Q: The gauze is very sticky and hard to pull off.

A: It is normal to use some force to pull off the gauze bandage. To make this easier, you can soak the gauze with warm water and Vaseline before pulling it off.

Q: The entire Vaseline gauze around the penis falls off before 24 hours.

A: This is not important. Reapply a gauze pad with Vaseline and place it on the penis until the 24 hours is up. Then, just use Vaseline as instructed for about four days.

Q: There is stool on the gauze around the penis or on the penis after the gauze is removed.

A: Try to clean it as best as you can using soapy water and then rinse it.

Q: When you take off the gauze, there is some bleeding.

A: A small amount of bleeding is normal. Take some gauze with Vaseline on it and squeeze the bleeding area of the penis with your fingers for two minutes.

Q: There is a piece of skin still attached to the head of the penis, or you can’t see the entire head of the penis.

A: If you are concerned, come back to have the baby examined.

Q: How long does it take for the circumcision to heal completely?

A: In babies under two months, it should heal completely in about four days. In older babies it may take one week.

Q: Does it hurt when the baby urinates?

A: It may hurt a little the first day, but after a day it should not be painful.

Q: What is the ideal age to do a circumcision?

A: The best time is between 5-12 days of age, although circumcisions are done at the Pollock Clinics until 6 months of age. Since newborn babies are less aware, families should try their best to have circumcision done as close to this time period as possible.

If you have missed this 6 month window, keep in mind Dr. Pollock can arrange a circumcision for children of any age but it would have to be done in a different setting.

Q: What complications are possible from circumcision?

A: Complications are rare. Occasionally, there can be bleeding from the circumcision many hours after the procedure. This is treated by putting some pressure with a gauze on the penis for 2-3 minutes to close the oozing blood vessel. (This will be demonstrated to you by our staff). Very rarely, more serious bleeding can occur which may require a visit to the hospital. Infection is also a possible complication. It is extremely rare and can be associated with redness, pus, and a foul smell from the circumcision. It is treated by putting Polysporin five times a day on the penis which usually resolves any infection with one or two days.

Q: Are more serious complications possible i.e trauma to the penis?

A: Yes, they are possible; however, to date, there have never been any serious complications among our patients.

Q: Will it hurt my baby?

A: Dr. Pollock has published a study that shows his pain control process is highly effective. Many babies can sleep right through the entire under 30 second procedure. Most babies experience little or no pain at all.

Q: What can I expect my baby to be like after the circumcision?

A: It is not unusual for a baby to sleep 6-8 hours after the procedure and to miss a feeding. Some babies will be irritable for a number of minutes to hours afterwards. Behaviourly, most babies are back to themselves by the next day or two.