Reply #158: The most they get is a topical cream

[Bouncy Ball]

that is similar to what is rubbed on your gums before a shot of Lidocaine AND a small local. The problem with the local is it doesn't work well in newborns. They have found, in studies of sensitivity, that it only partially blocks the nerve endings from pain and only in parts of the penis. Local is supposed to pretty much knock out that area, not just parts of it here and there.

But yeah, it's better than nothing.

My biggest gripe is still with permanently removing a healthy part of the penis that was meant to be there. Even if they made it totally pain free, I'd still be against it for that reason. If the boy wants to be circumcised, let him make that decision for himself. When he's older he can be under general and local anesthesia and have more effective pain relief after the surgery, too. It's far less risky in adults than in newborns, for a lot of reasons.