Consider The End Results
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Consider The End Results
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Prior to engaging a physician to perform your (or your son's) circumcision, you should carefully consider several factors which will impact your satisfaction with your circumcision. The items that should be discussed with your phyisian prior to the procedure are:
-the tightness of the circumcision (total amount of
skin removed)
-the type of skin to be removed (inner foreskin lining vs. outer foreskin layer)
-the frenulum - should it be removed?
Basics of Foreskin & Circumcision
I never realized that the foreskin can be cut in two places, one for the inner skin and one for the outer skin. Is it like two layers of skin which when cut at the very end of the foreskin can move independent of the other until sewn together?
Correct.
You should view the skin system as a single piece of tubular skin which covers your shaft, it is firmly anchored at the rim of head at one end, and to pelvis and balls at the base end. On uncuts, there is an excess of skin which causes the skin to "overflow" over the head. But since one end is anchrored at the rim, the overflow takes up twice as much skin as it covers since the skin not only goes from shaft over head, but must also return back to the rim.
Circumcision is merely the shortening of this single piece of skin. And to shorten skin, you make two cuts, you remove the skin between those two cuts, and sew the ends together.
If you fold a piece of paper in two, you can easily cut the paper and in a single slice, you'll cut the two layers making two cuts, and then you could use scotch tape to keep those two ends together. (This is equivalent to cutting the "foreskin" over head.)
But if you keep paper as a single unfolded layer, you will need to make 2 slices, and then bring the remaining paper together and scotch tape them. This is the "sleeve resection" or freehand circumcision technique described in the "Instruments & Techniques" Section of this web site.
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The terms 'tight' and 'loose' are, of course, relative ones and everyone
may have their own personal definition or interpretation but generally speaking a
circumcision will be described as 'tight' if when erect it is impossible to move the skin
more than a few mm (or 1/4") and when flaccid no part of the skin touches the coronal
rim. A 'loose' circumcision is one in which the skin touches the coronal rim, or even partly covers the glans when flaccid; or where there is substantial available movement of the shaft skin when fully erect. There are, naturally, many states in between these two. Some individuals consider that the tighter a circumcision the better since only by permanently and completely uncovering the glans and coronal groove both flaccid and erect can the full beauty and benefits of circumcision be gained. Others think this is too much and want some foreskin left to masturbate with. It is, of course, possible to masturbate regardless of how tight the circumcision is, although it requires different techniques. The completely denuded glans is also going to be 100% impossible to collect smegma and thus will most likely be favored by those for whom oral sex is particularly important. Aesthetic considerations will also come into play. Some individuals get very turned on by seeing an obviously circumcised penis - even more so if it is obvious that its owner personally chose circumcision as a teen or adult rather than just having the 'normal baby job'. For these men, nothing short of a total removal of all semblance of foreskin, with a scar line well defined and placed well back along the shaft, as in the photo at the left, will do. It is always possible to have a loose circumcision tightened, but you must be absolutely sure that you know just how tight you want it, and where the scar line is to be placed, and then that your surgeon will (within discussed medical limits) do exactly as you ask. (See More Photo Examples) |
What does placement of circ scar have to do with tightness of circumcision ?
Absolutley nothing. Tightness is a function of HOW MUCH skin was removed not WHERE it was removed from. For example, my original circ scar was a good 2" up the shaft from my glans when erect (which would be considered "high", but the overall cut was so loose that my glans was often partially covered when soft and the scar was right at the edge of the overhanging skin (which would be considered "low").
Tighter circs tend to look "higher" because the remaining shaftskin is always somewhat on the stretch even when soft, so the scar always appears to be drawn back from the glans.
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Think of two cylinders : 1) outer skin (shaft skin + foreskin) 2) inner skin (limited) A. If you remove more outer skin than inner skin, you get the "high" type B. If you remove more inner skin than outer skin, you get the "low" type C. If you remove a lot of skin, you get a "tight" circumcision D. If you remove a limited amount of skin, you get a "loose" circumcision So, you can obtain the four following combinations : 1. A + C = "high and tight" (scar far from glans) 2. A + D = "high and loose" (scar could cover the glans) 3. B + C = "low and tight" (scar just under the glans in the coronal sulcus [groove behind glans]) 4. B + D = "low and loose" (no scar visible when flaccid)
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Voted Highest Circumcision on the Internet |
A major goal of a circumcision is to remove enough skin to ensure that no part of the glans is covered when the penis is fully flaccid. I would like to ask if this goal can be combined with leaving enough skin to allow some mobility/movement of the remaining skin along the shaft of the fully erect penis (i.e., a somewhat "loose fit" in contrast to what is referred to as a "tight circumcision"). I am referring to adult circumcision.
