# Frequently asked questions

If you are new to foreskin restoration, you probably have the same questions almost everyone starts with. Here are plain, honest answers. None of this is medical advice; it is a starting map.

## What is foreskin restoration?

It is the practice of growing new shaft skin to replace what circumcision removed, using gentle sustained tension. Over time the skin that remains is coaxed into a longer tube that can cover the glans again. It does not regrow the nerve-rich tissue that was cut away, but it restores coverage, a gliding action, and protection of the glans. It is non-surgical, done at home, and takes a long time.

## Does it actually work?

Yes, and the mechanism is well established. Skin held under gentle tension grows genuinely new tissue, the same biology surgeons use for tissue expansion. What is not settled by research is which method is fastest or exactly how long it takes for any individual. See the science page for the real studies and an honest line between what is proven and what is community lore.

## How do I start?

Start with manual tugging: no equipment, no cost, and it teaches you what safe tension feels like before you spend anything. Hold slack shaft skin forward under gentle tension for a few minutes at a time, several times a day. Once you understand the feel and have a routine, you can decide whether a device fits your life. Do not buy a device on day one.

## Which device should I buy?

It depends on how much slack skin you have. If you are very tightly cut with almost no slack, gripper and dual-tension devices have nothing to hold, so people often start manual or with a device designed for tight starts. Once you have some slack (roughly CI-2 and up), the dual-tension and strap-tugger category opens up. The devices guide walks through every category with links to the makers. There is no single best device; the best one is the one you will actually wear consistently.

## How long does it take?

Months before you notice anything, and typically several years to reach full coverage. The amount of new skin needed is large, so progress is slow and worth it. This is the single most common reason people quit too early. See realistic timelines for what to actually expect.

## How many hours a day should I tug?

Practice varies enormously, from an hour a day to most of the day and night. The important principle is that skin responds to time under gentle tension, not to force. Long, light, comfortable sessions beat short, hard ones, and hard pulling causes injury without growing skin faster. See the safety page before you push your routine.

## How do I know it is working?

Two ways: the Coverage Index and consistent photos. The Coverage Index is a picture-based scale (CI-0 to CI-10) for describing coverage. Because progress is so slow, memory is unreliable, so dated photos taken the same way each time are what actually make change visible. The Forestorers journal tracks your CI and compares photos over time, privately in your browser.

## What is the difference between tugging and retaining?

Tugging is applying tension to grow skin. Retaining is keeping the glans covered by the skin you have grown, usually with a soft cone, retainer, or O-ring. They do different jobs: tugging builds coverage, retaining maintains it and is what lets the glans soften over time. Most restorers eventually do both.

## Does sensitivity come back?

Many restorers report that keeping the glans covered lets its surface soften (dekeratinize) and feel more sensitive over time. This is a widely shared experience, but be aware it is anecdotal: there is little formal research on sensitivity outcomes, and restoration cannot restore the specific nerve structures removed by circumcision. Treat return of sensitivity as a realistic hope, not a guarantee.

## Is it safe?

Done gently, it is low-risk, but it is possible to hurt yourself with too much tension or too many hours. The real risks are skin damage and, from sustained over-tension, nerve damage. The rules are simple: comfortable never painful, check circulation, never tug in your sleep until you are experienced, and stop at any sign of trouble. The safety page covers this properly.

## Is my journal private?

Yes. Everything you record stays in your own browser. There is no account and no copy on any server. If you set a password, your data is encrypted on your device. You do not have to take our word for it; the verify page shows you how to confirm it yourself.

## Do I need a buddy, or can I do this alone?

Entirely alone is completely fine, and that is the default. The optional buddy network lets you connect with other restorers for encouragement and progress sharing if you want it, but the journal, tracking, photos, and charts all work with no connection and no other people involved.

## Is it free?

The app is free, with no ads, no trackers, and no data selling. It is open-source software. Restoration itself can be free too if you tug manually; devices are optional purchases from third parties we have no affiliation with.

New terms tripping you up? The glossary explains the community vocabulary (CI, RCI, tugging, retaining, dartos, dekeratinization, KOT, and the rest) in plain language.