My parents come from the Philippines. The ampallang isn't so common anymore. Instead, we are supposed to get circumcised . . . when we turn 12. Fortunately, I was born in the U.S. and got the chop before I could remember it. I visited my cousin just after he had his done. He had to wear a skirt for a while.
Twelve? Jesus, that must be awful... A friend of mine over here had to get circumcised because his foreskin was too tight; said it was really uncomfortable for a while afterward, alright.
Yikes. You know, my friends from the UK were always surprised whenever the circumcision issue came up to hear that most of us Americans couldn't relate to foreskin problems and would talk about studies they'd read about decreased sensation, etc. But from a purely mechanical standpoint, (the more moving parts and all that) I don't see why there's such opposition to circumcision around the world. If the doctor knows what they're doing and is using clean tools, then it's really safe. Plus, my friends have told me stories about theirs tearing after particularly vigorous sessions and man, I am so glad I don't have that to worry about.
Yeah, I've heard about people ripping their frenums. Actually my frenum used to be slightly too short, which made sex rather painful in the beginning. Debates about the pros and cons of circumcision tend to get a bit stupid because the guys on either side get really tribal about it. It's probably not that big of a deal at all, yeah.