While in his early 30s, Sabin Prince, an actor from Los Angeles, started to notice that his libido had been waning. His urologist assured him nothing was wrong, but still he found arousal difficult. That was until, after some Internet research, Prince found out that a growing number of men were actually re-growing their foreskins and reporting improvements in their sex lives. Soon thereafter Prince began the process of foreskin restoration. Today, at 47, Prince is so very glad that he did. 

“The changes!” he told TIME Magazine in November 2007, describing his enhanced pleasure. “It's 100 percent more sensitive.”

The foreskin consists of several parts, and performs several key functions in sexual activity and in the penis itself. The foreskin can be thought of as akin to the eyelids, according to a presentation done by The University of Washington Health Sciences Academic Services & Facilities and George C. Denniston, MD. The eyes need constant moisture to optimize their function, as well as a covering membrane capable of shielding them from pathogens and unwanted external irritants. The same holds true for the glans of the penis.

As erection occurs, the prepuce turns inside out, unfolding onto the shaft of the penis. During sexual intercourse, the foreskin will continuously retract and then recover over the glans, sliding along the sides of the vaginal wall in the process. This causes increased stimulation to both male and female, as the penis is essentially sliding in and out of both itself and the vagina, using the prepuce as a sort of “buffer” between the two. The foreskin, therefore, plays a very important role during sex, keeping both organs moist. Without it, the mushroom shaped glans actually draws moisture from the vagina with each forward and backward motion, increasing abrasion.

Accurate statistics on circumcision can be difficult to find; there is conflicting data and thorough records were not always kept. As the American Academy of Pediatrics stated in its groundbreaking March 1999 Policy Statement on circumcision, “The percentage of male infants circumcised varies by geographic location, by religious affiliation, and, to some extent, by socioeconomic classification.” The policy statement, which was reaffirmed in September of 2005, estimated that 1.2 million newborn males in the United States are circumcised every year.

In that study, the AAP claimed it found insufficient evidence to support or recommend routine neonatal circumcision, saying that when “the procedure is not essential to the child's current well-being, parents should determine what is in the best interest of the child.” Although circumstances may arise where the procedure may be recommended for adult males, in cases of phimosis or extreme smegma, circumcision is not medically necessary for infant males.

The National Organization to Halt the Abuse and Routine Mutilation of Males (NOHARMM) claims that 3,300 circumcisions are performed every day. American males seem to be circumcised at a higher rate than the rest of the world; the procedure is uncommon in Asia, South America, Central America, and most of Europe. According to WebMD.com, who cited statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly 65% of infant males in were circumcised in the US the year of the AAP’s statement, as opposed to 48% of Canadian males.

Complications from circumcision, though rare, can be severe. WebMD lists such complications that can include “pain, bleeding, infection of the circumcision site and at the opening of the urethra, and irritation of the exposed tip of the penis.” Long term problems can also arise, including damage to the urethra, and severe infection and scarring. Surgical errors and unsanitary practices on the part of the surgeon may also result in gruesome consequences for infants. Other negative side effects are decreased sensitivity and dryness of the glans due to externalization, which can result in a decreased pleasure dynamic during sexual intercourse and masturbation. 

Circumcision also removes a significant portion of the penis’ nerve endings, sometimes as much as half of the mobile skin system. In adult males, this area of skin would measure 15 square inches if unfolded and spread out.  According to NORM, this is “most important sensory component of the foreskin - thousands of coiled fine-touch receptors called Meissner's corpuscles.” Also removed are “between 10,000 and 20,0000 specialized erotogenic nerve endings of several types”. This covering would normally cover the glans and protect it from abrasion, drying, callusing (also called keratinization), as well as all kinds of contaminants.

It is for these reasons, as well as numerous others, that many men are deciding to have their foreskins restored.

Although a seemingly novel concept, foreskin restoration has been practiced for centuries. References to it can be found in old Judeo-Christian scripture, including the book of Maccabees (1:14-15), Corinthians (7:18) and the even the Talmud (132-135 CE). During the time of the Roman Empire, the circumcised penis was viewed as ugly and unacceptable, and so “uncircumcision” was practiced decoris causa, or for “the sake of appearance”. According to The Circumcision Reference Library, the Romans developed a device called the “judeum pondum”, basically a funnel-shaped copper tube placed around the shaft of the penis. The copper was then pulled, stretching the skin over the glans. Interestingly enough, similar devices are used today.

For men considering their options on reversing the effects of circumcision nowadays, there are some rather varied options. None of them, however, are simple and, sadly, no restoration method is guaranteed to fully replace the prepuce once it has been severed from the penis.  Still, much of it can be.

Surgery is one option. Foreskin reconstruction, as it is sometimes called, is a procedure that usually involves grafting skin and/or mucous membrane from elsewhere on the body onto the glans of the penis. This skin is often times taken directly from the scrotum. One procedure involves a four-part process where the penile shaft is temporarily buried inside the scrotum. According to NORM, surgical procedures are only 60% to 70% successful. Oftentimes, foreskin replacement surgery takes three sessions, six months apart. Horror stories of foreskin surgery abound: cases of gangrene and dying skin grafts have been reported. One case in San Francisco involved a man who had a total of nine surgeries, yet he still did not have the foreskin he wanted, but of course, he did have a multitude of scars. Another disadvantage to surgical replacement is the cost: NORM estimates, as cited on HoustonPress.com in July of 2007, that costs of the surgery could range between $10,000 and $50,000.

