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Comment: Foreskin restorers: insights into motivations, successes, challenges and experiences with medical and mental health professionals

International Journal of Impotence Research volume 35, page 323 (2023)Cite this article

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With great interest, we read the study of Hammond et al. titled: “Foreskin Restorers: Insights into Motivations, Successes, Challenges and Experiences with Medical and Mental Health Professionals”. In this study they describe the profile and motivations of people seeking foreskin reconstruction. Foreskin reconstruction refers to the process of extending the remaining skin on a circumcised penis to create the appearance of a natural, unaltered foreskin. This can be done through various methods such as manual stretching or the use of devices. In this study, they sought out a large population of participants, through unconventional channels with a resultantly large response to an extensive qualitative questionnaire. Great emphasis was laid on addressing different motivational experiential domains regarding foreskin reconstruction such as experienced sexuality, psychological burden, and societal experience.

The results of the study are quite profound and identify a population that largely refrains from seeking professional help in up to 87% of the participants. This may be in part due to selection bias by sampling from an internet community and buyers of home-bought foreskin device manufacturers. Nonetheless, in this study, we gain insight into a population underserved by the medical profession. Another remarkable outcome of this study was the reported age groups during which participants started performing foreskin reconstruction. A reported 8% started before the age of 18 and 34% between the ages 20–29. The experienced burden, sexual impairment, and affected self-image might therefore impact the rest of their lives greatly and disproportionately.

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Location VUMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    S. E. Mokken & F. W. Timmermans

  2. Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, BovenIJ Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    M. Özer

  3. Plastic and Reconstructive Genital Surgery, V-Klinieken, Leiden/Naarden, The Netherlands

    M. Özer

Authors
  1. S. E. Mokken
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  2. M. Özer
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  3. F. W. Timmermans
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Contributions

SEM: writing – original draft, MO: writing – original draft and writing – review and editing, FWT: writing – original draft, writing – review and editing, and supervision.

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Correspondence to F. W. Timmermans.

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Mokken, S.E., Özer, M. & Timmermans, F.W. Comment: Foreskin restorers: insights into motivations, successes, challenges and experiences with medical and mental health professionals. Int J Impot Res 35, 323 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-023-00693-6

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