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自古以来，男女性器官的装饰、外科手术改造、甚至有意的毁损在许多文化里就已经实行了。
男性
在男性，最有名的莫过于包皮环切（circumcision），即阴茎包皮的外科切除术。包皮环切的理由也许是为了清洁卫生（包皮过长）、宗教习惯（犹太教、穆斯林）或文化需要（今日的美国）。这种相对简单的手术通常没有大的身体损伤的后果，要不是按照一些最近的研究结果，它似乎会降低感染HIV/AIDS的危险，这种手术做不做都无大碍。更为极端的是用外科手术的方法插入软性或硬性材料的装饰物，它从阴茎的边缘向外突起。在文字出现之前的社会就已经有了这种装饰物，而且现在在西方国家是被男人用作身体穿刺（body
piercing）的一种方式。在古代社会，有一种特别的身体穿刺，称为阴茎扣锁（infibulation）[1]，有时被用于男奴身上，以防止他们发生性交行为：阴茎包皮被拉起盖住阴茎头，然后穿刺并用一个金属插入环固定。这就使阴茎不能勃起。在19世纪，一些西方医生也用这种方法作为防止男性手淫的手段。还有一种全然不同的用途，也就是所谓的“美化”，它甚至曾用来作为根治手术，称为“尿道下切开（subincision）”：沿阴茎腹面做纵切开，暴露尿道。显而易见，其结果是排尿和射精有些许困难。不过，这种提升男性自豪感的习惯在澳大利亚、非洲、南美洲和太平洋岛国的部落里曾经通行。最后，还有一种手术，叫阉割（castration），这是一种非常严重的男性性器官的毁损，在东方和西方文化中曾实行了数个世纪。
女性
在许多文化里，女性性器官同样会遭到外科手术的修饰。例如，相对简单的手术也许只是把阴蒂包皮切开一个小口、摩擦掉，或者部分或全部切除。人们把它类比于男性的相应的手术，也许被称为女性包皮环切（female
circumcision）。不过，在19世纪，一些西方医生也切除阴蒂头，作为防止女性手淫的一种手段。这样的手术称为阴蒂切除（clitoridectomy），这是一种后果严重的手术，等同于危险而极端做法的女性性器官毁损。当今，在世界上特定的地区作为传统习俗残存了下来。最后，我们仍然要说明的是，在古代，阴户扣锁（infibulation）[1]有时也用于女奴。在这种用途中，扣环拴紧阴户的两片大阴唇。当然，其目的仍然是想防止女奴参与性交活动。
阴茎/阴户扣锁
在古代，但是也偶尔在现代，男性和女性的阴茎/阴户曾用环扣锁住，即用一个环状物穿透其外部性器官，以防止他/她们性交。术语“阴茎/阴户扣锁(infibulation)”起源于拉丁语fibula：钉或扣。(左)被扣锁的阴茎；(右)被扣锁的阴户。
Infibulation
In ancient, but occasionally also in modern times, males as well as females were infibulated, i.e. a ring was put through their external sex organs in order to prevent them from having sexual intercourse. The term “infibulation” is derived from lat. fibula: pin or clasp. (Left) Infibulated penis. (Right) infibulated vulva.
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The ornamentation, surgical alteration, and even deliberate mutilation of male and female sex organs have been practiced by many cultures since ancient times.
Males
In the case of males, the best known example is
circumcision, i.e. the surgical removal of the penile foreskin. The reasons for this may be hygienic (phimosis), religious (Jews, Moslems), or cultural (the USA today). This relatively simple operation is usually of no great physical consequence except that, according to some recent research, it seems to lower the risk of infection with
HIV/AIDS. More drastic are some forms of ornamentation with surgically inserted flexible or inflexible materials protruding from the sides of the penis. This has been found in various pre-literate societies and has now been adopted by some men in Western countries as a form of
body piercing. In the ancient world, a special form of penile piercing, known as
infibulation, was sometimes performed on male slaves in order to prevent them from having sexual intercourse: The foreskin was pulled over the glans, then pierced and held in place by an inserted metal ring. This made any erection impossible. In the 19th century, some Western doctors also used this method as a means of preventing males from masturbating. An entirely different purpose, namely “beautification”, was served by an even more radical operation known as
subincision: The underside of the penis was slit open lengthwise, exposing the urethra. Obviously, as a result, urination and impregnation became somewhat difficult. Nevertheless, this practice of heightening male pride was common among various Australian, African, South American, and Pacific island tribes. Finally, there is
castration, a very serious mutilation of male sex organs that was practiced for many centuries in both Eastern and Western cultures.
Females
In many cultures, the female sex organs have also been subject to surgical modification. For example, a relatively simple operation may nick, scratch, or remove a part or all of the clitoral foreskin. In analogy to the respective male operation, this may be called
female circumcision. However, in the 19th century, some Western doctors also cut off the clitoral glans as a means of preventing females from masturbating. Such an operation, called
clitoridectomy, is a serious operation that amounts to nothing less than a dangerous and crippling
mutilation of female sex organs. Today, it survives as a traditional custom in certain parts of the world. Finally, it remains to be stated that, in antiquity, an
infibulation was sometimes also performed on female slaves. In this case, the ring was fastened through the major lips (labia majora) of the vulva. Again, the purpose was to prevent them from engaging in coitus.
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