a 70% lower chance of contracting HIV when having sex with infected women, when compared with uncircumcised men. While there may be health benefits in some cases, incorrectly performed circumcisions can lead to painful and disfiguring complications. Botched circumcisions may result in excessive scarring, skin bridges, excessive skin removed and even penectomy with gender reassignment and death. Many men do not know that abnormalities in the appearance of their penises are the results of a botched circumcision.
Occasionally, the scar can swell or become irritated during intercourse. Some men with significant amounts of scarring have used cream to cause the scar to fade.
There is some controversy as to what happens to the severed nerves of the foreskin at the scar. Xin et al suggest that nerves regenerate, forming new receptors (J Urol 1997; 158: 451). However, the pathologists, Cold and Taylor, assert: "Histology of the male circumcision scar shows amputation neuromas, Schwann cell proliferation and the bulbous collection of variably sized neurites. Amputation neuromas do not mediate normal sensation and are notorious for generating pain." (BJU Int 1999;83 Suppl. 1:34-44)[1]
Penile cancer can occur on the scar [2] [3]. In some cases, the scar can form a tight constricted ring causing preputial stenosis.
[edit] Cultural perspectives
For some, the circumcision scar is of erotic interest.[4]
In Iran the circumcision scar takes on a legal role. The Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini decreed, that sexual intercourse during times of fasting was illegal, saying "Coitus invalidates the fast, even if the penis has penetrated the vagina only as far as the circumcision scar, and even if ejaculation does not occur. If the penis does not penetrate up to the circumcision scar, and no ejaculation takes place, the fast is valid."[5]
