The method: Step 1: Prepare the cotton pad. Fold the cotton pad and cut a hole in the middle of it. The size of this hole will depend on the size of your penis and how tight of a fit you want.
If the hole is too large, the cotton pad might fall off. If the hole is too small, it might become uncomfortable or even painful during an erection.
I like to keep it a bit tight as it will naturally loosen throughout the day.
Experiment with different hole sizes to find what works best for you.
Step 2: Put the cotton pad on your penis. I find it's best to poke the tip of my glans through the hole and then pinch my glans with my right hand, and pull the cotton pad with my left hand.
Once the cotton pad is behind the glans, it should stay on securely, keeping the foreskin back with it.
Why a cotton pad? Cotton pads are inexpensive, disposable, and clean. (Disposable doesn't mean flushable.
Do not flush cotton pads)
Since they're made of cotton, the cotton pad is absorbent, which keeps the glans and inner foreskin dry. They're also hypoallergenic for anyone concerned with foreign objects irritating their exposed penis.
Another benefit is the wide diameter of the cotton pad acting as a shield against hair. With other methods, I've had issues with my exposed glans rubbing against pubic hair and being very uncomfortable. This isn't an issue with the cotton pad method because of the cotton pad shielding the glans and inner foreskin from contact with hair.
Not all cotton pads are created equal Different brands of cotton pads have differences in quality. My go-to brand is
Swisspers Cotton Rounds which can be found in most drug stores or beauty stores in the US.
I've noticed the Walgreens brand to be very ineffective for this method because they rip apart and fray too much, causing the cotton pad to fall off too easily. The Swisspers cotton pads are a bit tougher by comparison
I have not tried any other brand of cotton pads but I'd be interested to hear from other people who might try other brands.