Simply put, foreskin restoration is the process of replacing the foreskin of the penis after circumcision. It is covered in detail in Jim Bigelow's enthusiastically titled book The Joy of Uncircumcising!, and is supported by several non-profit organizations that have obviously been named with clever acronyms in mind, such as NORM (National Organization for Restoring Men), NOHARMM (National Organization to Halt the Abuse and Routine Mutilation of Men), and NOCIRC (National Organization of Circumcision Information Resource Centers).
Now, if you're anything like me, when you see the phrase "foreskin restoration," you think, "lost cause." And you wouldn't be far off. Let's place arguments of the advantages (few) and disadvantages (many) of circumcision aside for a moment (it is discussed in detail elsewhere), and concentrate on what happens after the fact. Circumcision is irreversible. Once it's gone, it's gone. Foreskin restoration is really a misnomer, as the best a circumcised man can hope for is to simulate the appearance of a foreskin, either through surgery or carefully stretching out the shaft skin of the penis.
Motivating Factors
The reasons that men are interested in foreskin restoration are many and varied. The web pages of the aforementioned organizations are littered with testimonials from unhappy circumcised men who feel betrayed by their parents, abandoned by their foreskin, sexually inadequate, cosmetically inferior, or just plain unwhole. Sometimes there are additional factors (such as psychological trauma from past sexual abuse) that lead men to consider the restoration process. Many of them view foreskin restoration as a process of empowerment.
One of the more common reasons that men investigate foreskin restoration is because the presence of a foreskin supposedly heightens the sensitivity of the glans and makes sexual intercourse and masturbation more pleasurable. As a woman, I can neither confirm nor deny the veracity of such a claim. There is, however, scientific evidence that the inner foreskin contains nerve endings and provides mucosal lubrication, while the outer foreskin protects the glans from possible desensitization as the penis rubs against a man's clothing (not unlike the clitoral hood in women). So this claim (hypothetical because the vast majority of men have no basis for comparison) could indeed be true. It is important to note that foreskin restoration as it exists today does nothing to replace nerve endings, but it does increase sensitivity somewhat (or so I've been told) and enhances lubrication (it also leads to increased formation of smegma, so proper hygiene is important, just as it is with uncircumcised males).
Perhaps the most oft-cited reason for undergoing the process of foreskin restoration is that some circumcised men think that the presence of a foreskin will make them better lovers. This, I can state from personal experience, is a patent falsehood. An uncircumcised penis feels and functions exactly the same as a circumcised penis as far as the female partner is concerned (there is one exception - in women who have inadequate vaginal lubrication, the additional lubrication provided by the presence of a foreskin may make penetration slightly more comfortable). Women who say that they prefer uncircumcised men usually do so for aesthetic reasons. This is a matter of individual preference and cultural indoctrination.
For example, as an American, where until recently circumcision was the status quo, I generally prefer the appearance of a circumcised penis because that's what I'm accustomed to seeing (although I wouldn't kick a man out of bed just because he happens to have a wee circlet of extra flesh). In parts of the world where circumcision is rare (of industrialized countries, this constitutes pretty much everywhere except America), the opposite is true. In any case, the presence or absence of a foreskin has no physical effect on a man's abilities to please a woman.
Opponents argue that the techniques of foreskin restoration are almost as barbaric as circumcision itself. Men who have undergone the process swear by it and claim that it is painless if done correctly. When I read up on the subject, I personally thought it sounded a bit gruesome (not to mention ridiculous), but then again, I don't have a penis. I leave you to judge for yourself.
Surgery
Surgical foreskin restoration is a complicated procedure that involves separating the shaft skin of the penis from the glans and inserting a skin graft, usually supplied from a donor site elsewhere on the patient's body. The grafted skin is then attached to the remnants of the frenulum on the underside of the glans.
Surgical restoration is NOT recommended. The potential for post-surgical complications, including the formation of excessive scar tissue, infection, and the necrosis of the grafted cells, is extremely high. You'd be hard pressed to find a reputable surgeon who is willing to perform the procedure, which is considered by the medical community to be purely cosmetic.
Manual Stretching
The simplest and cheapest method of foreskin restoration is to periodically manually stretch the elastic shaft skin of the penis over the glans. This must be done on a daily basis, usually several times a day, to have any effect. It takes a long time (many years) before the formation of a simulated foreskin is noticeable, and coverage of the glans is often incomplete. When done correctly, manual stretching is largely painless. Care must be taken not to tug too hard, which could cause damage to the shaft skin.
