Foreskin restoration
Foreskin restoration is the process of providing a replacement for the foreskin (prepuce) of the penis, which had been removed through circumcision or injury.
Overview
Foreskin restoration includes either surgical or nonsurgical tissue expansion techniques. Some circumcised men want their foreskin restored to try to regain lost sexual sensitivity, while some have other reasons such as comfort, appearance, or a sense of completion.
When is restoration carried out?
It can be carried out by circumcised males, usually in adulthood. Although less common, some intact men with short foreskins may use tissue expansion to increase the length of their foreskin. Unlike circumcision, this process of restoration is generally carried out on a voluntary basis. Many younger men undergoing restoration believe it should be delayed until sexual development is completed near an age of 18 years.
Surgical Techniques
Surgical methods of foreskin restoration, sometimes known as foreskin reconstruction, have generally not been satisfactory, and often result in a net loss of sensitivity. These involve grafting skin and/or mucous membrane taken from elsewhere on the body onto the distal portion of the penis. Another method involves is a four stage procedure in which the penile shaft is buried in the scrotum for a periof of time. These forms of plastic surgery inevitably leave some degree of scarring and nerves take a long time to grow into the new tissue, if they ever do. Serious complications have been reported by some men. Non-surgical foreskin restoration is now regarded as the superior method.
Nonsurgical Techniques
Nonsurgical methods of foreskin restoration are performed by means of stretching the skin, dartos muscle, and mucous membrane covering the shaft of the penis. The stretching stimulates new growth, but is a long and tedious process. The natural foreskin has three principal components, in addition to blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue: skin, which is exposed exteriorly; mucous membrane, which is the surface in contact with the glans penis when the penis is flaccid; and a band of muscle within the tip of the foreskin. Generally, the skin more readily grows in response to stretching than does the mucous membrane. The ring of muscle, which normally holds the foreskin closed, cannot be regrown because it has been completely removed in the vast majority of circumcisions. Varying degrees of success have been reported by males engaging in this practice. When successful, the resulting tissue usually provides a looser covering of the glans penis than would the natural prepuce. The ridged band area of highly innervated erogenous tissue, however, cannot be regained using this technique.
A restored foreskin causes the scar from the circumcision wound to be covered and hidden. It is difficult to distinguish a restored foreskin from a natural foreskin because it produces a "nearly normal-appearing prepuce".
History
A more painful form of foreskin restoration, historically known as epispasm, was practiced among some Jews in Hellenistic and Roman societies. In such societies public nudity was an important part of many aspects of society, and an absent or undersized foreskin was considered obscene or humorous.
European Jews sort out underground foreskin restoration operations during World War II to escape Nazi persecution.
The practice was revived in the late twentieth century using modern materials and techniques.
Results
The most common way of restoring the foreskin is to use tape to provide adhesion to the skin. The tape can then be attached to elastic devices or weights, or simply to itself, to force the skin over the head of the penis which provides a moderate amount of stretching in and of itself. Newer tapeless devices have been invented, which grip the skin and apply tension. In either case, restoration of the foreskin can be a long process.
Nonsurgical foreskin restoration does not restore the frenulum or the ridged band. Although not commonly performed, there are surgical "touch-up" techniques that can re-create the some functionality of the frenulum and ridged band, if so desired.
Emotional and Psychiatric Aspects
Foreskin restoration has been reported as having beneficial emotional results. Penn reported that foreskin restoration rehabilitated his patient's psychological health. Greer reported that his patients were pleased and gratified by surgical restoration and Goodwin reported patient "delight" with surgical restoration. Boyle et al. proposed foreskin restoration as a treatment for emotional feelings resulting from circumcision.
In a 1981 study, Prepuce Restoration Seekers: Psychiatric Aspects, published a paper in the Archives of Sexual Behavior, which discussed four case study subjects seeking surgical foreskin restoration, four case studies provide a sample of motivational forces behind the desire for a restored foreskin.
Anti-circumcision activists have, however, attempted to discredit this study.
See also
Books
- "Decircumcision: Foreskin Restoration, Methods and Circumcision Practices" by Jim Bigelow and James L. Snyder, ASIN 093406122X
