This is a medical article, about a patient who circumcised himself out of shame.
Case report: The emerging trend of self-circumcision
The patient described in the article has circumcised himself with a razor blade, but he was taken to a hospital later on because of severe pain.
He reports he used a new razor-blade bought from a shop. He pulled forward the foreskin, secured it with a rubber band and a steel wire, and then cut once through the entire foreskin between the wire and rubber-band. He bled severely and sustained a large wound as the remaining penile skin retracted. He poured over a warm salt solution and tied a cloth around the penis to control the bleeding. Later he took some painkillers from a nearby drugshop, however due to worsening discomfort the mother eventually brought him to hospital.It does sound like something painful, so why would he even do it? The shame in local culture associated with being uncircumcised might have lead to his desperate attempt to correct the situation.
He further narrates that this act was prompted by his father’s reluctance to take him for circumcision, something he had demanded for over 4 years. On that day, he says the father instead accused him of deliberately avoiding circumcision, so he did it to prove him wrong. The patient’s pre-occupation with circumcision started about 4 years ago while swimming in a river when his playmates chided him and his brothers for being uncircumcised.Indeed access to safe, no questions asked circumcision services should be available to anyone who wishes to undergo the procedure. People who try to circumcise themselves out of desperation usually end up in an ER, and they are considered to be lucky if they do not end up with serious permanent damage.
The article concludes:
Cases of self-circumcision continue to emerge, presenting an increasing surgical disease burden because of the debilitating complications. Regular case reporting and exploration of causative factors is encouraged. Timely referral for specialist surgical management is essential to mitigate the effects. Health authorities should educate the population at risk to circumcise in proper health facilities, and improve access to voluntary medical male circumcision services. Guardians should recognise the stigma some uncircumcised males may experience and support their access to circumcision services.
