Nice results so far, but....

[ThatOldGuy]

I have been restoring for little more than a month now and love the effect already. I have already noticed my glans are more moist, soft, and sensitive to touch. Downside to this is I can’t go without my glans being covered and wear any clothing. Oh well, it just encourages me to keep them covered that way.

I started at almost a CI-3—almost being I didn’t have wrinkling while erect, but when flaccid sulcus was fully covered, and the corona was almost covered. So, I have both the TLC-X and the CAT II I have been using. I had gotten the TLC-X first but the device would slip easily when walking. I have found the CAT II holds the skin better and does not slip as easy. When I use either, I am able to push the extended rod quite far almost to the end. I have a tension strap attached to my sock and to the device.

After several hours I am finding the skin of my shaft below the outer cone of the CAT II, or the Skin cone of the TLC-X, is dry and often itchy. While wearing the device I will apply some “O’Keeffe’s Working Hands” hand cream as helps A LOT! This stuff is a deep moisturizer that lasts for a long time to prevent the skin from getting dry.

When going to bed, I remove the skin cone from the TLC-X and get my foreskin bunched over my glans completely inside the cone. I have to sleep with underwear, which I never did since I was 12yo, to keep it in place.

I though I saw some actual skin growth already but have read on here that is probably not true. I most likely only am seeing a simple stretch of the skin that is only temporary while under tension but will shrink back after released. I love when I take off one of the two devices as I have a temporary view of what my penis would look like had I not been cut. My glans are fully covered and the skin can be pulled back and forth over the glans that are shiny and moist.

So here are my questions.

First, as long as it is not painful or uncomfortable, is there such a thing as too much tension, or extending the pusher too much? While I am sure I will get results from less tension or more, do results arrive sooner or are there more results with more tension?

Second, I have read about the 4hr rule. Maybe I didn’t read it well enough or missed something. Is it that anything less than 4hrs in one straight period is not effective, or anything more than 4hrs is somehow harmful?

Third, I am guessing I am not the only person who gets the dry itchy feeling during or after having the device under tension? Anyone have a way that has worked for them? I have thought about sleeping with a moisturizer filled condom might be helpful for the next day, but am not sure what an experienced person might have to say about this.

Thanks for any info, advice, suggestion anyone might have about this.
Oldy

[Est2020tugger]

When I use my TLCx, I push the rod as far as I can and set the collet screw. It ends up falling below the metal piece of the tugger body.
So I get the maximum stretch of the inner skin then use my strap to tension outer skin. I believe I am seeing results in the 10 months of tugging. I recently went back to the TLC tugger because I have noticed more inner skin on the under side of my penis.

[The Metal One]

I need to preface this by saying that there's no hard data to give a definite answer to your questions. Information you get is anecdotal, and up to you to decide if it's credible.
That said:

1, When it comes to tension, it's kinda something that each of us need to figure out for ourselves. Some people appear to have more elasticity in their skin than others, and they can safely take more tension. The potential issue with high tension is that it is possible for you to injure yourself and not realize it until it's too late. I've done exactly that 3x, later realizing it was the device I was using that caused the problem. The other landmine when you go the high-tension route is the possibility for the development of stretch marks. They seem to only occur in guys who try to max their tension as much as possible, for as long as possible, in order to expedite their results...which is a nice segue into the last part of your question: does high tension produce faster results? My experience (been restoring ~2.5 years) has shown me that low tension gives little results, but is more comfortable. Since this is a LONG journey, there's nothing wrong with prioritizing comfort/safety over speed. High tension, but not so high as to cause the aforementioned side-effects, seems to produce the most consistent, quick (relatively speaking) results. Try checking the progress gallery if you want to research how the different methods have worked for various guys.

2, The "4-hour rule" is not exactly a rule. It's more of a suggestion that some guys choose to follow, if they want to be extra cautious about avoiding injury, or something like that. It is important to take breaks (the skin that is being gripped has very little blood-flow), but I think the best solution is to let your body tell you when it needs a break. If you start feeling uncomfortable, or in pain, take your device off for 20mins - 1 hour, then reapply. If you reapply and the pain is still there, I'd suggest ending your tugging for the day, then try again tomorrow.

3, I got nothing for this one. I've never experienced—or heard others say they've experienced—what you describe. Maybe I'm just not remembering. I'm guessing the feeling is on the glans, correct me if I'm wrong. You say the feeling is "itchy and dry"; does your penis have dry skin anywhere on it? You say you're already using a moisturizer, so I don't think more of it is the solution. If there's no dry skin or sign of injury, I'd suggest some OTC numbing cream (ONLY ON THE GLANS, as putting it anywhere else could prevent you from feeling discomfort/pain that serves as a warning), if you feel the sensation is just too annoying. Only other thing I can think of is to ensure your device is cleaned regularly, as skin infections and UTIs are a possibility when using an unclean device. Huh...guess I did have something for this one.

Hope this helps you. Good luck!

