Literature about foreskin restoration

One of the aspects of intactivism that are most ignored by the medical community is the existence of a large community of men restoring their foreskin through non-surgical methods. Foreskin restoration was first done by the Jewish people approximately 100 years before the Christian era, and was the reason why the original brit milah was made more radical, turning it into brit periah.

Interest in foreskin restoration reappeared during the world war II, when Jewish men were often identified by the absence of foreskin. Surgical methods were attempted. This interest traveled to Europe and the United States, giving place to new methods. In 1982, some men who didn't want to submit to surgery, rediscovered non-surgical restoration and created the BUFF method, which they shared freely. Since then, new methods have been developed through experimentation, and shared through internet in online forums.

The AAP and the CDC make no mention of foreskin restoration in their circumcision policies. The general attitude of the American medical community towards restorers is one of skepticism. Restoration is discounted as a placebo, and restorers are accused of being obsessed and psychologically unstable.

After being part of an interview for a magazine article, this editor found out that the same magazine had already published an article on the topic some years ago, fact that was probably ignored by the interviewer. While I mentioned to the interviewer how the AAP systematically ignores foreskin restorers in their policy statement, not realizing that restorers are the "unhappy customers" of this unnecessary procedure, this comment unfortunately was also cut from the printed interview. Perhaps it was considered too confrontational, or the interviewer did not realize the importance of this contrast.

When media outlets share articles about foreskin restoration on social media, the general comments also often include disbelief and disrespect. In spite of 33 years of freely sharing information on non-surgical foreskin restoration, most people think it's some kind of new fad.

This experience with the interview and subsequent observation of comments on social media inspired us to compile an extensive list of articles. Furthermore, since web pages are somewhat volatile and tend to disappear, we have stored each article in PDF format for archival purposes.

Books about foreskin restoration

• Bigelow, Jim (1991): The Joy of Uncircumcising - Exploring Circumcision: History, Myths, Psychology, Restoration, Sexual Pleasure, and Human Rights. Hourglass Book Pub. ISBN 978-0934061223.
• Griffin, Gary M. (1991): Decircumcision: Circumcision Practices & Foreskin Restoration Methods. Added Dimensions Publishing. ISBN 978-1879967052.
• Waring, Mark (1988): Foreskin Restoration: Uncircumcision. Edition: (Out of print).
• Dr. West, Chris (2014): Foreskin Restoration 101: How to Decircumcise For a Better Sex Life. KDP. ISBN 978-1500127992.

Forums about foreskin restoration

• Foreskin-restoration.net
• Restoring foreskin.org
• Advanced Devices forum
• Reddit Restoring Foreskin forum

Websites about foreskin restoration

Pages specific to foreskin restoration devices are not shown here, they will be listed on the Basics of foreskin restoration

• What is foreskin restoration (Tally)
• Benefits
• Benefits part 2
• How to start
• CIRP Circumcision Information and Resource Pages
• Beginners' guide to foreskin restoration
• Wikipedia
• NORM - National Organization of Restoring Men
• New foreskin - foreskin restoration experience
• Circumstitions - foreskin restoration, a growing movement
• Doctors Opposing Circumcision - foreskin restoration
• Page with description of methods
• Manual methods of foreskin restoration
• History and methods of foreskin restoration

Articles about foreskin restoration

1. Non-Surgical Foreskin Restoration. The stretching procedure. BUFF. (1982?) File:Fs01.pdf

2. Medical Times. "Uncircumcision" Leonard Tushmet, 1965 (Of historical interest but only discusses the early surgeries) File:Fs02.pdf

3. THE JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH. "A Technique for Foreskin Reconstruction and Some Preliminary Results". DONALD M. GREER, JR., PAUL C. MOHL, AND KATHY A. SHELEY, 1982. File:Fs03.pdf

3b. Archives of Sexual Behavior. "Restoration Seekers: Psychiatric Aspects". P.C. Mohl, R. Adams, D.M. Greer and K.A. Sheley. 1981 File:PrepuceRestorationSeekers.pdf