It is for these reasons that tissue-stretching methods are mostly recommended. The basic theory behind stretching and tension is to stimulate skin cell growth. Cell division, or mitosis, allows for the creation of more tissue. Essentially, the body’s reaction to stress and stimulation is to compensate where needed. Think of it almost like body building; you’re ripping your muscles so that they heal larger and more firmly. So, as new cells fill in the areas put under stress, these areas “grow”. Well, it may sound peculiar, but the same concept can be applied to the skin of the penis. Perhaps a better example would be African tribes-people who stretch the skin of their lips and ears to insert disks or other adornments.

There are a number of products that can aid in the re-growth of skin surrounding the glans penis. One such product is called the Foreskin Nature Restorer. 4restore.com, which describes the product as “a stainless steel bell that fits over the head of your penis”, retails for about $130.  The skin on the shaft itself is stretched over the bell, producing new skin that over time develops into a new foreskin that is “almost exactly like the original foreskin”. Surgical tape holds the skin in place (as seen here) so that the penis does not become dislodged from the bell. Many foreskin restoring devices actually work the same way. According to the product’s website, this device is patented and trademarked, and made of FDA approved medical graded stainless steel. Increasingly popular, 4restore’s sales manager, Stephen Kwan, says sales increase by about 15% each year.

NORM’s co-founder R. Wayne Griffiths, re-grew his own foreskin by taping two ball bearings to his penis. He later designed Foreballs, a device that is a set of dual metal spheres joined by a steel rod. The skin of the shaft is rolled onto one of the spheres and then tape is applied around it to hold it in place. The other sphere acts as a weight, tugging the skin of the shaft down over the glans using the force of gravity. It also retails for about $130.

The Penile Uncircumcising Device, or P.U.D., works similarly to Foreballs in that it uses gravity to stretch the skin over the glans. Made of surgical quality steel, it also requires surgical tape to be applied around the skin to hold it in place. P.U.D.’s website boasts that is “The most sophisticated foreskin restoration product to date.” It also says it is recommended for men seeking a more discreet appearance, although any of the devices mentioned in this column can be worn underneath normal casual or business clothing.

The TLC Tugger, the product that was used by Mr. Prince for his restoration, works in a somewhat similar way to the Foreskin Nature Restorer, but does not require the application of tape. Instead, the skin of the shaft is rolled forward over the glans and onto an inner cone. This must be done while the penis is flaccid, as circumcised men cannot extend their shaft skin over the glans while erect. Next, the skin covering the part of the device over tip of the glans is covered with an outer cone. Finally, the inner cone, which has on its end something like a hook, is attached to a tugging strap. This tugging strap is connected to another strap that fits around the man’s leg, creating the gentle tugging required to stimulate the foreskin’s growth. A video demonstration can be seen here (scroll down the page). TLC’s inventor, industrial engineer Ron Low, started this business out of his kitchen in 2001 in an attempt to give men an alternative to restoration devices using tape. These days, his sales have exploded from exposure on the Internet and on-line chat rooms.

Another such “tape-less” restoration device is the Dual Tension Restorer, or DTR. This device is made of nylon, and does not require straps or weights to create tension. It consists of a push rod with a “pusher plate” at the end of it. The pusher rod goes through a bell, similar to that of the Foreskin Natural Restorer.  As with the other devices the skin of the shaft is rolled up onto the bell, but the skin is held in place with a “gripper”, basically a soft clear membrane-like structure with tiny holes in it. The bell has a set of adjustable screws that can be tightened and loosened as need be. Tension is created by the elastic band looped around the two screws, which is threaded through the push rod. The DTR is unique in that it can be converted to a tugging device, if the wearer pleases, by replacing the set of screws with a clip.

A complete list of foreskin restoration devices can be found on NORM’s website. There is also literature available both for men interested in re-growing their foreskins and for general educational purposes as well. The Joy of Uncircumcising by Dr. Jim Bigelow, and Decircumcision: Foreskin Restoration Methods and Circumcision Practices by Gary M. Griffin are two examples.

Men who’ve restored their foreskins have reported increased sensitivity to their penis, especially the glans, and increased pleasure during sexual intercourse and masturbation. They also claim to have gotten something back that was “taken” from them. One man who had restored wrote to the creator of the product he used to thank him, saying that circumcised men “were cruelly robbed of our birth right and, who strive to regain the one thing which will finally make us feel complete.” Sigmund Freud, in fact, called circumcision a “symbolical substitute of castration.”

Researching the product you’ll want to use for restoration is especially important. Make certain to take your time and think about which device may be best suited for your daily life. Some men find devices that use tape to be clumsy, and would prefer a tape-less one. On the other hand, the thought of pulleys and straps and rubber bands might not appeal to some other men, so tape devices might be more preferable. There is no “best” method of restoration. Think of how each product’s approach to stretching and tension may be useful, or impractical, to your day-to-day activities.  

Most importantly, be skeptical of products claiming to work instantly or quickly. Depending upon how much or how little the individual man in question had removed during circumcision, foreskin restoration using stretching devices can take one to three years to complete. Heredity and consistency of application of tension are also factors. There is no “magic bullet” that will instantly turn your penis from a chess bishop into an elephant’s trunk. But with a little research, a lot of patience, and maybe a few dozen rolls of surgical tape, you can be back to the way nature intended you to be, with lubricated glans, and enjoying better sex for you and your partner!