What is foreskin restoration? - foreskin restoration process.
Manual foreskin skin growth restoration is the process of stretching penile tissue to recreate the cosmetic, functional, and protective qualities of the intact penis. Whilst the majority of the nerves inside the foreskin tissue are lost to circumcision, foreskin restoration does restore some significant sensitivity to the glans.
This is because the glans is no longer constantly exposed to abrasion from clothing and physical activity. Many men who persevere with the long process of foreskin restoration notice significant improvements to sensation during sexual activity.
Often devices are used to put the penile tissue under gentle tension. This stretches the skin over time to recreate facsimile foreskin, which is cosmetically very similar to the original tissue.
In addition to the cosmetic appearance and functional benefits, some men undergo foreskin skin growth restoration for psychological reasons, and to feel a sense of control over their body image. Foreskin restoration may also improve penile tightness, a common complaint from circumcised men. foreskin restoration process
Circumcision Damage
Is foreskin restoration recognised by medical professionals?
Few professionals are aware of foreskin restoration, and academic literature on the process is sparse.
Many of the men who have undertaken the practice have done so with support from other restorers, many of whom have noted success.
Despite successes, professionals are still reluctant to recognise this due to the lack of formal research on this.
The principles follow the same as any other skin stretching – moderate tension over time results in stretched skin.
We are not aware of any devices that are sold online that have been tested or medically approved in a controlled study.
Despite this, we know that many of them do work, providing they can exert moderate tension on the penile shaft skin.
How long does foreskin restoration take ?
Restoration time can vary, however this is a long term process that can achieve great results. It may take several months of dedicated practice before the results will appear noticeable. The factors that affect restoration include:
- The starting point for each individual (depending on the amount of tissue that was circumcised)
- The desired end point for the individual.
- How much time per day/week is spent restoring.
- How much scar tissue is present.
- How well the restorer implements restoration techniques.
We suspect that restoration efforts may be cumulative (doubling 1mm to 2mm may take a similar amount of time as doubling 5mm to 10mm), however this is difficult to say without a controlled study. Most men restore over the course of a few years.
This time frame frustrates some people, however the process itself is quite simple and easy to build a routine around.
Most men feel as though the end result is eventually worth it.
Surgical foreskin restoration
Whilst surgical foreskin restoration using grafted tissue has been performed by some plastic surgeons, and the temptation to find an “instant fix” can be strong, results have often made the situation worse. Grafted tissue will not match that of original tissue, nor will it have an appearance or quality of the tissue that is created during manual restoration (stretching). Furthermore, more scarring will be introduced.
It is incredibly difficult to replace lost tissue, and there have been a number of catastrophic failures that have been reported following surgical restorations, even from reputable surgeons. This has left some men with scarring, poor cosmetic results, reduced sensation, and general complications, some of which have been life threatening. In spite of these shortcomings, some surgeons have still deemed the operations ‘successful’.
Surgical foreskin restoration is not recommended by medical health professionals and it is considered cosmetic surgery. Recent studies that have trialled newer methods have not included satisfaction studies from participants, and the end results do not match the intact penis.
We heavily discourage this route for foreskin restoration, and encourage people to persevere with manual restoration instead.
What is the end result of restoration
The end result of foreskin restoration is coverage of the glans, or the generation of mobile tissue. Upon general inspection, a full restoration is indistinguishable from the intact penis with a few minor exceptions:
Thickness of the new foreskin.
The natural foreskin is a thin double-layered piece of tissue. It consists of inner mucosal tissue connected by a thin ridged band to the outer foreskin, which is slightly thicker.
A restored foreskin often consists of shaft skin that has been folded over. This shaft skin is notably slightly thicker than the original foreskin, however this is very often unnoticed upon general inspection.
Missing function of the frenulum and ridged band
Whilst the skin can be stretched and ‘restored’, the ridged band and frenulum which have an elastic quality, (allowing the foreskin to roll back and forward naturally during arousal) cannot have their function restored.
This means that manual adjustment may occasionally be necessary if the recreated foreskin rolls back.
In addition to these cosmetic differences, there are also some physical differences between an intact and restored foreskin:
Abnormal sensory perception.
The recreated foreskin consists of skin from the middle of the penis, yet this skin will be located at the end of the penis, therefore, touching the end of restored foreskin will feel like the middle of the penis.
Restorers have noted that this is a peculiar sensation, though these sensations do not detract from the benefits of restored sensation to the glans.
Missing fine-touch nerves.
Within the foreskin are nerve endings that respond to fine touch pressure. Whilst these are generally not considered to be erogenous, they do provide sensory quality as the natural foreskin rolls over the glans during sexual activity.
These nerves are irreplaceable after restoration, however the glans will be stimulated by the recreated foreskin in a similar manner as the intact foreskin.
Despite these differences, restorers have often felt that the foreskin restoration process has improved sensation and has proven a worthwhile process.
Addressing common obstacles.
There has been a lack of research into manual restoration, therefore it is important to exercise caution and follow some basic principles to ensure safety.
The vast majority of men that have reported on restoration have had no major issues whatsoever, however there can be no guarantees without better research.
It is important to be aware the information included here is not medical advice, however we aim to provide accurate information based on the personal experiences of those that have undergone restoration.
Most issues can be summarised as follows – injuries, discomfort, and impatience. By staying patient, and understanding that discomfort is a sign to reduce tension or take a break from restoration, you can avoid injuries associated with restoration.
Many men feel eager to complete restoration as fast as possible, and this can lead to some common mistakes.
The main issue is overstretching. Some men will stretch until they feel discomfort or pain, falsely believing this will lead to a faster result.
This is not the case, as pain can indicate that the skin is over-stretching, and similar to weight gain, this can cause scar tissue to generate.
This scar tissue is fibrous (therefore does not stretch easily) leading to a delayed restoration process. If you feel pain, discomfort, bruising, or swelling, remove the tension and rest until these complications have subsided.
The recommended method is to apply as much as you can whilst ensuring that your device is still comfortable.
Restorers should be aware that there ought to be tension, but there should not be any pain. Longer sessions with lower tension are likely more effective than shorter sessions of high tension, therefore, only apply as much tension as you can sustain throughout the duration of your stretching session.
Another issue is demotivation, and stopping too early. The initial few months of restoration often have the least noticeable results. As mentioned before, stretching 1mm of tissue to 2mm is effectively doubling the amount of tissue present.
Whilst it may not look like much, this is a monumental first step. As the process is continued, the stretching becomes easier and more noticeable.
If you feel as though you may be losing motivation, some restorers have kept a photographic record to reference throughout their restoration. Sometimes looking back can help men realise their progress has been more significant than they realised
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Finally, the third issue is the physical scarring present on the circumcised penis. This tissue is more fibrous and lacks elasticity compared to other skin. To address this, some men use coconut oil or other ointments to enhance elasticity and assist with restoration.
It is important not to use substances that are harmful or irritating to sensitive regions. Additionally, scar cream for those who have undergone more recent circumcision may assist the restoration process.
Scar cream can improve scars that are several years old. Whilst we have no specific product recommendations, searching online will return plenty of options.
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