Foreskin restoration is something that you can do if you were circumcised as a child. It is a method or practice to regrow your foreskin. There are a few different options for foreskin restoration including surgery and skin stretching tools.
Why Do People Restore Their Foreskins?
You may want to restore your foreskin for several reasons. Each person's reason is different.
Improvement of sex life. Some men believe that the foreskin makes the head of the penis, also called the glans, more sensitive. So, they restore their foreskin in the hopes that it will make sex more pleasurable.
Emotional satisfaction. Some people with penises feel that circumcision, a procedure that many get as a baby, was done without their consent. They wish to get their foreskin back because they never had the chance to decide for themselves if they wanted it or not.
The History of Foreskin Restoration
Throughout history, the practice of foreskin restoration was primarily used to avoid persecution. Circumcision is an important religious practice for many people of the Jewish faith. Therefore, in some places and times, if someone could see that you were circumcised, they would know you were Jewish.
Circumcised people of those eras sought out foreskin restoration so they could participate in public life. In ancient times, people often played sports nude and public communal bathing was popular. So, foreskin restoration allowed circumcised people to take part in these activities without fear of persecution.
One report mentions a similar trend during the time that the Nazi party was in power in Europe. During this time, circumcised people would sometimes do foreskin restoration whether or not they were Jewish. That way, no one would suspect them of being Jewish.
The first mention of surgery for foreskin restoration is from around the year 50 AD. Today this is still an option, but some people prefer skin stretching instead due to the possible outcomes from surgery.
Foreskin Restoration Options
Surgery. Foreskin restoration surgery usually involves several procedures to stretch and then move the skin from a different area of your body to create a new foreskin. However, the results are sometimes less than satisfactory. The color may be different from the rest of the penis and the skin graft may require electrolysis for hair removal.
Skin Stretching. There are many different products and methods available to help stretch the small piece that remains of the foreskin. It can take several years of regular use to stretch the remaining tissue into a fully grown foreskin. You can use:
- Your hands
- Tape
- A combination of specially designed weights and tape
- Commercially available devices
Risks of Foreskin Restoration
Foreskin restoration is not a widely studied procedure. Some people try homemade devices that can damage the penis. For example, some people use rubber O-rings to help stretch the foreskin. However, if you get the wrong size, it can get stuck behind the head of your penis and restrict blood flow. Other people make their own devices out of caulk or silicon. In that case, you need to make it out of body-safe materials so you do not harm your skin.
However, it is best to attempt foreskin restoration under the care of a doctor.
Foreskin restoration surgery comes with the risk of any surgery including:
- Allergic reaction to anesthesia
- Excess bleeding
- Blood clots
- Infections
What Do Doctors Think About Foreskin?
According to some medical experts, there are many benefits to removing the foreskin. Scientific evidence shows circumcised people get fewer sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and pass on fewer STIs to their partners. They also get fewer urinary tract infections and have fewer skin problems on the penis.
Some people who have been circumcised report that their glans are less sensitive and get less sensitive over time, but scientific research does not support this claim. Some doctors believe that the increased sensitivity from foreskin stretching is actually caused by the new foreskin rubbing against the glans.
Many doctors still support the idea of circumcision when your child is a baby. They say it is the best time because healing is quicker than with older children and adults, and the procedure requires only local anesthesia.