Answer:
Any freehand type of circumcision can be made tight or loose and the scar placed low or high on the shaft, provided the operator is skilled enough to recognize how much of which skin (innerlining or outer shaft/foreskin) he will be removing. There is a possible problem for men who 'grow' a lot on erection. If the circumcision is done tightly enough to ensure there is no hint of foreskin left to cover the coronal rim when flaccid, it may remove too much skin to allow any looseness when fully erect. Of course this is not a problem for those men whose length does not increase significantly between flaccid and erect. If you have average to small 'growth' on erection then you should talk to your intended surgeon to confirm that he can totally uncover the glans but leave some looseness when erect.
There are many of us however who think that a really tight job when erect, with as little looseness as possible when flaccid, gives greater satisfaction as the rim of the glans will always be directly stimulated by the hand (in masturbation) or the vagina (in intercourse) rather than through any hint of foreskin.
Assuming there are no medical problems which affect the way the doctor has to perform your circumcision, there should be no reason why he cannot place the scar line wherever you desire. In the sleeve resection method he cuts two rings around the shaft and removes the skin from between them. The resulting cut edges are sewn together. It thus depends on where the more forward of the cuts is placed as to how far back from the corona the scar line will be.
The average American infant circumcision removes most of the inner foreskin and places the scar line almost in the coronal groove. Many think this is very neat as the scar line itself is hardly visible. On the other hand, all the slightly more sensitive inner skin is removed with this positioning.
If you want to keep more inner skin for sensitivity then the scar line must be placed further back on the shaft. It can be a very neat fine line or somewhat more ragged. It need not be too obvious as a scar line, but there will be a distinct color change between the inner foreskin and the shaft skin at the circumcision point. To many that is very attractive, especially as it cannot be hidden and anyone seeing it will know for sure that you are circumcised - and probably had it done as an adult.
Beauty is all in the eye of the beholder. My own preference, which I realize is not every ones, is for a neat but very distinct and visible scar placed well back down the shaft. The frenulum should have been totally excised to allow the foreskin maximum backward movement. The skin should be cut with maximum inner skin preserved and the whole thing as tight as possible when flaccid without making it painful when fully erect.
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Not all Circumcision Styles Provide Equal Benefit
I was loosely circumcised at birth: I have a long inner foreskin remaining (about 2 inches), which spends most of the day folded up behind the glans. If I am sitting it usually covers the corona. The inner foreskin secretes smegma, and, especially in the hot weather, there is a noticeable odour, as well as moistness. Although I do not produce anywhere near the amount of smegma that I an uncut man would, still I produce an amount which, during the summer at least, is inconvenient and unwanted. I think that the problem would have been obviated had I received a tighter job: if the doctor had removed either more of the inner foreskin (possibly another inch or so) or if he had removed more of the shaft skin, resulting in a high-and-tight.
I had a room-mate some years back who had a low-and-tight cut, with very little inner skin, and a very smooth shaft. He never produced any smegma whatsoever. The moral is, I guess, circumcision cures smegma-problems, but some styles cure it better than others.
Brad.
As you may have heard, I am scheduled to be circumcised by Dr. Reed (Florida). This week he emailed me regarding my request for a high & tight circumcision. I thought the group would find his comments interesting, as "high & tight" is the style most circlist members indicate they prefer. After speaking with him, I have still opted for the high/tight clip. But it is nice to know he is very open to discussion and still honors personal requests.
Mr. Martin, please be advised that although we are here to please and do not in anyway intend to discourage you, that high circumcisions are associated with some distal shaft swelling that may persist up to 2 months. Also preservation of mucosal (non-pigmented) skin which is what you are requesting has a higher inoculum rate of HIV acquisition. Tissue culture studies have shown that HIV viruses cling to non-pigmented skin and do not at all to pigmented skin.
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Are there other less drastic surgical alternatives to circumcision if his foreskin is un-retractable as a teen?
You may have heard that a Dorsal Slit is a surgical option. While it may be an option, the question is, is it a good option.
