T-Tape Slowly Slips Off; Thoughts on Using Stronger Tape?

[claybawl]

Hey guys,

First off, I'm new to this forum, but not new to restoring. I've been restoring consistently for about 13 months now. In that time I've gone from a FEC of 26% to now a 125%. For the first 9 months, I used Ron's TLC-X with strap and inner spring tension. It worked fine, but I could only really wear it at home (at work it would be too cumbersome and noticeable). In the last 4 months, I've been applying a t-tape, and attaching it to a trombone mouthpiece. 1.75lbs (measured and adjusted every month with a fish weighing scale) of tension is applied with a suspenders strap (attached at the knee during the day, and over the shoulder at night). This works great for me, because I can wear it for 12+ hours at a time without discomfort and I don't have to remove it to pee.

The problem I'm having is that I have a section on the top (dorsal side?) of my penis that has more scar tissue than the rest, and because of this, the tape tends to slowly slip off at that point. My restored skin is already shortest at that part of the scar, and having the tape slip off and lose it's tension on that part means it REALLY doesn't grow as fast as the rest. The top is the part I really need to grow as much as possible since that's what stretches over to cover the top of my glans.

The only solution I can think would be to use stronger tape. I have tried to widen the sticky side of the tape so more sticky comes into contact with skin, but it would still slip out. Right now I'm using 3M Micropore tape, but from what I can see from this chart from 3M:

http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/202805O/surgical-tapes-choose-the-correct-tape-chart.pdf

I think either the Durapore or even the Cloth Adhesive might offer more stick. I noticed the "risk of skin trauma" graph on the second page, and it has me worried that this might cause some kind of damage. Have any of you used either the Durapore or the Cloth Adhesive for taping before? If so, how difficult was it to remove; would it come off with just water? Also, do you think it might cause some kind of damage since I'm assuming it's not made for sensitive skin?


Thanks for your time fellow restorers.
Keep on tuggin'!

[Tormod]

claybawl - welcome to the web site.

I guess that you are locating your tugged line of equilibrium on the dorsal surface and putting the mid-line of the T-tape there.

I started restoring using 3M-micropore made up as T-tape. I later found that the fabric based Mefix tape was a bit more comfortable and longer lasting. There is apparently a close equivalent to Mefix named Rejuviness.
It will come off using water alone. But, a pre-soak (5 or 10 minutes) with some form of cream or lotion will loosen the adhesive component also.

The only minor skin damage that I ever enjoyed was skin tearing because of too much tension for too long while my skin was very dry. I thereafter used a skin softening cream (a cocoa butter formula) on the visible areas of skin after putting a T-tape on.

[claybawl]

I later found that the fabric based Mefix tape was a bit more comfortable and longer lasting.

I'll order a small pack of that and see if it'll hold on a bit better than the micropore does.

I guess that you are locating your tugged line of equilibrium on the dorsal surface and putting the mid-line of the T-tape there.

I used to check my PoE on a regular basis, but I saw that most of the time it just followed my circ scar. However, it's been a while, so I decided to mark my PoE again today to see if it had changed. Well apparently it's changed. A lot. It went from being a line around my penis, to being a curve wobbling around my penis. I'd upload pictures to show you what I mean, but I don't know if that's allowed on this part of the forum. I'm really not sure if I should make the t-tape follow this curvy line, or just go around it in a straight line.

Thanks for the helpful info.

[gdom]

MeFix is the only way.

[Smertrios]

I am considering switching to t-tape to even out skin growth and came across this webpage...

http://www.foreskin.gc.bz/t_tape.php

Tried durapore a few minutes ago it just doesn't want to hold and I am freshly showered and dry (my soap is kinda oily tho and this is likely my prob)... the tape is ancient tho its really old that might have something to do with it. In anycase that stretchy foam tape used in the above link is likely better since it can stretch more before it has to let go. (its a "foam based" tape called Nexcare Absolute Waterproof)

[claybawl]

In anycase that stretchy foam tape used in the above link is likely better since it can stretch more before it has to let go. (its a "foam based" tape called Nexcare Absolute Waterproof)

I've tried the Nexcare absolute waterproof before, and it didn't stick worth anything. It may be "waterproof" (water does still make it come off faster though), but as far as stickage goes, it has a much weaker bond to skin than the micropore. I've ordered a roll of mefix. I'll see how well that sticks when it gets here.


