Q and A

Question

Can I get circumcised if I am HIV positive?

31 March 2008. Related: All topics, HIV transmission, Living with HIV long-term.

Answer

Answer: Simon Collins

Being HIV positive shouldn’t stop you getting circumcised if you want to.

If you want to get circumcised, this may reduce the risk of some sexually transmitted infections to either yourself or your partners.

However, it will not reduce the risk of you passing HIV to your sexual partners.
If you decide to get circumcised, then make sure you do NOT have sex until the surgery has completely healed. One study showed that having sex too early after the operation increased the risk of a partner catching HIV.

26 comments

  1. Lisa Thorley •

    Hi Romeo,

    Please see the above post.

  2. Romeo •

    If my CD4 is 300+ can I get circumcised?

  3. Lisa Thorley •

    Hi Donald,

    I suspect that this will all depend on where you live in the world. Where is it that you live?

  4. Donald •

    Is it possible to get circumcised without testing for HIV?

  5. Lisa Thorley •

    Hi Samuel,

    If you wish to be circumcised then this is something that you can do. Being HIV positive will not impact this. It is however something that you will need to discuss with a doctor who carries out these procedures.

  6. Samuel •

    Hi, can i still get circumcised at the age of 34? And is there a specific period to book or to get circumcised, i’m Hiv positive, can’t it put me in risk to gt circumcised at this health status?