Dorsal slits can vary greatly in appearance. The final result also depends on how long the foreskin was to begin with. A dorsal slit is essentially a cut down the top (dorsal) side of the foreskin which, if healed properly, allows the glans to appear. It leaves all the skin on the bottom/ventral side, and most on the top side as well. A dorsal slit is usually done to release the tight band of foreskin at the tip of a boy's penis.
Last year in showers at gym I saw a guy with a very obvious dorsal slit. It was very unattractive. Loose skin was hanging below the glans on the ventral side, providing almost a dog-eared look. Upon speaking with the gentlemen I learned that he had also had several instances of the end of the dorsal slit (closest to his body) tearing further during intercourse.
When done on a child though, I suspect that during puberty, the skin adjusts yielding a more normal result, looking almost like a very loose circumcision. But why do a dorsal slit then? Besides, why submit your child to growing up with a penis that is neither circumcised, nor uncircumcised? Certainly in the locker room and with future sexual partners, your son would have to explain what happened to his penis.
An explanation:
A. The foreskin forward - a cut (which does NOT run the full length of the foreskin) is
made.
B. The foreskin retracted fully - if the cut was allow to heal like this the foreskin
would be unchanged after healing.
C. The cut is pulled apart at the two hollow arrows (the tip of the original foreskin as
shown in A) so that the two solid arrows meet. It is either sutured or held by the
dressing in this position - it must be held flat against the shaft.
D. Very rough sketch of the side view after healing. Because the 'opening' of the foreskin
is now extremely wide it generally stays behind the glans. There is a lot of surplus skin
on the shaft, most of it on the underside.
E. If the foreskin is deliberately pulled forward it will cover part of the glans on top
but will reach to the end, with loose skin below, on the under side.
The arrows indicate the same points on the skin in each picture.
Note that if the cut is not put into position C but instead pulled open in position A and
allowed to heal like that the two 'flaps' which caused George so much trouble will be
formed. Also, if the cut is too long position C will not be possible - two 'ears' will
inevitably tend to stick up at the end.
Personal Dorsal Slit Experience
Not having been aware when it was done I cannot say what kept the raw edges of the slit apart. I suspect that the skin was just folded back along the penis and bandaged there to keep the edges apart. Some "pals" as a teen talked about opening up the healed edges and restoring my foreskin. The foreskin was full sized and that would have been possible, at least theoretically.
Once fully healed the flaps grew pretty tough and could not be easily torn. But theysure did interfere with sex as an adult, so I had a full circumcision.
The question of what led to the parental decision to have this done to me I cannot answer, only speculate. First, I suspect that the decision was strictly my mother's and I doubt my father dared express an opinion. I suspect that the doctor was not in favor of circumcision but was brow beaten by my mother. Perhaps the dorsal slit was his compromise. My mother always said that I was circumcised. I doubt that she knew that my dorsal slit was not a circumcision.
Photo examples of dorsal slits and partial circumcisions
When a guy is circumcised tight such that his circular scar line is half-way up his shaft (this being known, I have heard, in some circles as being "cut half way back to his balls"), might that mean that relatively much inner lining has been left, and relatively little outer lining/shaft skin has been preserved in order to create the 50-50 look? Or is it more likely that a small amount of the inner lining was left and was simply pulled back and taut, making it appear broader? (I'm thinking that if there's a lot of inner lining and a lot of outer lining left, it wouldn't be tight. And, interestingly, tight sure seems to be popular among CIRCLIST members.) I imagine that a very narrow bandbehind the glans is indicative of precious little inner lining having been preserved. I suppose that's the best way to create the tightness - to cut much away - and the only real question, then, is how much of which lining is cut away. It's astonishing to me that many people performing this on infants might not even care about such inner lining/outer lining proportion issues. Talk about wielding power blithely. The whole formulation of a young man's sexual sensitivity is being determined in one - perhaps thoughtlessly arranged - tightening of a clamp or one nonchalant swipe of a knife. Might anyone know whether some doctors pride themselves in taking away much of the inner lining, or if others pride themselves in taking away little? Perhaps many don't know about the distinction or wouldn't care if they did? These are important questions, it seems to me. Is there a way to preserve the entire inner lining, and compensate by removing very much of the outer lining and shaft skin?
Answer:
The average infant circumcision in the USA is done with either the Plastibell or the Gomco Clamp. Adult circumcisions are done with the Gomco Clamp or Forceps Guided method or totally freehand.
