Overview
The common indication for circumcision is cultural or religious desire for circumcision. Other indications (rare):
- Treatment for inability to pull back the foreskin completely (phimosis)
- Infection of the penis (balanitis)
Review Date 11/6/2023
Updated by: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.