Circumcision: FAQ

Do I need a referral from my family doctor to have my son circumcised?

No, you do not require a referral from your Family Doctor.
You may self register by visiting our website and completing the online registration form.
One of our staff will contact you to set up an appointment.

If I’m having a booked C-Section can I book a circumcision appointment before my son is born?

No, we ask that you wait until your son is born prior to booking an appointment.
There are many factors that can change ie: surgery date is changed, baby needs to stay in NICU for a while, etc.
We are almost always able to accommodate booking appointments so please wait until your bundle of joy is here and then book the appointment.

Is there an age limit for circumcisions in the office?

Yes, Dr. Hansen will usually only do circumcisions up until 4 weeks of age.Exceptions may be made if your son was born premature or is of smaller birth weight. If your son is older than 4 weeks please contact your Family Doctor to assist you in finding an alternative provider.

How long will we be at the office for the procedure?

You can expect to be in the office for approximately 1 hour.
The procedure itself is only 10-15 min, but we allow time for: explanation of the procedure, answering any questions prior to the procedure and time to settle your baby following the procedure.
Dr. Hansen will reassess your baby prior to you leaving and explain post procedure care.

Can I bathe baby after a circumcision?

We recommend not bathing your son the day of the procedure as the penis will be sensitive. Bathing can resume the following day.

Do I need to do anything different for diaper changes?

The Circumcision does not affect how baby pees. We recommend using a warm washcloth for diaper changes until the ring separates as diaper wipes can irritate the skin. Diaper wipes can still be used on the bum. Vaseline should be used liberally to the penis for the first 24 hours to reduce the diaper adhering to the freshly circumcised penis.

What is EMLA cream?

EMLA cream is a numbing cream. It can be found in most pharmacies.
You will only need a small amount so only buy the 5gm tube. We ask that you apply it generously to the penis 1hr prior to the procedure to assist in numbing the penis. Once the penis is covered in EMLA cream you may wrap saran wrap around the penis.This maintains EMLA application on the penis and avoids the EMLA being absorbed into the diaper.
Dr. Hansen will administer more local anesthetic when your son arrives for your appointment.

What do I do if baby pees right after I’ve applied EMLA and wrapped the penis with saran wrap?

Don’t panic! Just change his diaper as usual and re-apply the EMLA cream and saran wrap

What can I do for pain management?

We ask that you administer Infant Advil 1 hr prior to the procedure (see Circumcision Instructions).
If baby needs help settling you can administer Infant Tylenol after the procedure. Advil is anti- inflammatory/anti-platelet medication and can increase the risk of bleeding following the procedure. We recommend against follow up repeat doses of Advil and prefer Tylenol (Tempra) for pain control post procedure.

How much Infant Advil do I give to my son?

DOSAGE: (200 mg/5ml = 40 mg/ml)
- 6-8 lbs: 0.75ml (30 mg)
- 8-10 lbs: 1 ml (40 mg)
- 10-12 lbs: 1.25 ml (50 mg)
**ONE dose only 1 hour prior to procedure

How much Tylenol (Tempra) do I give to my son?

DOSAGE: (80 mg/ml) Infant Acetaminophen concentrated drops
- 6-8 lbs: 0.75ml (60 mg)
- 8-10 lbs: 1 ml (80 mg)
- 10-12 lbs: 1.25 ml (100 mg)
*** May be given post procedure.
May Repeat x 1 dose 4-6 hrs after the first dose of Tylenol/Tempra for a maximum of 2 doses

The Ring is hanging on by a thread - can I pull it off?

NO! Do not pull the ring off. It will fall off on it’s own. You can apply Vaseline if you’d like so that it doesn't stick to the diaper.

My son’s penis looks red and inflamed - is it infected?

The ring will make the shaft of the penis appear red and swollen. THIS IS NORMAL.
It is very rare that the circumcision ever becomes infected.

My son’s penis smells - is this normal?

It is normal for the dessicated (dry) foreskin to change colours from pale to purple/black. It is also normal for it to smell as the distal skin dies. Once the ring and foreskin separate it will no longer smell.

How long will it take for the ring to separate/fall off?

The ring and dried foreskin normally separate in approximately 5-7 days, but could fall off in as little as 3 days or as many as 10 days. Do not be concerned, this is normal!

The ring fell off and now there’s yellow material on the underside - is my son’s penis infected?

When the ring falls off there may be some yellow material on the underside circumcision line called exudate and it is normal following a circumcision.
It should resolve within 7-10 days of the ring separating.
It is normal healing changes in the skin at the junction of the circumcision with the frenulum membrane running on the underside of the penis.

It looks like my son’s foreskin is re-adhering. Should I be concerned?

If there is a lot of fatty tissue around the base of the penis it may look as though it’s adhering or sinking into the scrotum. If this begins to happen apply vaseline to the penis to help keep it from adhering. If you are concerned please call our office and Dr. Hansen will review and discuss with you.

When should I call the office?

Call the office: 604-888-2433 during office hours (8:30-4:00) or the emergency after hours number Dr. Hansen gave you at the appt, if you have any concerns or:
- You see active, steady bleeding. A steady drip or if you see progressively heavier bleeding.
- Your son continues to be irritable after 24 hours
- The Plasti- Bell slips down the penile shaft closer to his body
- The Plasti-Bell has not fallen off with the dry foreskin & string by 7 days after the procedure