When used strictly in accordance with the guidance instructions from the makers, both Plastibell and Gomco result in the removal of equal amounts of inner and outer skin. The foreskin is pulled evenly over the bell before tying or clamping. The tighter the skin is pulled the less inner foreskin will be left and hence the closer to the corona will be the resulting scar line.
Many doctors seem to consider it a matter of professional pride to hide the circumcision scar line in the coronal sulcus (groove) as close behind the glans as possible. For many this gives a very neat appearance but results in the 'bland' American circumcised dick. Practically all the potentially more sensitive inner skin is removed.
When circumcising an adult it is easier to place the cut line wherever it is wanted. Most doctors however will have their own personal preferences through repeated practice and will not bother to discuss the placing with the patient.
Adults requesting a circumcision ought to be able to choose just how it is to be done -
providing that is medically possible. Although the instructions for the Gomco clamp say to
pull the skin evenly over the bell, it is perfectly possible for the doctor to mark inner
and outer skin first with where the cut is to go and then adjust these through the
clamping plate before finally tightening up the screw and cutting away the foreskin.
The forceps guided method allows similar adjustment. Indeed my friend Kevin wanted 'high and tight' with minimum inner skin removed so the doctor spent considerable time adjusting the inner and outer layers in the forceps clamp before finally cutting.
Totally freehand circumcision is most likely to be by 'cuff resection' where two circumferential cuts are made, the skin between them dissected and then the edges brought together. Here it is possible to totally independently determine how much inner and outer skin is to be removed.
In summary, the more inner skin that is removed the less sensitive the resulting circumcised penis and the closer to the corona of the glans the scar line will necessarily be. This positioning may also give a tighter overall result when flaccid, but there is likely to be little in it when erect compared with the more impressive obviously cut and scarred shaft resulting from removing mainly outer and shaft skin. (See Photo Examples)
I grew up uncut in a cut country and always wanted to have my penis look like the other guys', nicely exposed head with a tight shaft skin, i.e. a very tight circumcision. I finally had it done when 25, but had it redone twice at 27 and 37, because the pervious cuts weren't tight enough. Now my penis is totally circumcised, the skin is tight and the head is always exposed.
The key to enjoying a circumcised penis is in the head (no, not that one. I mean the one with the brain!). Ever since I noticed all the other guys' circumcised dickheads, I developed kind of a fetish on the subject and eventually the feeling of having my skin tightly pulled back with the head nicely exposed would turn me on like nothing else.
Once circumcised, that's the feeling of the gift that will keep on giving. Sure, the head will get slightly less sensitive, but if you already keep your skin pulled back a week at a time, chances are that your head has already lost some sensitivity and you know that it still feels good - even better when the skin is back.
There's one thing you DO WANT to do: Make sure that the doctor leaves A LOT of inner skin (1 1/2 inches or more, if possible) and takes off a LOT of outer skin. That way you get a tight cut with plenty of sensitive inner skin left. Just make sure the doc cuts plenty of outer skin!
There's actually three factors you need to consider:
1) How tight do you want the circ to be, when flaccid and hard?
2) How far up the shaft do you want the scar, essentially determining
how much inner skin to keep.
3) Do you want the frenulum removed?
Personally, this is my vote:
1) As tight as possible. The amount the penis grows when erect, will set certain limits. The skin should DEFINATELY be totally tight when erect.
2) As far as possible. See how much inner skin you have, subtract about 1/2 inch. A good circ will have to remove about 1/2 inch of the inner skin, otherwise you get a narrowed band along your circumcision scar.
3) YES! To totally free the skin from the head, the frenulum MUST be removed. Make sure the doc tugs up the skin where the frenulum was in order to get a smooth result there!
If you like to keep your head exposed at varying degrees of tightness, check out the attached diagrams. They tell you how you can use medical tape to keep your foreskin retracted. Give it a shot and try to get your skin as tight as possible. Then jack that thing off the way only a circumcised man would: By rubbing a totally dry fist over the totally bared and dry dickhead, not letting the skin move at all - until you end up in total extasy!
