[ ARC forum 2 ]
Written by Ralesk at 16 Feb 2004 00:48:02: Re: phimosis - really getting me down....
As an answer to: phimosis - really getting me down.... written by chase at 15 Feb 2004 18:10:34:
Hello Chase,
let's see what we can tell you.
First of all, many doctors seem to laugh when people mention stretching and/or betamethasone. Some even go out of their way to get people use hydrocortisone instead. If we look closer at the issue, we can see that this is horseshit. For one, there are several THOUSAND people who have “restored” their foreskins after being circumcised. If stretching wouldn't work they would have all failed at making their foreskin remnants cover the glans again. Those people who are merely facing some tight foreskin “problem” have a lot less stretching / growing / call-it-what-you-want to do. For two, betamethasone is a product precisely for this thing: it makes skin — any skin — react better to stretching ("applying tension").
Now that we see how foolish the doctor is, let's see what you can do if you want to avoid surgical solutions.
You are way better off than a lot of people — for example the forum admin AJ before his circumcision —, you can retract your foreskin, even if only when it all is flaccid. So, there is a lot less to do ;)
Since you cannot retract conveniently yet, the forward method is what should be effective and used. When the foreskin is not retracted, you grasp the tip on the sides, and pull it forward, so as to form a “tube” with your foreskin. There's an image at foreskin.org which shows this. Pulling it forward puts an amount of tension on the skin in that direction, so this will more like lengthen it (which, if you have a short frenulum, might be a very good idea). Pulling it “open” will put tension perpendicular to that, and urge the skin to grow in diameter. This is what you want to achieve. Advanced users may try to insert their fingers into the hole and stretch that way. Keep it in tension (slight discomfort allowed, but don't be too rough!) for a minute or so at a time.
If you have any questions, please ask. And don't worry, you're still very young ;)
Merry tugging,
R.
