Uncircumcised boys

No, do not retract foreskin in young children.

I never had any pressure from anyone to have my 2 firstborns circumcised - both boys. This was in the 60s.
Many years later we lived among orthodox Jews (long story) and learned that there was almost complete absence of cervical cancer in women, partly due to the fact that their husbands were circumcised.

Two big sons 6 grandsons. Never touched their foreskin's. None of them ever had any trouble. I was told that when the time was right and their foreskin retracted on its own to remind them periodically to clean it themselves until it became a habit. Then leave it up to them

I'm the same flickety always flapping my legs etc around, after 5 children and various 'down there' problems I have no shame or dignity left. The only time I felt a little exposed was a few weeks ago when preparing for a cystoscopy - I had dropped my undies and stepped out of them, the nurse and doctor (both female) said to me just climb onto the bed. I looked at the bed and it was waist high which meant I would have to cock one leg up while heaving the other and exposing all. They did lower the bed when asked.

Not a thing.

My mother would move heaven and earth to see a female doctor, especially for anything involving the genitalia, like pregnancy.

As a child I had a longstanding bowel problem and was always being examined by doctors of all types. As a result I will expose any part of my anatomy for a medical examination without embarrassment. One specialist commented on this. All he was treating was a cyst in my breast.

Cultural differences I suppose. The gentlemen from the Indian continent insisted on a male doctor but insisted their wives were seen by me! As I was the only female GP around we had a lot of asiatic ladies on our lists.

Mishap the Jamaican patients were the opposite. They'd drop there trousers. And flaunt it!

Doesn't sound like a good idea to me!
Not all men came to me. One refused to see me and insisted on seeing a male partner. He said he would be too embarrassed to show me. He had shingles on his left side and had only to pull his shirt up!
MEN!

Well - I suppose that if you have spent your life knowing that if you get it out and give it a wave you might be prosecuted, it might be difficult to get it out with a flourish!

Never dawned on me until my cousin told me that women prefer lady doctors for embarrassing things, but so do me..so lady doctors get all the embarrassing stuff. I think men can use steroid cream for tight foreskins [?]; [I was told this whilst having a day to day conversation with someone, as you do]. Not sure if it worked, though [didn't ask ].

The thing that really used to get me was when I needed to examine a penis, the man would turn his back, unzip his flies , then turn roun and present me with offending member through a slit of about 1 1/2 cams with the minimum amount protruding, and expect me to perform a thorough examination!

Galen - love that example of the impact on men of talking about their personal bits.

JessM I wish!

peonie, DS was born in early 1970s and I likewise was given no such advice. However he did develop problems, infections and dribbling and at the age of 5 was referred for circumcision and eventually had one, even though by mid 70s circumcision seemed to have gone completely out of fashion and was frowned upon.

Have you often had that effect on men Galen ?

I remember in surgery a young man in his twenties coming in.
'I have to be circumcised '
"Why"
'Im getting married'
"It's only necessary if you can't pull the foreskin back"
'I can't'
"Show me"
He couldn't pull it back. ' I'll write you a referral letter'
I turned to my desk to get the relevant form, I heard a crash behind me!
He'd fainted!

Leave well alone!

My son was born in 1976 and I do not remember any such advice. Leave it alone unless you are a doctor and know what you're doing, goodness knows what damage you could do.

Absolutely NO. I do know this used to be the advice given as was the one about putting babies to sleep on their tummies!
This link explains it all well.

www.kidshealth.org.nz/foreskin-care

Yes leave alone. Once you start pushing it back you could cause a little crack where infection could start. They are designed like that.

My first son was born in the mid-70s and I was never given such advice. I think sitting in a bath and playing with bubbles is all that is needed for children at bath time, with a sponge round the bits that don't get submerged. My grandsons are treated the same way.

as the other grans say leave it...

Leave it alone

Nothing!