Joe (USA)
I was loosely circumcised at birth: I have a long inner foreskin remaining (about 2 inches), which spends most of the day folded up behind the glans. If I am sitting it usually covers the corona. The inner foreskin secretes smegma, and, especially in the hot weather, there is a noticeable odour, as well as moistness. Although I do not produce anywhere near the amount of smegma that I imagine an uncut man would, still I produce an amount which, during the summer at least, is inconvenient and unwanted. I think that the problem would have been obviated had I received a slightly tighter job: if the doctor had removed either more of the inner foreskin (possibly another inch or so) or if he had removed more of the shaft skin, resulting in a high-and-tight.
I had a room-mate some years back who had a low-and-tight cut, with very little inner skin, and a very smooth shaft. He never produced any smegma whatsoever.
The moral is, I guess, circumcision cures smegma-problems, but some styles (high and/or tight) cure it better than others.
Brad
The most important thing is that the skin is cut off EXACTLY where you want it. I feel that the circumcision should be tight and that the scar should be about halfway up the shaft, thereby preserving much of the sensitive inner skin. Leaving at least 1 inch of inner skin also make the circumcision look more like that of our American friends who where done at birth.
Pull the skin back tightly when hard and mark a line all the way around about halfway up the shaft (or at least 1 1/2 inches behind the corona). Now pull the skin forward - just a bit tight but not too tight - and make a mark on the shaft skin at the same distance from the corona as the line on the inner layer. These will be the lines to cut and suture together. Now compare how this arrangement would look like when flaccid. The circumcision here can only be done freehand. . Remember, YOU and only YOU have to be satisfied with the result.
As to where to have it done (pricing etc.). Some doctors will insist on doing the operation in a hospital under general anesthesia. This will be expensive ($2000.- or more due to hospital costs mainly). Try to find a doctor who will perform the operation in his office under local anesthesia. I paid $215.- (9 years ago) to become A MAN!
Doctor office circumcisions are as safe as ones done in the hospital. Remember, the MAIN thing is that you tell the guy EXACTLY where to cut the skin, so you get the desired results
While I was circ'd as a baby I still have my frenulum intact. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having the frenulum removed during the circ process, and why would the doctor want to remove it??
Answer:
1.) The frenulum is generally fairly sensitive and provides another place for stimulation, particularly during oral sex.
2.) The main vein (often wrongly called the frenular artery) in the frenulum will be cut and this often bleeds profusely until a stitch is placed to close it.
1.) When the penis is too sensitive and premature ejaculation occurs, the more ultra-sensitive tissue removed the better.
2.) The frenulum is often very tight and prevents full retraction of the skin. If it is divided or removed then the foreskin can be retracted more completely.
3.) For the same reason as in 2. above, removing the frenulum allows the foreskin to be cut further back and thus produce the 'high and tight' job that so many men desire from their adult circumcisions.
4.) If the frenulum is left and becomes stretched too much during a heavy sex session (which can be heterosexual or homosexual) then it can tear with much bleeding - very off-putting to one's partner. Also even minor tears heal with scar tissue which is less flexible and thus prone to more tearing later.
5.) If the frenulum is allowed to remain then the skin on the underside of the penis will always be drawn into a loosish 'V' shape and doesn't look as nice as the completely smooth look one can get without the frenulum.
1.) It were very short and tight and distorted the glans on erection.
2.) He wanted to get a nice smooth result on the underside as well as on the top side.
3.) The patient asked for it to be removed or for a 'high and tight' cut which made its removal necessary.
The excision of the frenulum is only a short cut of about half an inch. It will heal without sewing but most docs set at least one stitch to
really fix it where it should be. The result is much better defined. In case of excising
the frenulum combined with a circumcision the skin must
be sewed to get an optimized healing. The healing of the frenulum area takes a few days
more than the circumcision scar itself. The attached
photo shows that the circumcision scar was already perfect at this time but the frenulum
part would need some more time for complete healing.
However, there were no restrictions for use ;-). Some days later (the other photo),
it is nearly perfect, too.
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I sent you my story how my circumcision was organized by my Moslem wife. My frenulum was at that circumcision totally removed. But I didn't mention that already before my frenulum was cut the first half. The circumciser asked me when doing his job what has happened to me before. I didn't tell him the truth when I told him that it was injured and it was torn at my first sexual activity.
The truth is that I had a very tight frenulum. The skin seemed to be fixed there. My earlier girl friend's opinion was that it was too tight and we discussed a solution. We inspected the frenulum with a lamp and found a blood vessel inside. We came to the conclusion that the frenulum should be cut and that it would not a big deal to cut it beside the blood vessel should not be injured. Then we started the procedure to cut it. We cleaned it and attached (we found that this is the right tool) nail scissors . But I couldn't see really the right position of the scissors and my girl friend had not the nerves to do not.