[ThatOldGuy]

I need to preface this by saying that there's no hard data to give a definite answer to your questions. Information you get is anecdotal, and up to you to decide if it's credible.
That said:

1, When it comes to tension, it's kinda something that each of us need to figure out for ourselves. Some people appear to have more elasticity in their skin than others, and they can safely take more tension. The potential issue with high tension is that it is possible for you to injure yourself and not realize it until it's too late. I've done exactly that 3x, later realizing it was the device I was using that caused the problem. The other landmine when you go the high-tension route is the possibility for the development of stretch marks. They seem to only occur in guys who try to max their tension as much as possible, for as long as possible, in order to expedite their results...which is a nice segue into the last part of your question: does high tension produce faster results? My experience (been restoring ~2.5 years) has shown me that low tension gives little results, but is more comfortable. Since this is a LONG journey, there's nothing wrong with prioritizing comfort/safety over speed. High tension, but not so high as to cause the aforementioned side-effects, seems to produce the most consistent, quick (relatively speaking) results. Try checking the progress gallery if you want to research how the different methods have worked for various guys.

2, The "4-hour rule" is not exactly a rule. It's more of a suggestion that some guys choose to follow, if they want to be extra cautious about avoiding injury, or something like that. It is important to take breaks (the skin that is being gripped has very little blood-flow), but I think the best solution is to let your body tell you when it needs a break. If you start feeling uncomfortable, or in pain, take your device off for 20mins - 1 hour, then reapply. If you reapply and the pain is still there, I'd suggest ending your tugging for the day, then try again tomorrow.

3, I got nothing for this one. I've never experienced—or heard others say they've experienced—what you describe. Maybe I'm just not remembering. I'm guessing the feeling is on the glans, correct me if I'm wrong. You say the feeling is "itchy and dry"; does your penis have dry skin anywhere on it? You say you're already using a moisturizer, so I don't think more of it is the solution. If there's no dry skin or sign of injury, I'd suggest some OTC numbing cream (ONLY ON THE GLANS, as putting it anywhere else could prevent you from feeling discomfort/pain that serves as a warning), if you feel the sensation is just too annoying. Only other thing I can think of is to ensure your device is cleaned regularly, as skin infections and UTIs are a possibility when using an unclean device. Huh...guess I did have something for this one.

Hope this helps you. Good luck!

Hey Metal one and Est2020

The pushrod being pushed so far could be like Metal one is saying, the elasticity of the skin. That would make a lot of sense as I don't have that much skin so why else can I push the rod 4+inches other than extra stretchy skin.

I will be aware of stretch marks and injury by being aware of discomfort or pain as an indicator to that. The only real discount or pain is when the push head gets tilted for too long I will get a sharp or burning type feeling on the edge of the push head on the shaft of my penis.

Side question... My wife is so sorry whenever this happens but, when she starts doing something to show her arousal and I am wearing my device, that is when I experience the most pain.

As for the itchy skin, the area where this is happening is where people call the "Skin Tube" I think. The area between the push head and push body of the device. Where the skin is being stretched the most I'd say, or at the edge of the push head where I'll feel discomfort if it gets tilted wrong. I see actual white dry skin there and it is often very itchy.

Another side but this time a funny. When my wife first took note of my TLC-X and it's function, not realizing the push head was there she was shocked thinking the pushrod was being inserted into my urethra.

I don't know if anyone else has ever been tested for STDs by having something inserted into there penis, but it is not fun. The Army Colonel who did this to me was a nice as possible. His aid started to use a wooded Q-Tip but was told "Shit guy, that would kill a man!" So the Col got the correct test kit. It was a metal wire little thicker than a human hair, at the end was a swatch of so sort of fabric. This swatch was not even as long as a grain of short grain rice but was also flat. With it being so small I was thinking this year would be nothing. He may as well have used his fist and whole arm to do the test as much as this hurt lol!

That said, should I need to run a rod into my urethra everyday to restore my foreskin, I wouldn't do it. Maybe if it was a one time and suddenly I had my foreskin back, maybe, but probably not.

[The Metal One]

Ok, so there is dry skin despite the use of moisturizer, based on what you've said.
Again, speaking from unfortunate experience, I'd stop restoring until that is taken care of. Dry skin is much more susceptible to micro-tears, and you don't want those. It's not so much that they hurt, it's just annoying having to wait for them to fully heal before continuing your FR. In case you don't know, micro-tears can be very difficult to feel or even see. The 3x I had them, they didn't actually hurt, but I could see them under direct light. They kinda look like a little paper cut, and glisten with moisture under direct light when they're fresh. After that, they scab over and are a bit more noticeable, appearing as a thin line of clot.

Maybe try a different moisturizer, if your current one isn't getting the job done. Personally, I use Cerave creme, or coconut oil (coconut oil needs to be reapplied more frequently, but it might do the job better). Best time to moisturize is right before bed, since you won't be tugging anyway. Once your skin is looking healthy, you should be good to resume tugging. I just don't want you to accidentally get a tear. It just ruins your momentum, when you feel like you're making good progress.

[iRestore]

I found that higher tension works the best, 24/7 also works the best.

If your skin is itchy after you remove the device that is probably a good thing. Itchy skin = growth. This means that your skin is under enough tension. I have read from others that itch is normal and is a good sign.

Once I release tension, I use T-tapes, I get major itch also and to me that itch always means I got very good results.

With all that being said there is one issue to be careful with. I once had a major itch and it didn't go away after a day of no tension and leaving my T-tapes on. I found I had a major skin allergy with mefix tape. I also had very thick and wet skin because of this reaction. Most likely you do not have this issue but beware of it and the only way to test for it is to not use tension at all and see if you have major itch.

but this allergy will become painful to the point you wouldn't be able to tug anyway.