Trying it 50/50

[njshore37]

As I mentioned on the intro page,  I'm giving the retraction thing a try partly due to hygiene (post UTI) and partly due to always liking the look and feel when I dabbled in it now and then (e.g. gym showers...).

I've only been trying for a couple of days and it seems like I'll be doing the 50 / 50 approach: pretty successful in the day but not keeping after it at night.  Hopefully,  that will make some sense.  Perhaps it will just take twice as long to reach the goal of comfort and some desensitivity.

My foreskin seems just the right tightness to stay back during the day If I keep after it.  I work at home so I can adjust as much as a want. After two days I seem to have two daytime approaches. After a shower I naturally get slightly erect and then find that leaving the penis to poke out through the hole in the briefs works well.  I wear stretch pants with no zipper so a little friction keeps things rubbing just enough.  Later as the day moves on and it tends to shrink up I shift to the keeping it tucked inside the briefs with adjustments now and then.  I drink a lot of water so adjusting at the bathroom break works fine.
All bets are off at night.  It is a bit sensitive, small,  and just slides forward eventually.

I am not trying any taping or folding techniques as one of my motivations is keeping it extra dry and clean.  Folding or taping may create moist areas, perhaps?

Sorry to be so wordy. It has been fun to read the stories.  Any advice is welcome.

[njshore37]

Just found this place yesterday so I've been catching up reading the other posts. Refreshing to find it.

I'm on day two so I have a lot to learn.  I had some success with my poking through the underwear technique.  I read that one person had improvised with gauze so since I don't have any rings or elastics around,  I improvised more.  I cut a hole in a piece of gauze, put my penis first through it, and then through the hole/flap of my briefs. That seemed to keep the foreskin back most of the day.

I do have one question about the various folding techniques:  whether you use tape or other methods,  doesn't the folding action tend to stretch or lengthen the foreskin?  That may make it harder to train?

Thx again for any advice anyone has!

[keratinise]

Do you mean you have your cock sticking out of your briefs, or something else?

[soundsgreat87]

I can't say for sure, but I'd think that the folding action probably doesn't stretch the foreskin much if at all, unless you have a really short foreskin to begin with.

[njshore37]

Yes,  the undershorts thing only works at home.  On top I wear stretchy long pants.  Works for a while but probably not a long term solution. Moving around a lot or going out (e.g. in and out of the car) would certainly have the foreskin slide back forward.   But that is all I had at home for today.  I do like the feeling of the foreskin held back, not just slightly back from the glans.   I'll certainly try some of the tested ideas here.  Thx for putting up with a novice.

[njshore37]

The undershorts are briefs and those flap holes they have in the front always seem useless for fishing out your penis for peeing. My brand is very tight there so it holds things pretty tight.  Anyway,  it worked for most of the day at home.   Onward to other methods....

[soundsgreat87]

For holding the foreskin back from the glans, taping might be the way to go. Here's a diagram that shows one way of doing it: http://pulledback.org/index.php?topic=18.msg60#msg60

In my experience the last step where you push the inner tape behind the outer tape is fiddly and difficult and not necessarily worth it, especially if you replace the first (inner) tape with some kind of strip of material.

As for kind of tape, I can recommend Nexcare Gentle Paper Tape for being persistently sticky, yet soft and flexible enough not to chafe and poke the foreskin.

[njshore37]

Thx for the taping advice.  I saw that diagram on the other pinned thread and it seemed interesting.  The cock ring behind the glans  that others use seems like it would be a bit irritating, especially since my glans area is pretty sensitive given that I am only on day 3.  Day by day.  I think my 50 / 50 approach is about all I can take right now.  Pulled back 24 hrs / day seems a bit much for this novice, even if I was able to keep on top of it at night.  I'll try this for a week and then maybe the taping. Looks like that tape is availing at my drugstore.    Thx.

[njshore37]

I really should pose a few questions:

For those of you who consider yourselves successful at long term pulling back,  did you phase your approach at the beginning?  For example,  did you pull back during the day only or go 4 days back and 4 days not.  And was that phasing for sensitivity reasons or just getting tired of keeping after it? 

How many of you successful folks used some sort of device along the way?  (Tape, spoon, ring, band, coin, sheath,...) .

Thx again,.

[njshore37]

Slow progress.  On another thread I mentioned that i was trying my homemade cockring.   It's the end ring off a condom  (idea found somewhere in this forum).  I use it about 1/2 inch back from the glans to keep the foreskin bunched.  And the size and stretchiness is almost perfect.

It stays on well during the day,  has only slipped down once in three days.  Two nights ago I took a break.  We had sex and my penis demanded to be left alone afterward. No ring,  no pullback, no tight shorts.

But last night i left it on and it stayed on all night.  I took it off for a while today and the foreskin stayed back.  I'm encouraged so far.

[soundsgreat87]

Great to hear!

[njshore37]

I guess I should take my own advice - not try to overdo it.  After 5 days of pulling back and a busy day around town yesterday, the glans exposure / undershorts rubbing was too much.  The glans front edge was very sore.  I decided to give it a break for 24 hours.  I'll try again tomorrow and stick to my days pulled back and nights not. It will likely make any training take longer,  but so be it.

I wonder how guys doing the adult circ thing manage.  Besides the incision,  their glans must get sore. I guess they have to tough it out. 

[Kylar]

I wonder how guys doing the adult circ thing manage.  Besides the incision,  their glans must get sore. I guess they have to tough it out.

Aye. And if they had a phimosis, chances are it's going to be all the more tender. One of my reasons for telling them about alternatives before they go for the knife.

[njshore37]

I seem to be settling into a reasonable routine.  Some days i keep it back most of the day.  The foreskin seems to be training somewhat;  just tucking it into my undershorts works pretty well.  Occasionally I break out my elastic ring to keep the foreskin bunched behind the glans.
At night I let it go.  And some days I leave it forward, esp if I am busy that day.  The glans still gets a little irritated after a long pullback period.   This site has been very helpful.  Thx. 

[soundsgreat87]

Thanks for the update I'm sure it'll get easier and easier to keep it back for longer periods!