The next trial was that I told her to count down from 10 to zero and then she should close the scissors.We together had the countdown. Nothing happened because again she again was not able to close the scissors. Then we together found another way: We would set the alarm clock to a time in a few minutes, she had to align the scissors and I had to close it. In this way the responsibilities were divided. She had to estimate the amount to be cut, I had the last decision. With a very hard erection she was keeping alive we were waiting for the signal. She was manipulating the position of the tool, I had two fingers at the scissors but leaning back with no view to it.
With the first sound of alarm I automatically closed the scissors. But I got no feedback. I felt no pain. I looked in her eyes and the response was that it was done. She immediately took over the command. She was excited as me and shortly after penetration we were both exhausted. It took a few days to heal without complications. After that the tightness was gone.
I found that a protruding frenulum is a source of constant irritation particularly during sex. It can become irritated, inflamed and very sore during manual stimulation. It is not protected by foreskin after circumcision and can be hypersensitive. It is not worth the pain. Remove it. The lost sensation is very minimal. Psychological stimulation is often stronger than physical and that is why some people orgasm after a few strokes.
Robert (USA)
When I requested to get circumcised and found a doctor who would do it. I asked for 2 things that were outside the "norm" for most circumcisions in my country. One - I wanted the frenulum completely cut away (even though it was very sensitive) since it was kind of tight and didn't allow my foreskin to retract very far behind the head without tension on it. And Two - I wanted the skin from my ball sac that connected onto my cock to be cut since it looked like a sail when I lifted my cock up. Cutting this skin would allow the cock to look longer too.
Well the doctor did cut almost all of the frenulum away. I only have a little remnant of what my frenulum was but it is definitely looks like there was something there once upon a time. The doc also cut the extra skin off my ball sac so it looks better and you can't tell there was anything done in that area.While he did these two things pretty well, his circ job wasn't that even or tight so about a year later I went back and had another doctor tighten things up. It's much better now! Just make sure that you tell the doctor EXPLICITLY what you want. It's easier to do this than to go back and do it again.
I had a local anesthetic and the whole procedure took about 45 min. The Doc was excellent here in Munich and has done many circumcisions. I really had no pain at all and it is done very low and tight - and I got a hard on all night long believe me. Did not take any pills against pain. I could not believe it does not hurt. It was sewn with 23 stitches to make sure nothing will be damaged during the healing process. I feel really perfect now.
I feel so great after my very low and tight circumcision. There is no inner foreskin left and the shaft skin is very tight when I'm hard. My best Christmas present was some lube, because there is no skin to left to move. But it is a great feeling and perfectly healed already, only 20 days after my circumcision. It is a different way to masturbate now but much more exciting. The doc said right now it is very tight and when hard I can only move it for 5 mm (1/5 th inch). But he believes it will loosen a little bit with time. The low and tight circumcision was my decision and I LOVE it.
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| Click above for pictures taken during the freehand circumcision | Click above for more circumcision photos | 20 days after low and tight adult circumcision |
Reinhardt (Munich, Germany)
I noticed your comment on your desire for your frenular band (frenulum)to be "snipped". I sometimes wonder what people mean when they use the verb "to snip." Do some people performing the procedure (in your case, this person was obviously female) simply snip, while others cut completely away? Can the frenulum be only partially excised? How would a circumcised man know how much of his frenulum had been removed? Does anyone have a frenulum that has obviously been snipped or clearly carved entirely away?
Answer:
It is interesting to see that a tight frenulum affects so many uncircumcised boys. A friend of mine who eventually chose circumcision last year at the age of 23 suffered from this very problem. On full erection his tight frenulum pulled back on the underside of the glans so much that the meatus was at right angles to the shaft! Cutting the frenulum and a thorough circumcision has completely cured the problem.
My friend requested removal of the frenulum but the doctor was not keen to completely remove it so he cut through where it joined into the back of the glans itself so as to free that end and allow it to heal 'longer' than previously. It does not now pull on the glans when erect. There is still very definite frenulum left which can be 'played with' in masturbation.