Surely one of these products must stick strong to skin. Ha, I'd hate to resort to using a two part epoxy to make it stick.

[Smertrios]

Using the t-taping method shown in the link I gave above I tried it again but this time I put a piece of toothpick in the t-tape to get less of an uneven pull across the width of the tape pieces. This seems to be working good the only thing missing is some way for me to push back against the glans so I can even out this scar line and get more mucosa where the frenar remnant is without growing shaft skin at the same time. I like using tape!

[Smertrios]

This shows what I was talking about... The idea was to use thread (I do not have much to work with) but it would tear through the tape as soon as tension is applied so I added toothpick pieces to distribute the pulling force more evenly across the width of the t-tapes. Without the tooth picks I could just tug on them a little with my fingers and they would start coming loose... even now its a bit of a battle to keep one of the pieces on but I think its finally going to stay stuck now.

This is going to be good for nighttime foreskin restoration. I can use this all night long and not worry about getting pinched like I would with the tapeless methods and I can adjust where the tugging occurs more easily. Wish I had tried tape earlier... In that link I gave the restorer is using a cone to attach the t-tapes to I wonder how important that is to getting a tight taper like his. I also have to wonder if the stretchyness of the foam tape he recommended is going to be important.

[Tormod]

That's ingenious, Smertrios. And that T-tapeing arrangement could be used to strain the inner/outer skins differently - depending on exactly where you position each tape part.
To be honest, I would not be concerned about unequal amounts of inner skin/outer skin until you are near to being restored. By that time you will have more of all types of skin to expand, the expansion rate should be higher then. And you will be well experienced in the tugging methods which work for you.
For what it's worth, towards the end of my restoration I decided to concentrate on the ventral skin surface. I wanted a bit of an overshooting lip of skin on the lower surface. I used something like just one of your tape segments to get the result.
Best wishes - you will not regret getting restored.

[claybawl]

Ok the Mefix tape arrived, and I have to say, I really like it. It holds on much better than the micropore, and it's more comfortable since it's like cloth. I decided to do away with the trombone mouthpiece. It didn't make much sense to use that since I'm already using a t tape to attach it anyway, why not just use the t tape. I wore it for 14 hours straight with 2lbs of tension yesterday, and there was no sign of slippage whatsoever. It also came off very cleanly with water. No more sticky residue like with the micropore. Why wasn't I using this stuff from the start?

Thanks again, guys for all the helpful info.

[parsecskin]

You don't need any where near 2 lbs. A pound is plenty.

[Allie2k14]

This shows what I was talking about... The idea was to use thread (I do not have much to work with) but it would tear through the tape as soon as tension is applied so I added toothpick pieces to distribute the pulling force more evenly across the width of the t-tapes.

Instead of thread, why don't you try paper clips or safety pins (as shown below)? In my case safety pins were very convenient, and also the Mefix (or similar) tape, which doesn't tear easily. I used paper-based sticking plaster in the beginning but it was a pain.

[Tormod]

The main reason why I used 10cm lengths (of 15cm wide) Mefix was so that I could have a good length of "upright" to the T. That makes clipping to it easy. You can even improve the clip grip by folding the extreme free end of the T-tape over on itself to help bulk it up.

[gdom]

See my gallery. I just clip the tugging strap to the tape. Super easy and it never pulls off.

[Smertrios]

Been well over a month since I ordered my tape and it finally came in the mail a few days ago. Apparently it needed to be signed for and the slip they leave was not received so its been sitting on the mail truck! In anycase I like it! I cut four 1/2" x 2" strips, apply and start tugging. I have not decided which way I like the tape cut yet. For me even tho its a 1/2" x 2" strip there are 2 ways to get em. If I cut the strips with the width of the tape I get strips that stretch and get skinny then eventually get skinny enough to break but I like how it pulls right upto the point I have to redo the taping. Cutting the other direction and they dont stretch much at all they are tough.

These tapes work really well but they would still come off after a short time at least until I fixed my problem I can't believe I didn't think of this before. My shower water was a tad warm and after making it just slightly warm (a few degrees above feeling it as cold) my skin gets drier but not dry and the adhesion of the tape is superb. One other thing I do right after getting out of the shower is use a fan to get my skin dry before that tiny bit of wetness gets absorbed.

Also has anyone else noticed that shortly after I posted the link to http://www.foreskin.gc.bz/t_tape.php it became un-available?