Plastibell Infant Circumcision

The Plastibell comes in six sizes to fit over the glans of various baby boys' penises at birth. The most common size used is 1.3cm in diameter, followed by 1.2cm. Larger sizes of 1.5 and 1.7cm are used infrequently.

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PREFACE: At Peaceful Parenting we take a strong position against all forms of violence or aggression against children and babies. Images included here are for professional education only, and may not be suitable for the workplace. The purpose in sharing is to bring about a more informed population of decision makers, and to take steps toward a more peace filled world for all. 

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It is terribly troubling that a lot of parents are told that the Plastibell form of circumcision is "less painful" or "less traumatic" for a newborn. For this surgery, a Plastibell is used rather than a Gomco Clamp or Mogen Clamp. "Plastibell" may sound like a more inviting tool to use on a highly sensitive penis than "Clamp." The reality, however, is that all forms of genital cutting are equally excruciating for a newborn. All forms amputate the purposeful prepuce organ which serves many important functions in infancy, childhood, and adulthood. If you are considering having your baby circumcised using the Plastibell method, here are medical professionals carrying out the surgery so you are able to know what is involved and make an informed decision.

Note that the first video was made by a pro-cutting doctor and his assistant. The baby's screaming is muted and words are placed on the screen describing what is being done. Not all of the information is entirely accurate -- NO health or medical organization in the entire world recommends circumcision on infants.

In addition, no health or medical organization in the world recommends that anyone other than the young boy himself 'mess with' his foreskin. While the average age of retraction is 10.6 years of age, sometimes this natural retraction does not occur until the hormones of puberty naturally loosen the prepuce. The problems that have arisen for a minority of intact babies, boys, or men, in the U.S. occur because someone forcibly retracted or attempted to 'clean' between their foreskin and penis glans (head) before it was retracting fully on its own. This is the same as if we pulled back the fingernails of a newborn baby to 'clean' between their fingernails and fingers, or if we scrubbed out the area between the eyelids and eyeballs. The prepuce is tightly adhered to the glans (head) of the penis. There is zero cleaning care needed for an intact baby boy. The prepuce is a self-cleaning, self-sustaining, remarkable and necessary organ when it is left alone on the body of a child.

Steps of Plastibell circumcision when performed by a medical professional.

Additional video examples of Plastibell circumcision surgery:



For promotion of his practice, this Australian physician (who profits on the sale of circumcision surgery) uses a large amount of anesthesia - both topically before injection, and local anesthesia in three locations, pressing deep into the penile tissues to reach the dorsal nerve running to the base of the frenulum. He also waits adequate amount of time for the anesthesia to kick in. Rarely is this practice (either the heavy amount of anesthesia, placement, or time in waiting for it to take effect) carried through as such in the United States or Canada. This video is a rare one in which the baby has adequate local anesthesia to dull the pain of the surgery, and the process - the amputation of the prepuce by Plastibell - can be seen clearly. Unfortunately, the physician fails to discuss the monumental pain that will ensue when this local anesthesia wears off, or all the many purposes of the prepuce organ that have now been forever removed from this baby. Anesthesia is counter-indicated for newborns by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which is one reason the majority of hospitals conducting genital cutting do not utilize it in their newborn circumcision surgeries. Another reason, as one U.S. physician recently stated is because, "I can get the job done much faster without having to wait 10 minutes for anesthesia to kick in."



Aside from the Plastibell, the Gomco is the other most commonly performed method of circumcision in the United States. When a parent decides against keeping their child intact, one of these two methods of circumcision surgery will almost always take place in the North America. As a result, we include one example of the Gomco here, and further information can be found at this resource page: http://www.drmomma.org/2011/01/neonatal-circumcision-video-for.html

Related Reading:

The Plastibell Lie
http://www.savingsons.org/2012/03/plastibell-lie.html

The Perils of Plastibell Circumcision: A Mythical "No Cutting, No Risk" Method
http://www.drmomma.org/2010/05/the-perils-of-plastibell-circumcision.html

Baby Dies Post Plastibell

http://www.drmomma.org/2007/06/baby-dies-post-plastibell-circumcision.html

Massive Infection Takes Over Body After Plastibell Circumcision
http://www.drmomma.org/2009/11/massive-infection-takes-over-body-after.html

If this stained circumstraint could talk...
http://www.savingsons.org/2012/06/if-this-stained-circumstraint-could.html

Intact vs. Circumcised Outcome Statistics
http://www.drmomma.org/2010/01/cut-vs-intact-outcome-statistics.html

Death From Circumcision
http://www.drmomma.org/2010/05/death-from-circumcision.html

For additional information on the prepuce (foreskin), circumcision and intact care, see: Are You Fully Informed?

Three most common forms of infant circumcision in the United States 2000-2016.

Today the Mogen is rarely used due to number of glans amputation cases.

Text from the Plastibell US Patent issued in 1955

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