Circumcising Your Infant at Our East Toronto Clinic
Welcome to Gentle Procedures Clinic.
This page focuses on infant and baby circumcision so please visit the adult circumcision or older boy circumcision pages if you need information on those procedures.
Infant circumcision is commonly done relatively early in the life of your son. Procedures completed in the first four weeks are considered newborn circumcisions.
Gentle Procedures circumcision clinic offers virtually painless circumcision with the Pollock Technique™ for babies up to 12 months of age, for older boys aged 11 and up, and for adult men.
You can contact us to confirm our next available appointment at 647-568-1512.
Appointments are usually available quickly. We work hard to deliver quality services in a timely fashion.
Our experienced medical team will exceed your expectations for circumcision care. For full detail on the Pollock Technique™ circumcision method please visit the Our Method page. For information on what to expect during and after a baby circumcision please see below.
The Gentle Procedures Clinic Experience
The focused practice of our clinic permits us to optimize the circumcision procedure as well as the overall experience.
Having served thousands of babies and families we have developed specialized systems and processes to offer these services better than any other institution. We will exceed your expectations for quality circumcision care.
Preparing Your Baby Boy for Circumcision
You will receive detailed instruction on how to prepare your son for the brief circumcision operation. This includes how to best time feeding before surgery to maximize your babies comfort.
Babies will have Tylenol before and after surgery, and are given a sugary pacifier to distract and entertain them during the procedure. Some babies even sleep through the whole thing.
Call Us to Book!
647-568-1512
Baby Circumcision Preparations
All these steps are taken to maximize your baby’s comfort during the brief procedure. For full detail please read more about the Pollock Technique™.
Anesthetic Cream to Numb the Skin
In our office, your child will have topical anesthetic applied to his penis. This is an anesthetic cream that numbs the skin.
This surface painkiller is the second step we take to minimize discomfort during circumcision.
Because the topical cream will have numbed the skin, the injection step (next) will cause little to no discomfort.
Pain Blocking Injection – Local Anesthetic
Then, once the skin is numb, your son will be given an injection called a dorsal penile ring block into the soft tissue alongside the penis. Our doctors use a combination block of both short and long acting anesthetic. This provides comfort and coverage for both the procedure and for hours after.
The penis will become fully numb within 10 minutes and then the circumcision can be done.
Sugar Pacifier During the Brief Circumcision Operation
While the circumcision is being performed, we will give your baby a sugar pacifier which will reduce his pain perceptions.
Studies show that the sweet flavours distract babies and reduce their perception of pain.
Circumcised Baby Follow Up
Guidance and follow-up continues afterwards, with written and verbal instructions on how to provide care after the circumcision. The goal is to minimize your child’s discomfort and promote healing.
You will be shown how to minimize the risk of infection and informed of warning signs to watch for in case of any complications. Our doctor is available by phone after surgery and will respond quickly to any questions or concerns.
Caring Team Always Available
The circumcision itself will require less than 30 seconds, however your appointment in our office will be one hour and fifteen minutes which will allow us to review post-circumcision care with you as well as answer any questions that you may have.
Please feel free to contact us now if you have any questions.
Baby Circumcision FAQ
The plastibell technique is also used by some doctors performing circumcisions in Toronto. With this technique the baby must go home with a small plastic device tied on to his penis that allows the foreskin to desiccate over subsequent days. This is also a lengthier procedure to perform by the physician.
We have extremely low complication rates and no hospital administration fees are charged. Our clinic is designed to meet the needs of families for infant circumcision. Because of our focus on this procedure we are able to organize our staff and clinic operations optimally for baby circumcision. This makes us different from circumcision providers in the GTA who do not specialize in this service.
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 within one or two days.
Suboptimal cosmetic result is another possible but very infrequent complication.
An East Toronto Baby Circumcision Doctor
When looking for the right facility for your son’s circumcision, please consider that the techniques for providing this surgery can vary from doctor to doctor. Our Pollock method has been refined and standardized over 50,000 procedures. Your boy will benefit from the highest standard for care and safety available in infant circumcision today.
Hospital Infant Circumcision Procedures
Toronto hospitals do not generally offer baby circumcision for newborns in a convenient and timely way, and OHIP does not cover routine infant circumcision.