Many men who attempt non-surgical foreskin restoration start off with the manual method, but switch to taping or cones in order to achieve faster and more complete results.
Taping
The most popular method of foreskin restoration is taping. It involves stretching the shaft skin over the glans and securing it in place with first aid tape. As with manual stretching, you must be careful to stretch the skin very gradually to avoid damaging it. Because the tape holds the skin in place and provides constant, gentle pressure, taping has slightly quicker results than the manual method (on average, a simulated foreskin is formed in 1-3 years), and eventually total coverage of the glans is possible.
The T-tape method is the most popular. A T or cross shape is formed of two pieces of tape, with the intersection centered over the tip of the penis and the arms of the cross running up the sides of the penis. It is important that the pieces of tape are the same length, so that pressure is uniform. Of even greater importance is eliminating the adhesive portion of the tape where it comes into contact with the ultra-sensitive glans. Otherwise, removing the tape (which is required for urination) will be extremely painful. This is easily achieved by attaching a shorter strip of tape, adhesive side down, to the portions of the cross that cover the glans.
A slightly less popular version is the O-tape method, where the skin is stretched over the glans and then secured by a ring of tape. This allows for urination without removing the tape. However, the circle of tape is more likely to fall off throughout the course of the day. Closely related to the O-tape method is the O ring, a rubber ring that resembles a smaller cock ring. The O ring is seated at the base of the glans, over the stretched shaft skin. Results of O ring use are mixed, and it generally takes longer to achieve results than simple taping.
To speed the stretching process, the tape is sometimes attached to the man's sock, an elastic waistband, or an over-the-shoulder penis holster to provide additional tension. As a side note, men who use taping for foreskin restoration report that after prolonged use, they have a constant partial erection when the tape is removed that subsides within a matter of hours or days.
Cones
A foreskin restoration cone is a device that fits snugly over the glans, sort of like a little penis hat. The shaft skin is then stretched over the cone and secured in place with medical tape. Cones are popular because they are easy to use, can be used in conjunction with other devices, and they avoid the problem of taping the glans. Almost all cone devices are equipped with a hole in the center that allows for urination without removing the cone. A cone user must be extremely careful not to accidentally pinch the stretched skin between the cone and another hard surface (for example, the edge of a table). Ouch.
A man may fashion his own cone from materials such as Friendly Plastic, Fimo, and Sculpey, which are initially malleable to allow shaping, and are then baked to a hardened consistency. As an alternative, the NORM website recommends using a mouthpiece from a brass instrument (presumably one that you NEVER, EVER plan to play again) as a restoration cone.
There are several variations of restoration cones that are commercially available, including Second Skin, Tugger, and Tug Ahoy. Some of the commercial cones also come with weights and straps.
Weights
The use of weights in foreskin restoration is even more controversial than the process of restoration itself. It is extremely easy for a man using weights to overdo it and cause permanent damage to his penis. Some restoration websites advocate weights as the fastest way to form a simulated foreskin (on average, it takes about one year to achieve satisfactory results), while others recommend avoiding weights at all costs.
The best known foreskin weights on the market are the hilariously named ForeBalls. ForeBalls consist of two stainless steel ball bearings attached to each other by a short rod. The average set of ForeBalls weighs 7.5 ounces, but they are available in a variety of sizes (up to a whopping 16 ounces of combined weight). One end of a short piece of rope is tied to the rod, and the other end is tied to a small ball. The skin of the shaft is stretched over the glans, and the small ball is placed in the pocket formed by the stretched skin, which is then taped closed. ForeBalls are designed to be worn throughout the day and removed at night. They must also be removed to urinate.
The inventor of ForeBalls is also a ForeBalls client, who naturally touts the system as a great success. In fact, he says that his simulated foreskin now protrudes one inch (!) past his glans. Of course, besides the potential dangers of ForeBalls, there is also the fact that they are quite visible when a man wears them (each ball bearing is between one and one and a half inches in diameter). ForeBalls' creator said that while he was wearing them, none of his friends or colleagues noticed the device hanging down his pants leg. I find that rather hard to believe. Use ForeBalls at your own peril.
Further Research
For more information regarding the process of foreskin restoration, try the following websites:
- www.norm.org
- www.noharmm.org
- www.nocirc.org
- www.infocirc.org/rest-e.htm
- www.4skin.com
It is important to note that these websites are all very much pro-restoration. I have not been able to find any online resources that present the process from an unbiased viewpoint.
| 
