Clothing for Circumcision
Practical clothing
Underwear for the recently-circumcised male
Brought to our attention in April 2010, these purpose-made underpants are designed to prevent clothing rubbing against the newly exposed glans in the hours and days immediately following circumcision. Marketed under the brand name Aydon, the cloth is 100% cotton whilst the ‘cone’ is reported as being “silicone, as used in bras” - the material apparently having been chosen to avoid allergic reactions to plastic. Eight sizes are available, from newborn to adult, all priced at 18.99 Euros each. As illustrated, the shape and proportions of the shield vary as between child and post-puberty designs.
Supplier’s website:
www.beschneidungsunterhose.de. |
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Pre-puberty style |
Post-puberty style |
The Post Circumcision Diaper (US Patent number 6979325, 27.Dec.2005)
An equivalent diaper for newborns has been patented in the USA, described thus by its inventors: “The post circumcision diaper has an integrated protective cup situated between the outer fluid-impervious and inner absorbent layers of the diaper’s front portion. The protective cup is constructed of plastic and forms an area of the diaper that is convex outward and concave inward to protect the penis of a recently circumcised baby boy from both direct and incidental pressure.”
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| Images reproduced from the original Patent application |
CIRCLIST has no knowledge of this diaper design ever being put into commercial production. If you know otherwise, please contact the Editor.
Ceremonial clothing
Turkish costumes for boys, worn only for their circumcision
The majority of Turkish Muslim boys are circumcised post-infancy but before puberty. Ceremonial costume forms an important part of the ritual, which constitutes a Rite of Passage. Whole shops are devoted to selling such garments, the one illustrated here being on a main street in Istanbul:
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| Image © 2008 Kleinsassy |
Manufacturer’s Photograph |
Using what you’ve already got
Reverting to traditional clothing
In many parts of the world, parents struggle to raise money to pay for their son’s circumcision. Typically the cost of the surgery alone represents two or three days wages for the average working man; when living in dire poverty such a sum is a major consideration. The additional cost of ceremonial robes purchased especially for the occasion is beyond the means of many families.
To help such people avoid the temptation of using back-street circumcisers (with all the dangers that entails), several countries lay on free mass circumcisions. Indonesia and the Philippines are examples. The circumcisers are likely to be trainee medical students under supervision, or qualified members of the medical division of the Armed Forces. In Malaysia, especially, mass circumcisions are also arranged by rival clamp manufacturers (to promote their product) and even by politicians soliciting votes in election campaigns. The Editor of this website attended just such a mass circumcision in 2006, in the parliamentary constituency of Parit Buntar, and what is more has the free tee-shirt to prove it!
At such ceremonies, elaborate dress is not expected. But the wise parent brings with them an existing item of clothing that the boy can wear without it touching his penis, which is likely to be very sensitive for several days especially if the foreskin has not previously been retracted. Suitable clothing for an Islamic setting is illustrated here; after surgery nothing would be worn underneath until the healing process is complete. |
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Image copyright © 2010, multiculturalkids.com |
In cultures where domestic nudity is acceptable:
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If domestic nudity is acceptable, that provides the ideal solution to the problem of contact between the newly-bared glans and clothing. No need for the whole body to be uncovered, a short tee-shirt can be worn. Many children who are self-conscious if completely bare in company seem to be relatively at ease if something is worn. Leaving the genitalia exposed not only avoids clothing friction but also gives the parent a better opportunity to monitor the progress of the healing process. Image copyright CIRCLIST Art Department |
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