Some hospitals may have offered circumcisions for infants before mother and baby leave the maternity ward, but this is no longer the case in many hospitals in the GTA, and in Ontario.
Where to Get an Infant Circumcision
It is sometimes possible to get the operation in a hospital on an outpatient basis, but these institutions cannot offer the service level and experience of a specialized private clinic.
Large institutions manage hundreds of different services and must prioritize urgent situations over hospital circumcisions for newborns.
Potential Benefits of Infant Circumcision
Ontario parents undertake a circumcision procedure for their son in order to fulfill cultural and religious traditions, as well as to seek improved health outcomes for their children. Some parents decide to circumcise their son for cosmetic and personal reasons. The important thing is to make an informed decision that you will be happy with.
There are many potential benefits from baby circumcision:
Improved genital hygiene
It is well known that microorganisms accumulate under the foreskin which fosters inflammation which can lead to conditions such as balanitis/balanoposthitis (inflammation of the head of the penis). The incidence of balanitis is twice as high as those who are uncircumcised. Smegma, which is a cheesy like secretion, can also accumulate under the foreskin combining with bacteria to produce an offensive odor.
Reduced risk of urinary tract and bladder infections
Because microorganisms can accumulate under and adhere to the foreskin, bacteria have a greater chance of migrating up the urethra causing urinary tract infections (UTIs) especially in infancy. Studies suggest an over 10-fold decrease in risk of urinary tract infection in circumcised infants. UTIs are a potentially painful and dangerous condition as it can result in kidney inflammation and scarring. Studies suggest that the protective effect of circumcision against UTIs when done as a newborn continues into adulthood.
Reduced risk of phimosis after circumcision
Phimosis is a condition where the foreskin becomes so tight that it cannot be pulled back fully, resulting in UTIs, local skin infection, pain when passing urine, retention of urine, kidney stones, and sexual dysfunction. Circumcision eliminates the risk of phimosis, which affects 1 in 10 older boys and men.
Reduced risk of penile cancer
Studies have shown an over 20-fold reduction in the risk of invasive penile cancer which is thought to arise from adherence of high-risk human papillomavirus to the foreskin and smegma causing chronic inflammation and recurrent infections resulting in phimosis. Invasive penile carcinoma is highly associated with a history of phimosis.
Reduced risk of prostate cancer
Uncircumcised men have a 1.6-2.0-fold higher incidence of prostate cancer, which is thought to correspond with a higher chance of sexually transmitted infections resulting in a chronic state of inflammation.
Reduced risk of HIV/AIDS
Circumcision reduced the risk of getting HIV/AIDS by 3-fold during sex with an infected woman. This is because the HIV virus enters through the inner lining of the foreskin which is thin and vulnerable. Ulceration and tearing are also more common in uncircumcised men, adding to the risk of HIV entry.
Reduced cervical cancer in women
Circumcision reduced cervical cancer risk of a man’s female partner by 5.6 times as there is less risk of adherence and colonization of human papillomavirus.
Call Us to Book!
647-568-1512
What are the Risks of Circumcision?
While the circumcision procedure performed on babies at our clinic can be considered routine and low risk, there is always some degree of risk with any surgery. Potential problems include:
Bleeding after circumcision – In 1 in 500 circumcisions there may be some bleeding that is usually stopped with pressure or less commonly with stitches. If a bleeding disorder such as hemophilia is present, then our doctors will need advice from a pediatric hematologist prior to proceeding.
Infection – There is always a possibility that there could be a generalized infection requiring antibiotics after the surgery (1/4000).
Serious infections are rare (1/5000).
Concealed penis – When there is a good amount of fat around the penis (pubic fat), the penis may retract inward and increase the chances the penis gets partially buried and requiring medical intervention (1/800).
Meatal stenosis – This is a narrowing of the urethra that may occur after the procedure requiring medical intervention (1/1000).
Phimosis from circumcision – This is a narrowing of the shaft skin opening over the head of the penis requiring medical intervention (1/500)
Trauma resulting in permanent damage to the head of the penis (never in our practice)
Suboptimal cosmetic result (1/500)
More serious complications including death (never in our practice).