Since the natural state of the frenulum varies so much from man to man, I can see no way a man can tell how much has been removed unless it is done as an adult when he can directly compare before and after situations. Of course, if the frenulum has been completely excised then this is obvious. My own personal preference is for the frenulum to be totally excised BEFORE circumcision is performed so as to release the foreskin completely and make its total removal easier.
Some doctors do indeed only just snip at the foreskin and/or the frenulum rather than doing a full circumcision (but they charge the same!) There are two ways that the foreskin is simply 'snipped'. The first is to remove just the 'tassle' at the tip so as to ensure that the skin is loose enough to easily slip back over the glans and expose the glans and coronal sulcus. Similarly, the frenulum can be cut close to he glans thereby completely removing it, or it can be cut closer to the foreskin which is about to be removed. Cutting closer to the foreskin allows more of the frenulum to remain.
The second is even more of a fraud - the dorsal slit. This is a short slit along the upper surface of the foreskin so as to just cut through the constriction at the back of the 'tassle' (i.e., that part which the first method would have removed is slit longitudinally). This also allows the foreskin to uncover the glans but leaves two untidy 'flaps' of skin hanging down underneath.
To cut, or not to cut the frenulum: that is the question! My personal feeling is that the frenulum gives no more pleasure than any part of the foreskin. Thus one loses nothing more by removing it. I know, however, that many would disagree. If they also oppose circumcision then ignore them; those who favor circumcision but not the removal of the frenulum may have a point.
The most important thing is that the frenulum must be loose enough not to pull on the glans during a very full erection. If, when you retract the foreskin, there is any resistance from the frenulum - and especially if there is pain when you slick the skin all the way back down the shaft - then the frenulum MUST be removed. I think that if in doubt, remove it is the best advice.
Some thoughts on the frenulum:-
a) Is it a frenulum or a frenum? Well, it's either. It comes from the Latin from a curb or bridle (also called a frenulum). The Romans used frenum to mean the little bridle of skin that joins the newly-born male's foreskin to the glans just under the meatus (another Latin word, for the opening of the piss-tube, or 'cock-eye'). These days medical terminology says the frenulum is on your penis, the frenum is in your mouth and is the similar little bridle of skin which maybe you can see if you look in a mirror, open your mouth wide, lift your tongue and look underneath it. (Only, I can't, and maybe you can't either, because I was 'tongue-tied' and my oral frenum was slit at birth; very common in Britain; I don't miss it.)
b) What's it for? Who knows what anything's for. Certainly it's quite sensitive (everyone has different bits that are particularly sensitive) but I'm not sure it makes any difference to serious sex whether you have one or not. What it does, I guess, is to pull back the lower part of the glans on entry to your orifice of choice, so the shape changes and there is more pressure on the edges, hence the sensation is greater and more pleasurable.
c) Does everyone have one? Well, lots of circumcised guys don't; my experience is that lots of uncircumcised guys don't have much of one, either. I suspect this is partly genetic, partly developmental; after all, the raphe (the bit that looks as if you've been sewn up along a line from behind the scrotum to the tip of the penis) doesn't join up until very late in pregnancy. Guys with hypospadias (not that uncommon) never have a frenulum.
d) Is there anything against it? Not really (but see h) below!)
e) So why remove it? Ah, well... Years ago, I once spent an instructive afternoon in a quiet medical bookshop in London (doesn't exist any more, alas). Undisturbed, I read up the sections on circumcision in British and American text-books. Without exception, the American ones wanted a neat result, so they said 'take out the frenulum and leave a little triangular flap underneath to replace it'. The British ones said 'leave a neat scar not far behind the glans' and didn't mention the frenulum at all. So those of my British brothers who hit the circumcision bench kept the frenulum, while my American cousins had a smooth, slightly bland (sorry, guys, but there it is!) undersurface.
f) And why might this have been? Well, an American doctor who doesn't leave a neat result might get sued by the parents. A British doctor wouldn't. Forgive me, any medical men who read this, but it makes sense to avoid being sued.
g) Am I being cynical? A bit, but after all, I've never met a guy who was worried about not having a frenulum. Interested, certainly, but worried? Nah.
h) I kept my frenum. Only, because it became obvious that there were games you could play with it. I didn't get as far as putting a ring in it (alas) when one afternoon I met a rather rough partner. It healed, but it's happened a couple of times since. And quite rightly, a parted frenum is a major turn-off at the time.
i) I've met other guys, cut and uncut, who have had the same frenum tearing problem. It just needs one partner who beats your meat too enthusiastically. . . .
j) So what to do? Well, if you don't have a frenulum, you shouldn't miss it. If you're uncut, or if you're cut and you kept it, look after it, beware of rough partners! If you want to be cut and you want to keep it, make sure the surgeon leaves some spare skin just behind it. I am told that in Spain (where perinatal circumcision is rare but quite a lot of adolescents lose their over-tight foreskins simply so they will have better sex) that very, very sensitive little wattle some guys have just behind and below the glans, to protect the frenulum, is not uncommon. Personally I find it a serious turn-on.
