Circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin. It may be performed for medical, cultural or religious reasons. Circumcision performed for a medical indication is relatively uncontroversial, but the routine circumcision of male infants is often a hotly debated topic. Jews, Muslims and some Western societies practise routine neonatal (new-born) circumcision. The Xhosa practise adult ritual circumcision as part of the initiation into manhood. New research has shown that it reduces the risk of HIV transmission. Therefore circumcision is becoming fashionable in countries with high incidence of HIV. Circumcision on the whole is a relatively minor and safe procedure. While there does appear to be some proven medical benefits to circumcision, these are at best quite modest. Only a small percentage of patients suffer complications, which are usually minor and self-limiting, but isolated cases of severe and debilitating complications do occur. The latter scenario is fortunately exceedingly rare in a more controlled environment however in the traditional environment, THERE IS A LOT THEY ARE NOT LETTING OUT.