4. The Journal of Sex Research. "Sexology, body image, foreskin restoration and bisexual status." John Money, 1991. Part of the paper. Full paper requires payment

5. The Independent. "They took my foreskin, and I want it back: Some men feel their circumcision at birth was an assault. Now they can be 'uncircumcised' without surgery, writes Cherrill Hicks". Cherrill Hicks, 1993. File:Fs05.pdf

6. Mothering. "Uncircumcising Undoing the Effects of an Ancient Practice in a Modern World". Jim Bigelow, 1994 File:Fs06.pdf

7. AUSTRALIAN DOCTOR. "SENSITIVITY IS THE RISING ISSUE ON CIRCUMCISION". Sandra Pertot, 1994. File:Fs07.pdf

8. BMJ. "The joy of uncircumcising". Anonymous, 1994. File:Fs08.pdf

9. Chicago Reader. "Foreskin flap". Jeffrey Felshman, 1995. File:Fs09.pdf

10. The New Mexican. "Circumcision Reversal Gains in Popularity". Greg Toppo, 1996. File:Fs10.pdf

11. Westword. "Boys and their hoods.". Chris LaMorte, 1996. File:Fs11.pdf

12. PLASTIC AND RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY. "Uncircumcision: A Historical Review of Preputial Restoration". Dirk Schultheiss, M.D., Michael C. Truss, M.D., Christian G. Stief, M.D., and Udo Jonas, M.D., 1998. File:Fs12.pdf

13. Fathering Magazine. "Uncircumcised: Foreskin Restoration", Rio Cruz, 1999. File:Fs1301.pdf File:Fs1302.pdf File:Fs1303.pdf File:Fs1304.pdf File:Fs1305.pdf File:Fs1306.pdf

14. Guide Magazine. Lost and found Scott Richards, 1999. File:Fs14.pdf

15. Salon. Foreskin and several years from now. Kim Lane, 1999. File:Salon 1999.pdf

16. BJU International. "Surgical methods of restoring the prepuce: a critical review" S.B. BRANDES and J. W. McANINCH, 1999. (This article was outdated at the time it was published. Authors were skeptic of non-surgical restoration and discussing surgical methods, at a time when restorers were focused in non-surgical ways and discouraged any surgical restoration). File:Fs16.pdf

17. Post Gazette. "Local men restoring their foreskins", Christopher Snowbeck, 2000. File:Fs17.pdf

18. MetroActive. "Willy Nilly. Foreskin restoration advocates hope for healing as they fight a long and sensitive battle against circumcision. Mary Spicuzza, 2000. File:Fs18.pdf

19. The Wall Street Journal. "'intactivists' seek to undo a long practiced ritual". Barry Newmann, 2000. File:Fs19.pdf

20. MSN. "These men want their foreskins back". Jon Bonne, 2003. File:Fs20.pdf

21. Wired. New foreskin is really a stretch. Kristen Philp Koski, 2004. File:Fs2101.pdf File:Fs2102.pdf

22. The Guardian. "Sore point". Richard Johnson, 2005. File:Fs22.pdf

22a. Reed center in Miami used to offer surgical restoration 2005-2006 File:Fs22a.pdf

23. Toronto Life. "Boys and the hood", Veronica Cusack, 2006. File:Fs2301.pdf File:Fs2302.pdf File:Fs2303.pdf File:Fs2304.pdf File:Fs2305.pdf

24. Time. "The Great Uncircumcision Debate". Jeninne Lee-St. John, 2007. File:Fs24.pdf

25. Houston Press. "The Fantastic Foreskin", Craig Malisow, 2007. (PDF larger than we can upload at the time)

26. Chicago Tribune. "circumspection". Judy Peres, 2007. File:Fs26.pdf

27. Details Magazine. "Gimme some skin". Elisa Ludwig, 2008. File:Fs27.pdf

28. Star Observer. "Second skin now an option". Anonymous contributor. 2008. File:Fs28.pdf

29. Whole Women Magazine. "Getting Back What was Lost: A Journey to Foreskin Restoration". James Mac, 2010. "" File:Fs29.pdf