I have been circ'd twice, at age 23 and at age 30. The first circ did not remove the frenulum and left a crooked scar, therefore, I was not pleased with the result. I don't remember the frenulum being particularly sensitive. It looked different than infant circs as I have never seen an infant circ where the frenulum was left or developed. I decided to be re-circ'd to remove the frenulum and straighten the scar. After my new circ healed, I immediately noticed how sensitive the area was where the frenulum had been removed. Still today that is the most sensitive spot on my body. I highly recommend removal of the frenulum on any circ.
Sam (UK)
What you have to remember is that when a chunk of skin is pulled fromyour dick, the nerves that once served it don't just disappear as a resultof the removal of that skin: they remain there, and they end (and are concentrated) at the scar.
So, the frenelum is no longer the erogenous area (even when I was uncut, I never found it too erogenous); the scar where the frenelum used to be becomes the erogenous area.
Lawrence (Canada)
What happens when the penis is circumcised but not sutured, as they do in many ritual African circumcisions? Can the two wound ends join together? or does it stick to the shaft? If the cut takes too much skin and not enough to cover the shaft, will the shaft grow the skin?
The process is called 'migration' in which two severed edges of skin grow towards each other as they heal - to cover the 'open ground' so to speak. I had this recently when for my own social convenience, I had the stitches removed prematurely from a small wound on my arm. About an hour later, I knocked it and the cut opened and gaped again. I thought 'Uh uh! - that's going to leave a nasty scar!' It was not enough of a concern to return and have it re-sewn so I just left it to see what ensued. To my amazement the gap closed and now the scar has faded I can hardly find the site at all.
This process varies in efficiency from person to person and I think stitches are often inserted unnecessarily to be on the safe side - working to the lowest person as a denominator. I don't question this policy I just count myself lucky to be one who heals well naturally - as I did when I was 'cut' without stitching aged 8. The circ scar is virtually undetectable most of inner skin left gradually merging to its outside without a definitive mark or much change in color. What graphics computer people know as 'a graduated fill'
Tony (CC/UK)
You asked what an adult circ without stitches would look like. I did a self-circ at the age of 18 and did not use any sutures but allowed the two skin edges to grow together. The result is a scar about 5mm wide as seen in the attached. The scar is at the same level as the ball in the first. One advantage (or disadvantage!) of not using sutures is that there is not the distinct color change between inner and outer foreskin that can be seen in so many adult circs. picture.
Jeremy (UK)
You raised some interesting issues. Concerning adult circs without sutures, I imagine that during most of the history of Islam adult circumcisions - required for conversion - were done without sutures. Their procedure was to pull the foreskin forward, slip a slotted device over it to isolate it from from the glans and lop it off. The two edges were left to heal on their own. I don't know what the scar looked like, but it certainly must have been different from the neat line at the joining of the inner foreskin and shaft skin that I have following my adult circ 5 years ago.
As for infant circs, I am sure, since you are circ-obsessive
or you wouldn't belong to this club, you've seen your share of adults
circumcised as babies. Many of
their scars are quite extensive and, dare I say it, ugly. From the sulcus down to the shaft skin it's bumpy, red and
sometimes looks quite sore. Whether
it is sore or not, I can't say. 
Also,
when the frenulum has been removed, the raw area left in the wake of the surgery
can look quite angry. Some guys say
that this is still their most sensitive area on their penises, as is mine, even
though I instructed the doc to leave mine alone. The worst consequence of these infant circs without sutures
is the skin bridge (see photo at right). Sometimes the
inner foreskin edge doesn't grow to join to the shaft skin edge.
It turns back on itself and joins with the corona of the glans.
From all accounts this bridge can be benign or very painful in sex.
Paul (USA)
Another good site with lots of drawings and explanations when you are considering the type of circumcision you want.
http://halfclip.dyndns.info/style/index.html
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