30. The Good Men Project. "The foreskin renaissance". Laura Novak, 2011. File:Fs30.pdf

31. The Healthy Bear. "The healthy bear on foreskin restoration and how to reverse circumcision". George Forgan-Smith, 2011 File:Fs31.pdf

32. Tikkun. "Mourning a Foreskin". Patricia Karlin-Neumann, 2011. (About Lisa Braver Moss' novel, "The Measure of His Grief", which deals with the topic of foreskin restoration). File:Fs32.pdf

33. Vice. "Matthew Hess wants to save your baby's foreskin". Wilbert L. Cooper, 2011. File:Fs33.pdf

34. Canadian Medical Association Journal. Whole again: the practice of foreskin restoration. Roger Collier. December 11, 20ll.

35. The Punch. "I was circumcised and I want my foreskin back". Elwyn Moir, 2012. File:Fs34.pdf

36. Salon. "In defense of the foreskin". Stephen Robert Morse, 2012. http://www.salon.com/2012/12/24/in_defense_of_the_foreskin/ File:Salon 2012.pdf

37. Science 2.0 "Open letter to the American Academy of Pediatrics". Chris Austin, 2012. File:Fs36.pdf

38. The kernel. "men who want their foreskins back". Jeremy Wilson, 2013 File:Fs37.pdf

39. Huffington Post. "Men missing foreskin fume on forums" 2013. (Mostly a summary of the one in the Kernel, no name) File:Fs38.pdf

40. news.com.au "Meet the circumcised men who want to restore their foreskins". 2013 (one of the most negative articles on the topic) File:Fs39.pdf

41. Aussie Penis. "Foreskin restoration growing in popularity in Australia", 2013. / File:Fs40.pdf

42. All Woman (Jamaican Observer). "Is circumcision reversal possible?" Donna Hussey-Whyte, 2013. File:Fs41.pdf

43. Net Doctor. "I'm circumcised, can my foreskin be restored?". The Net Doctor medical team, 2014. (A very negative response from medical professionals, discouraging restoration, seems to be indicative of the medical attitude towards foreskin restorers). File:Fs42.pdf

44. All Experts. "Foreskin restoration". Stephen W. Leslie, MD, 2014. (Another case of a physician discouraging a person asking for information on restoration). File:Fs43.pdf

45. Narratively. "Fighting for foreskin", Stephen Robert Morse, 2014. File:Fs44.pdf

46. Go Naked Magazine. "Transforming your penis". NYCDNCR, 2014. Part 1 Part 2

47. ZB. My foreskin restoration. Frank, 2014 (?) (Account of surgical restoration with explicit narrative - on a fetish/fiction website) File:Fs46.pdf

48. Foreskin Restoration: becoming whole again. E Winter Toshlin. 2013. The bilerico project. File:Fs47.pdf

49. Salon. "love genital cutting more than they love their own children" : Two "intactivist" tell Salon about foreskin restoration. Jenny Kutner, 2015. File:Salon 2015.pdf

50. Vice. It Takes a Lot of Dick-Tugging to Get Your Foreskin Back July 1, 2015 By Peter Holslin File:Fs49.pdf

51. The Village Voice. A Look at the Wacky, Wrinkly World of Foreskin Restoration. October 6, 2015 By Jess Swanson

52. Miami New Times. Meet the Circumcised Men in Miami Trying to Regrow Their Foreskins October 6, 2015 By Jess Swanson

53. I Grew Back My Foreskin, and You Can Too. February 1st, 2016, by Adam Elder. Mel Magazine. File:I Grew Back My Foreskin, and You Can Too — MEL Magazine — Medium.pdf

54. The men who want their foreskin back. February 23, 2016, by Jenn Morson. The Daily Beast. File:The Men Who Want Their Foreskin Back - The Daily Beast.pdf

55. Circumcised men figured out how to regrow foreskin to increase sexual pleasure. April 18, 2016, by Abby Scott.

56. Millennial Men Rush to Restore Their Foreskins, ‘Feel Whole Again’. October 18, 2016. Heat Street.

See also

• Basics of foreskin restoration
• Foreskin restoration
• Surgical foreskin restoration